ESPN NFL

And I do mean warm. It's going to feel like training camp weather out there today as players can report to their facilities for the start of offseason conditioning programs. The people for whom I feel the worst, though, are those who've been training for the Boston Marathon in cold or mild temperatures and have to run it on a freakish 86-degree April day. Be safe, folks.

As for us, yeah, some stuff happened on the long weekend I took. We'll get caught up on all of it, I promise. We just have to start slowly. Ease into it, ya know. Like, with some links.

Dallas Cowboys

Anthony Spencer still has not signed his franchise tender, and Calvin Watkins ponders whether that means he won't show up for the start of these voluntary workouts. Spencer said all the right things earlier in the offseason about the franchise player designation, but if he doesn't show up Monday, that will be interpreted as a clear statement he wants a long-term deal instead. I don't know that we can assume the Cowboys will give him one until we see what they come up with in the draft. If I were Spencer, and I thought there was a chance the Cowboys could snag a pass-rusher in the first round, I believe I'd sign the tender. It's not as though the guy had 15 sacks last year and has a whole bunch of leverage.

Oh, and Terence Newman, now a Bengal, says the reason he had such a bad year with the Cowboys in 2011 was that he was playing through a hamstring injury. I did some research, and this appears to be the first time a player has ever tried to explain away a bad season by disclosing an injury that was (a) not important enough to mention at the time and (b) not bad enough to keep him on the bench. Odd, that Newman is the first one to come up with this. ...

New York Giants

On May 5, Giants quarterback Eli Manning will host "Saturday Night Live." It's a gig his formerly more famous brother had in 2007, and I for one am interested to see how the straight-faced Eli pulls this one off. I have a hunch the reviews will express pleasant surprise.

And in the wake of the Keith Rivers trade, the Giants appear to be filling out their linebacker corps. They are bringing back Chase Blackburn, whose fourth-quarter interception of Tom Brady helped key the comeback victory in the Super Bowl. Blackburn exceeded all expectations at middle linebacker after the Giants signed him away from a substitute teaching job on Thanksgiving weekend. And while they probably still view him as a special teamer who played over his head, his contribution to the Super Bowl run will certainly earn him a shot at more playing time in 2012.

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles were in the news over the weekend due to a Cleveland Plain Dealer report that identified them as one of four teams interested in trading up to get the Browns' pick (No. 4 overall) in the draft (which is in 10 days, by the way). Let me make this extremely clear: I am not buying this. I do not believe it makes sense for the Eagles to make such a move, and for that reason I don't believe they will. Remember that this is draft season -- the season of spin and posturing. There are people in the Browns' front office who are good friends with people in the Eagles' front office, and friends do each other favors. If the Browns want to trade the No. 4 pick to, say, the Miami Dolphins, who may want it so they can draft quarterback Ryan Tannehill, they need to cultivate a sense that there's a market for the pick -- that other teams are interested. That is the only way to get, say, Miami to pay more. I have no doubt that the Eagles and Browns have engaged in many discussions over the past few weeks and months, and I am certain that the idea of a trade of draft picks has come up from one side or the other. But that doesn't mean it will or should happen. The Eagles may like Tannehill as the ultimate successor to Michael Vick, but there's a difference between liking a guy and trading away multiple picks to move up 11 spots and draft him. It wouldn't be a prudent way for the Eagles to spend their resources, and my belief is that they know this.

Jonathan Tamari visited with Eagles defensive tackle Mike Patterson, who is recovering from brain surgery but determined to be on the field when training camp opens in July.

Washington Redskins

On Friday, the Redskins reached a deal to re-sign inside linebacker London Fletcher, which comes as a huge relief to the team and its fans, who recognize the importance of Fletcher to the defense. I'll have a separate post on Fletcher at some point Monday, because I was off Friday and Fletcher is worth his own post.

The Redskins also agreed to terms with safety Tanard Jackson, who was released last week by the Buccaneers and is a favorite of new Redskins secondary coach Raheem Morris. The safety mix is a crowded one now, and it'll be interesting to see how it all shakes out. Surely, the signing of Jackson indicates a belief by Morris that he can coach the best out of him, as he did in Tampa Bay. Jackson is a talented guy with a checkered past, and there's upside with this signing. If it doesn't work, they did sign safeties Brandon Meriweather and Madieu Williams earlier in the offseason, so there'll be some veteran depth there in training camp along with younger guys like DeJon Gomes and Reed Doughty.

The NFL draft is now two weeks away, and the teams in our division continue to do their fine tuning in advance of it. Heck, even the Giants got into the act and started acquiring some guys Wednesday. Crazy, I know. Links.

Dallas Cowboys

Rainer Sabin thinks Jerry Jones' reputation as a stubborn owner is outdated and that Jones deserves credit for a willingness to admit and acknowledge his mistakes. Not a bad point, though Cowboys fans would probably respond by saying they'd simply prefer he stop making so many.

Were you wondering if someone would take a chance on recently released cornerback Terence Newman? No? Nobody? How about you there in the back? Did you raise your hand? Yes? Well, here you go. He's a Bengal.

New York Giants

The Giants capped off a busy Wednesday by signing former Patriots cornerback Antwaun Molden. They hope to have the Keith Rivers trade finalized and announced today, and maybe once that happens we'll get some clarity about their plans for where all of their linebackers are going to play.

The knee injury tight end Jake Ballard suffered in the Super Bowl was more serious than we originally knew. Ballard had microfracture surgery in addition to the surgery to repair his torn ACL. It's going to be a very tough road back for Ballard.

Philadelphia Eagles

The way Demetress Bell's contract is structured allows the Eagles to get out after a year if Jason Peters is back and ready to go, but it also gives them the option of keeping Bell around as a long-term replacement if that's what they end up needing. Reuben Frank has the details.

Former Eagles running back Brian Westbrook wants the team to give current running back LeSean McCoy his long-term contract. As we have discussed at length here, I believe Westbrook and McCoy will get their wish at some point.

Washington Redskins

Carolina Panthers receiver Steve Smith, who helped Cam Newton flourish as a rookie quarterback in 2011, says the Redskins can have success with a rookie quarterback in 2012 as long as the receivers are open-minded about working with one.

Defensive lineman Jarvis Jenkins, who was a star in his first training camp last year before a preseason injury knocked him out for the season, has been cleared to resume playing football. This helps make the defensive line perhaps the deepest position group the Redskins have, and it should be a strength of their team in 2012.

» AFC Assessments: East | West | North | South » NFC: East | West | North | South

Dallas Cowboys

Key additions: CB Brandon Carr, S Brodney Pool, QB Kyle Orton, FB Lawrence Vickers, LB Dan Connor, G Nate Livings, G Mackenzy Bernadeau

Key losses: WR Laurent Robinson, TE Martellus Bennett, FB Tony Fiammetta, CB Terence Newman, G Kyle Kosier (cut)

"You ain't a beauty, but hey, you're all right": Rather than go big for the biggest names out there, the Cowboys took a more directed, focused approach to free agency this year. They did spend a lot to bring in Carr, but they had a glaring need at cornerback and they believed Carr was the best one on the market. The two guards were specifically targeted by Cowboys' scouts and new offensive line coach Bill Callahan, and Connor was brought in to address a need at inside linebacker while 2011 draft pick Bruce Carter continues to develop.

The only loss that they didn't upgrade is that of Robinson, who signed with the Jaguars after coming out of nowhere to catch 11 touchdown passes from Tony Romo in 2011. The Cowboys will hope that one of the young receivers on their roster fills that No. 3 wide receiver role, or that they can catch lightning in a bottle again this year as they did with Robinson last year. They could miss Kosier's leadership on the offensive line, but he was getting old and injured and they needed to keep getting younger on the line.

What's next: While they'll keep an eye out for a bargain-bin receiver to replace Robinson, and they could try and find another tight end to replace Bennett, the Cowboys' main focus the rest of this offseason is likely to be on defense. They could add to the safety or cornerback mix in the draft or with another free agent. They'll keep looking to upgrade the pass rush, either with another outside linebacker or a defensive lineman. Those are the likely areas in which the Cowboys will focus their efforts in the draft.

Otherwise, it's going to be about sorting things out, especially on the offensive line. They need to find a pair of starting guards from a group that includes the two newcomers and the two youngsters -- David Arkin and Bill Nagy -- they drafted last year. Training camp should help sort out what needs to be sorted out on the offensive side of the ball. The draft will be for adding more pieces to Rob Ryan's defense.

New York Giants

Key additions: TE Martellus Bennett

Key losses: RB Brandon Jacobs, WR Mario Manningham, CB Aaron Ross, T Kareem McKenzie

"Reason to believe": The Giants don't like to make big free-agent splashes, and since they're up against the salary cap they also have little choice. But their second Super Bowl title in five years should help ease any concerns fans might have about if they're doing enough in the offseason. The Giants' way is to establish fair prices for the positions they need to fill and to be patient until they find players willing to play for their number. They'd have loved to have Jacobs or Manningham or Ross back, but not for the kind of money those guys found in free agency. They'd love to have linebacker Jonathan Goff and defensive end Dave Tollefson back, but if they get big-money deals elsewhere, the Giants will let them go too.

They targeted Bennett right away and signed him on the second day of free agency, since they saw in him a young talent at a position where they lost two players to major knee injuries in the Super Bowl. And they re-signed cornerback Terrell Thomas and punter Steve Weatherford, two of their offseason priorities. But since then, the Giants have been quiet, content that they have a good, deep, championship roster and willing to let the market come to them.

What's next: The areas of concern, if there are any for the Giants, are linebacker and offensive line. And if Goff comes back, they like what they have at linebacker with the incumbents and last year's rookies. With McKenzie leaving, they could move David Diehl from left tackle to right tackle, but they'll still need to add depth at tackle as they look to the future on the offensive line.

There remains the chance that the Giants could trade defensive end Osi Umenyiora, who was disgruntled about his contract this time last year and now only has one year to go. If they did that, they could move Mathias Kiwanuka from linebacker back to his old pass-rushing spot on the line. But the Giants would have to be really blown away by an offer to move Umenyiora, who has relaxed a great deal about his contract situation and said he'd like to stay.

Philadelphia Eagles

Key additions: LB DeMeco Ryans (trade), G Mike Gibson

Key losses: DE Juqua Parker, WR Steve Smith, QB Vince Young

"We take care of our own": The Eagles' focus so far this offseason has been internal. They extended the contracts of right tackle Todd Herremans and defensive end Trent Cole, signed wide receiver DeSean Jackson to a long-term deal and re-signed free-agent guard Evan Mathis. The Eagles believe last year's team was a good roster that underachieved, and they basically are taking a mulligan and hoping it works this time.

The one exception is a big one -- the trade that brought them Ryans from Houston in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick. The Eagles were pitifully weak at linebacker last year, and that weakness hurt their otherwise successful implementation of the "Wide 9" defensive line formation. They could get to the passer with their front four, but teams were able to attack the middle of their defense at will. The addition of Ryans, a veteran middle linebacker who was a productive tackler and beloved leader with the Texans, should help solve a lot of those problems.

What's next: There remains a strong chance the Eagles will trade cornerback Asante Samuel before or during the draft. They can afford to do so because they'd still be left with Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie as starting cornerbacks and the underrated Joselio Hanson at nickel corner. Other than that, the Eagles figure to be fairly quiet the rest of the way.

They're most likely to use their first-round pick on a defensive player, though Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly, who'd be a great addition, now looks likely to be gone by the time they pick at No. 15. So they could pick up another veteran linebacker and use the draft to add to their defensive line rotation. It's also likely they add a veteran safety and a veteran running back to back up LeSean McCoy, who's next in line for a new contract.

Washington Redskins

Key additions: WR Pierre Garcon, WR Josh Morgan, CB Cedric Griffin, S Brandon Meriweather

Key losses: S O.J. Atogwe (cut), S LaRon Landry, WR Donte' Stallworth

"When the change was made uptown and the big man joined the band": The Redskins' biggest move of the offseason was the draft-picks trade they made with the Rams, sending three first-round picks and a second-round pick to St. Louis in exchange for the No. 2 pick in this year's draft. That pick ensures that Washington, which has been looking for a franchise quarterback for a couple of decades, will be in position to take one of the two quarterbacks in this year's draft that projects as a franchise guy. They're most likely getting Baylor's Robert Griffin III, the 2011 Heisman Trophy winner who's got Redskins fans in a tizzy already.

The Redskins' first big moves when free agency opened were aimed at building a new offense for their rookie quarterback to run. Garcon and Morgan are, the Redskins believe, receivers with big-play talent who will fit well into the offense they like to run. The other two big additions -- Griffin and Meriwether -- were brought in to beef up the secondary, which lost its two starting safeties. It's possible Griffin could play safety, though he played cornerback in Minnesota.

What's next: The Redskins continue to try to re-sign veteran linebacker London Fletcher, and they're confident they can do that. They also want to bring back running back Tim Hightower, assuming he's recovered from his ACL injury, and they're in talks with him about doing just that. If they fail in either or both of those efforts, they'll need backup plans, as they'll lack depth at running back and inside linebacker.

Washington still could stand to add to its secondary and find help for the offensive line. Right tackle Jammal Brown has injury problems, and the team is looking for a better option. Demetrius Bell remains on the market and is a player Washington likes for that right tackle spot.

Busy Tuesday upcoming here on the blog. You know things are cookin' when there's a post up before the links. We'll have a chat at noon ET, as we do each week, and plenty more goodies coming your way as the first full week of free agency wraps up with work still to be done for all four of our teams. Keep it right here for all your NFC East needs. Including, of course, your morning links.

Dallas Cowboys

ESPNDallas.com's draft preview series focuses on Wisconsin's Peter Konz, who's the No. 1 center in the draft and actually what the Cowboys really need on the offensive line but might be a reach, value-wise, at No. 14 in the first round. Lots of people calling for the Cowboys to take Stanford guard David DeCastro with that pick, but center was a real weak spot last year and they have quite a number of guards on the roster all of a sudden. I wonder if it makes sense to deal back and try to get a center.

Mac Engel thinks the Cowboys should trade for Tim Tebow. I think Mac's argument is unsound. It is based, as are so many unsound Cowboys-related argument, on the tired premise that "Yeah, Tony Romo is really good, but they haven't won with him," as though Romo were supposed to magically appear on the field and tackle the Giants fullbacks who were all jumping over Terence Newman on New Year's Day. The Cowboys have a plan, and it appears to be a good one, and I can't see a legitimate way in which Tebow fits into it. Especially if he's going to cost draft picks.

New York Giants

Victor Cruz has a new agent, but Mike Garafolo cautions us not to worry that this means he'll make an ugly scene about his contract anytime soon. Cruz would like to make more money and cash in on the monster year he just had, and he's said as much publicly. But the Giants have told him he must wait in line behind more pressing priorities, and he seems content to do that.

After having training camp in East Rutherford, N.J., last year due to the lockout, the Giants will return to their regular training camp home in Albany, N.Y., this year, and Albany is psyched.

Philadelphia Eagles

So, while we're on the topic, Rich Hofmann thinks the Eagles would be wise to at least consider Tebow. He's not the first to bring this up, and while I maintain that the Eagles don't need to throw the Tebow circus on top of everything else they already have going on this year, you can't entirely rule out the possibility that they do it anyway, against my sage advice. You know Andy Reid is always at least intrigued when a new quarterback hits the market, and the people who run the Eagles are thorough enough that they've surely at least discussed how it might work. I dispute the notion that Tebow could plug right into the Eagles' offense because he's left-handed and likes to run and is therefore a similar player to Michael Vick. I do not think they are, in fact, similar players, and I believe the Eagles would have to totally overhaul their offense if Vick were to suffer an injury and Tebow had to play. But look at it this way: Nobody imagined the Eagles signing Vick three years ago when he got out of jail, and once they did, no one could figure out how they planned to use him. So, stranger things have happened -- and worked out all right -- with the Eagles.

The re-signing of guard Evan Mathis is a popular move among Eagles fans, and not just because of how well Mathis played in 2011. The fans also like Mathis' personality.

Washington Redskins

Mark Maske reports that the Redskins are considering challenging the NFL's decision to strip them of $36 million in salary-cap room due to the way they structured contracts in the uncapped 2010 season. The challenge would be through arbitration, not through an antitrust lawsuit, and Mark reports that the Cowboys (who lost $10 million in cap space for the same ridiculous reason) could join them in seeking arbitration. I still don't know if they'll do this, or how likely it would be to work given the way the CBA is worded. But it's clear the Redskins are upset, as they should be, and haven't yet let this go, as they shouldn't.

John Keim thinks back to the early days of LaRon Landry's time in Washington, when he and the late Sean Taylor looked as though they'd make for one of the most fearsome safety tandems in the league, and wonders what might have been.

It's Friday. They're links. Click 'em.

Dallas Cowboys

Todd Archer explains the reasoning behind the aggressive yet specific approach the Cowboys have so far taken to free agency.

Dallas could save nearly $6 million more against this year's cap by doing a long-term deal with franchise player Anthony Spencer. But Stephen Jones says they're in no rush to do that. The Cowboys cleared nearly $16 million in cap room earlier this week by cutting Terence Newman and David Buehler and restructuring the contracts of Doug Free and Orlando Scandrick.

New York Giants

It's been more than two years since Marvin Austin appeared in a football game, and as Ohm Youngmisuk found out, he's working on what may turn out to be a career in the music business. The former North Carolina defensive lineman, who was the Giants' second-round pick in 2011, remains eager to get back on the field this fall after an injury wiped out his rookie season.

Mario Manningham's free-agent tour stopped in San Francisco on Thursday, but he didn't sign with the 49ers. He's off to St. Louis next and may still be on Miami's radar. Those wondering if he's still got a chance to return to the Giants are likely to be disappointed. This much outside interest means his price tag will soar well beyond what they want to pay their No. 3 wide receiver.

Philadelphia Eagles

DeSean Jackson is relieved and excited to have his long-term deal with the Eagles at long last. He says he believes he will win a Super Bowl with the Eagles, and that he never once worried he wouldn't be able to stay in Philadelphia. Jackson's deal is very team-favorable, as he's likely to realize at some point during it. But his satisfaction now shows, I think, that all he wanted was a little show of faith and respect. It didn't take as much to make him happy as most of us imagined it would.

Eagles free-agent guard Evan Mathis stayed the night in Baltimore, where the Ravens are trying to sign him. The Eagles have made it clear they want him back, but it's entirely possible they get outbid.

Washington Redskins

Newly signed Redskins safety Brandon Meriweather says he's looking forward to working with new Redskins defensive backs coach Raheem Morris. And asked how he'd describe his game, Meriweather answered, "Soon to be showcased live," which is not much of a description but keeps making me laugh for some reason. It's conceivable that I haven't had a sufficient amount of sleep.

The NFL's decision to strip the Redskins of $36 million in cap room for failing to adhere to a 2010 salary cap that only existed in the league's collective mind has had a bizarre effect in Washington. It's prompting people to take Redskins owner Dan Snyder's side.

You've waited, speculated, hoped and fretted for months, and today it finally arrived -- the start of NFL free agency. It was a busy and hectic day, as it often is, and it's liable to continue into the wee hours of the morning. But for now, as we creep toward midnight, it seems like a good time to stop and ask each of our division's four teams our favorite free-agency question.

So, how was your day? ...

Washington Redskins?

"Exciting." The Redskins were extremely busy right away, agreeing to deals with wide receivers Pierre Garcon and Josh Morgan and working on another for wide receiver Eddie Royal. The fact that they moved so quickly led to industry-wide cries of "Same old Redskins -- champions of March," because there's no more powerful force in the NFL than conventional wisdom. But an actual close look at what they're doing reveals the kind of smart, long-view plan that Mike Shanahan and Bruce Allen began working to execute last offseason.

The old, reckless-spending Redskins would not have been outbid for 29-year-old Vincent Jackson, who got $55.5 million ($26 million guaranteed) from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The receivers the Redskins signed will be 26 and 27 years old at the start of the season. And while five years, $42.5 million ($20.5 million guaranteed) is obviously too much for Garcon, who has never been a No. 1 wide receiver, it's what it cost to get him. Shanahan has identified him as a guy who can explode, based on where he is in his career, the way he'll fit in Shanahan's offense and the potential for him to grow along with Robert Griffin III. If Shanahan's wrong, the contract could haunt him. But he's not just throwing money around. Garcon is a guy Shanahan targeted for good, specific reasons. There is a plan here, and it's likely to continue as they work to fill holes on the offensive line and in the secondary in the coming days and weeks.

The Redskins also re-signed Adam Carriker on Tuesday to maintain depth on the defensive line. What Redskins fans would like to see next is a re-signing of linebacker London Fletcher. I believe the Redskins would like that too, but the longer it goes without getting done, the greater the chance the Redskins will lose one of their most valuable defensive players. What's clear is that, in spite of being docked $36 million against the cap for violating some sort of amorphous fake spending limit during the uncapped 2010 season, the Redskins still have plenty of room to work under the cap.

Dallas Cowboys?

"Better than Monday." A day after learning that they'd be docked $10 million against the salary cap over the next two years for the same kinds of bogus violations that nailed the Redskins, the Cowboys set about executing their own plan. They cut Terence Newman and David Buehler and restructured the contracts of Doug Free and Orlando Scandrick -- a combination of moves that bought them about $15.8 million in extra cap room this year. Then, according to Adam Schefter, they brought in free-agent cornerback Brandon Carr, who at this writing seemed likely to sign with Dallas as Newman's replacement as early as Tuesday night. With Cortland Finnegan having signed for five years and $50 million in St. Louis, and Carlos Rogers having re-signed for four years and about $30 million in San Francisco, the market seemed set for Carr, and the Cowboys seemed determined not to let him leave Dallas without a deal.

Schefter also reported that the Cowboys were looking at Kyle Orton, who'd be an excellent veteran backup option for Tony Romo at quarterback. And ESPNDallas.com writes that the Cowboys plan to bring in former Panthers linebacker Dan Connor and former Bears tight end Kellen Davis for visits as well. Connor makes sense because they'll need depth at linebacker and may need more time for Bruce Carter to develop behind a veteran. Davis makes sense as a possible replacement for Martellus Bennett, who's in New York to visit the Giants. So if they get Carr done, they'll have addressed their most glaring need on the first day and are already at work on filling some other important needs. They still need to find offensive line help, and it looks as though they could lose wide receiver Laurent Robinson to the Jaguars or Dolphins, but cornerback was the place for them to start.

New York Giants?

"Productive." The champs began the day by re-signing cornerback Terrell Thomas, which was a priority of theirs, and buying themselves some cap room with the restructuring of the contract of center David Baas. Then they flew Bennett in for a visit, since they need a tight end to replace the two they lost to serious knee injuries in the Super Bowl. Cowboys fans are chuckling at the idea that another team would want Bennett, who earned a reputation as a pass-dropping underachiever during his time in Dallas. But the Giants see a guy who's 6-foot-6, 270 pounds, fast and still just 25 years old. They certainly trust their coaching staff and their quarterback to get the most out of any player, and if they can get him on a reasonable deal, it's certainly worth a shot that he still could transform his remarkable physical talent into reliable on-field production. And if he can't, Jake Ballard and Travis Beckum should be back healthy at the end of the season anyway. It's worth the Giants' time to check on Bennett.

The Giants target guys they like but are otherwise patient, so don't expect to hear much about them and Mario Manningham, Aaron Ross or Jonathan Goff anytime soon. They'll let those guys see what they can get on the market, and if they come back disappointed and willing to sign for the Giants' numbers, they could return. If not, the Giants feel confident they can find replacements.

Philadelphia Eagles?

Wait. That was today? Yeah, the Eagles had a quiet day. They extended Todd Herremans' contract and, as Sal Paolantonio reported, were working on an extension for Trent Cole as well. Part of the reason for the quiet is that the Eagles did a lot of work in free agency last year and expect those players to play better in 2012. Part of the reason is that the position at which they need the most help is linebacker, and the linebacker market hasn't really started humming yet. I still think Fletcher makes sense for them on a number of levels, and I wonder if he's a guy they're quietly targeting to steal away from Washington. We'll see. They won't go as nuts as they did last year, but the Eagles won't stay silent for long.

We've known for months that, when the time came, the ax wouldn't hurdle Terence Newman, and it didn't. The Dallas Cowboys have released the beleaguered cornerback who became the symbol of their second-half defensive problems, according to Todd Archer and Calvin Watkins.

The move saves the Cowboys either $4 million or $6 million against the salary cap, depending on the official timing of it and whether the NFL's 31 other owners decide two years from now that they didn't agree with it. (Yeah, I made that last part up.) The Cowboys also cut kicker David Buehler (which they announced, unlike the Newman move, and remains a secret for some reason) and, according to Todd and Calvin, restructured the contracts of cornerback Orlando Scandrick and tackle Doug Free. The Scandrick restructure converts $5.9 million of his $7.1 million base salary into bonus money. Similar deal with Free, as they convert $4.8 million of his $6 million base salary into bonus money.

All of the moves are designed for the salary cap, which the Cowboys need after the league docked them $10 million worth of cap room over the next two years for violating a handshake agreement the teams made to not spend too much during a supposedly uncapped season in 2010. Todd and Calvin calculate that Tuesday's moves cleared $15.82 million in 2012 cap room. Dallas is expected to be aggressive in free agency in spite of the sanctions, and it needs help at cornerback, safety and on the offensive line. Expect it to be mentioned in pursuit of the top cornerbacks on the market, such as Brandon Carr and Cortland Finnegan, once free agency opens at 4 p.m. ET.

Newman played well at the start of this season upon his return from injury, but he slowed down severely as the season went along. He gained an unfortunate sort of national notoriety in the season finale that decided the division title, when two Giants fullbacks were able to hurdle him while he tried to tackle them. The Cowboys were looking to upgrade from Newman last summer and likely would have cut him had they succeeded in signing Nnamdi Asomugha. But they held onto Newman instead, and the defense suffered for it.

Everybody knows the Dallas Cowboys need to upgrade their secondary, and much of the attention has been on cornerback, where Terence Newman is sure to be released and the Cowboys are being linked to cornerbacks such as Brandon Carr and Cortland Finnegan in free agency and Janoris Jenkins and Dre Kirkpatrick in the draft. But they also need to address safety, and the Cowboys' website raises the interesting name of Brodney Pool as a possible solution there. Pool played for Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan in Cleveland and could be a fit in Dallas if it decides not to retain his former teammate, Abram Elam:

Having started alongside Elam in Cleveland, Pool's signing with the Cowboys would mean that Elam will play elsewhere in 2012, most likely. Gerald Sensabaugh has been locked up to a long-term deal, but the Cowboys could use an upgrade opposite him. Pool and Elam are comparable talents, but Pool is three years younger and has a bit more size and athleticism. The team would seem unlikely to use a first-round pick on one of the draft's top safeties like Mark Barron of Alabama, and could hope to buy more time for a young player like Barry Church before inserting him into the starting lineup. Pool is quite capable of bridging that gap.

This is the kind of name that makes sense for the Cowboys at a position where they have a serious need but aren't likely to fill it with a pursuit of the biggest, flashiest names. I wouldn't rule out them taking someone like Barron in the first round of the draft, especially if they like whatever they've done at cornerback in free agency. But there are enough Pool-type veteran safeties on the market that the Cowboys should be able to find someone to give them what they need at the position.

The Dallas Cowboys have a ton of offseason needs, many of which they plan to fill via free agency. But before they can go out and hunt for cornerbacks and safeties and guards and help for the pass rush, they need to know exactly how much salary cap room they have. Calvin Watkins writes that they're about $12.5 million under the projected cap right now, but that they can clear more room by restructuring the contracts of Dez Bryant and some other players:

It's written in wide receiver Dez Bryant's contract the Cowboys can move his $1.4 million roster bonus into signing bonus to create $957,000 of cap space. The Cowboys have done this in the past with several players.

Also, cornerback Orlando Scandrick, who is scheduled to make a base salary of $7.1 million can get that moved to signing bonus money to create cap space as well. Right tackle Doug Free is in the same situation. He's supposed to make $6 million in base salary in 2012 but that could get changed as well.

If the Cowboys move Free and Scandrick's money around, it will lower their salary cap figures and create $8.6 million in cap room.

As Calvin points out, they're also planning to cut cornerback Terence Newman, which could save them another $6 million or $4 million, depending on when they do it. Look for these kinds of moves to get made as the Cowboys position themselves to be very active in free agency when it begins Tuesday afternoon.

» AFC Free-Agency Primer: East | West | North | South » NFC: East | West | North | South

Free agency begins Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET

Dallas Cowboys

Key free agents: WR Laurent Robinson, S Abram Elam, LB Keith Brooking, LB Anthony Spencer (franchise)

Where they stand: Dallas needs serious help in the secondary and will have to decide whether it wants Elam back at safety while it pursues at least one cornerback. The Cowboys are expected to release Terence Newman, and they could look to add depth at that position and a new starter. Franchising Spencer indicates that while they would like to improve their pass rush, they won't be players in the Mario Williams market. Expect their free-agent focus to be on defensive backs and possibly some upgrades on the interior of the offensive line. They would like Robinson back as their No. 3 receiver, but if he's going to get No. 2 receiver-type offers, they'll likely let him walk.

What to expect: The top two cornerback targets are likely Kansas City's Brandon Carr and Tennessee's Cortland Finnegan. You can't rule out Dallas making a play for Saints guard Carl Nicks, who'd be a huge help to their offensive line. But someone like Baltimore's Ben Grubbs is likely to be more attainable financially. What the Cowboys really need on the line is a center, but it's not a great market for those unless they can get their hands on Houston's Chris Myers. The Cowboys likely will hunt for some second-tier safeties and inside linebackers to add depth, then target defensive back again early in the draft.

New York Giants

Key free agents: WR Mario Manningham, OT Kareem McKenzie, CB Aaron Ross, CB Terrell Thomas, LB Jonathan Goff, P Steve Weatherford (franchise).

Where they stand: The Super Bowl champs must get their own cap situation in order first, as they project to be about $7.25 million over the projected cap. That may mean tough cuts of people like Brandon Jacobs or David Diehl, or it may just mean some contract restructuring (like the big one they apparently just did with Eli Manning). Regardless, don't expect the Giants to spend big to keep Manningham or Ross. They're likely to bring back Thomas on a team-favorable deal as a result of the knee injury that cost him the entire 2011 season, and they'll probably let McKenzie walk and try to replace him internally (which favors Diehl's chances of sticking around).

What to expect: Just like last year, don't expect the Giants to be big-game hunters. They like to grow their own replacements. If Manningham leaves, they won't go after the top wide receivers but might try to find a bargain or two to supplement the young players from whom they're expecting more production next season. They could find a midlevel safety if they don't bring back Deon Grant, and if Jacobs leaves they'll probably bring in a veteran running back or two to compete in training camp with their youngsters. They liked Ronnie Brown last year as a possible Ahmad Bradshaw replacement when Bradshaw was a pending free agent, so there's a name to watch for if you want one.

Philadelphia Eagles

Key free agents: G Evan Mathis, DT Trevor Laws, DT Antonio Dixon (restricted), WR DeSean Jackson (franchise), QB Vince Young

Where they stand: Other than Mathis, whom they're working to try and re-sign before he his the market, the Eagles don't have many internal free-agent issues to worry about. They franchised Jackson because they're not ready to give him a long-term deal just yet. He's a candidate for a trade, but it would have to be a very nice offer. If they traded him, they'd hunt for a wide receiver, but they may do so anyway -- just at a lower level (think Plaxico Burress). The interior of the defensive line is in fairly good hands with Cullen Jenkins and Mike Patterson as starters, but they could stand to add depth to that rotation. And while they signed Trent Edwards a couple of weeks ago, they'll keep looking for a better veteran backup quarterback option with Young sure to be gone.

What to expect: Do not -- I repeat, do not -- expect the Eagles to be the same kind of player they were in free agency a year ago. Andy Reid made it very clear several times during the 2011 offseason and season that last year was unique, and the Eagles don't like to do business that way in general. They do need linebackers, and they have the cap room to play on guys like Stephen Tulloch or Curtis Lofton or even, if they wanted to get really nutty, London Fletcher. But while you can expect them to add a veteran or two at the position, don't be surprised if they sit out the higher-priced auctions this time around.

Washington Redskins

Key free agents: S LaRon Landry, LB London Fletcher, DE Adam Carriker, TE Fred Davis (franchise), QB Rex Grossman

Where they stand: Mike Shanahan said in December that Fletcher was a priority, but he remains unsigned with less than a week to go before free agency. Presumably, they'd still like to lock him up before he hits the market. If they can't, they'll have to replace a major on-field and off-field presence. Carriker is likely to be back, but the Fletcher situation has to be settled first. Landry likely is gone unless he wants to take a low-base, high-incentive deal to stay. The Redskins are sick of not knowing whether he'll be able to take the field from week to week. Grossman could return, but only as a backup to whatever quarterback upgrade they find.

What to expect: The Redskins could have more than $40 million in cap room with which to maneuver in free agency, and they're going to need it. They need a quarterback, of course, and if they can't make the trade with the Rams to move up to No. 2 in the draft and pick Robert Griffin III, they'll look at Peyton Manning and Kyle Orton and possibly Matt Flynn, though he doesn't appear to be high on their list. What Shanahan really wants is a true playmaking No. 1 wide receiver, which is why the Redskins have their eyes on Vincent Jackson and Marques Colston, who are at the very top end of that market. They'll be able to outbid almost anyone for those guys if they want to, but they may have to get quarterback figured out first if they want to persuade one of them to take their offer over similar ones. They'll also hunt for help on the offensive line and in the secondary, as they need depth in both places.

Free agency is one of several ways for NFL teams to improve their rosters. It offers some solutions to often glaring problems. But it doesn't offer many perfect ones. When a player becomes a free agent, part of the reason is because his former team decided it didn't want him anymore. This can happen for several reasons, many of which have little to do with the quality of the player or the person in question. But the fact is, if you hit the market, you do so (at least in part) because your prior team didn't do what it took to keep you from hitting the market.

Which brings us to the Dallas Cowboys, who need a cornerback, and Cortland Finnegan, a former Tennessee Titans quarterback who's now a free agent. There seems little doubt that Finnegan should be high on the Cowboys' list of free-agent targets along with former Chief Brandon Carr. But any team that looks to sign a free agent wants to know as much as possible about him -- and about why he became a free agent. Fortunately for us, as we contemplate Cowboy needs, we have Paul Kuharsky, the estimable steward of the AFC South blog, to explain to us why Tennessee is letting Finnegan go:

Here's why: They don't think he's a $10 million a year corner. While he's a very good and versatile defensive back, he's not going to single-handedly erase a top receiver every week. Even had the Titans decided to give him the franchise tag, he would have hated it and griped. He's a good guy at heart, and did a lot for the team and the community, but his nasty streak, on and off the field, could show up at bad moments and be unhealthy. The last time he got money, he didn't react to a fatter wallet well.

So there you have it, Cowboys fans. Caveat emptor, which applies to every free-agent pursuit for various reasons. Finnegan would no doubt be a huge upgrade over the 2011 version of Terence Newman, and whatever drawbacks there are to him are likely outweighed by the on-field benefit he'd bring. Just a little reminder that, as much fun as free agency is, it rarely offers flawless fixes.

Go back a year -- heck, go back three or four months and check out some of the stuff that was being written and asked about New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning. Not fiery enough, it was said. Bad body language. Doesn't look like the kind of guy who gets people energized and focused in the huddle. Needs to be more of a leader.

Well, something about throwing a football into a football-sized hole 38 yards down the sideline in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl changes the narrative, doesn't it? Giants fans aren't bothered by Eli's dopey-kid-brother demeanor anymore. Now it's all about Even-keeled Eli, who's so great in the clutch because he never gets rattled -- whose teammates would follow him through the gates of hell, so calm and convincing a leader is he.

Guess what? Nothing about Eli Manning changed over the past year except that he won his second Super Bowl. He's the same guy whose leadership style nobody liked when they missed the playoffs in 2009 and 2010. The difference is, this year, it all worked.

Which brings me to the Dallas Cowboys, Jason Hatcher and the question of locker-room leadership. Hatcher is a relatively non-controversial Cowboys defensive end who made some waves last week when he was asked on a radio show who the Cowboys' leaders were and he said he didn't know. Said he wished they had a Ray Lewis-type of leader in their locker room -- somebody to make fiery speeches and get the team pumped up.

Hatcher was surely speaking from the heart and not trying to stir up controversy, but the thing grew instant legs because what he said jives with the popular external opinion of what's wrong with the Cowboys -- that they're missing some key ethereal ingredient that makes winners, that they don't have the same kind of stuff beating in the center of their chest that Manning and his Giants do. The Cowboys underachieve, and should be better than they normally are, so we assume it's about heart or guts or leadership or whatever.

It's entirely possible that Hatcher and the public perception are correct. However, I believe that this is (a) a heavy charge to level against individuals who willingly put their bodies through the physical torture of NFL football on a week-to-week basis and (b) overblown, if not irrelevant. This is stuff that has only come up because the Cowboys lost four of their last five games. If they'd won one or two of those games -- if they'd held on against Arizona or beaten the Giants once in two tries -- the Cowboys would have been NFC East champions and talk radio hosts wouldn't be asking people like Hatcher who the leaders in the locker room were. The talk would be about how Tony Romo played through broken ribs and Sean Lee played with a cast on his hand, and how those guys inspired their teammates to do great things because of all of the heart and toughness they were showing.

In the NFL, it takes only a dropped pass here or a blocked kick there to change the entire narrative. What the Giants accomplished in January and February was stunning and tremendous, and there's certainly no guarantee the Cowboys would have made the same run if they'd been the NFC East champ instead of the Giants. But it goes to show that these storylines are all driven by who wins the games. If you win, you have effective leaders. If you don't, well, there must be something wrong.

"There's so many different styles of leadership," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett told reporters Thursday in Indianapolis at the NFL scouting combine. "There are guys who are more vocal guys, guys that lead by example, guys that pat a guy on the back, guys that ring guys by the neck. That's the way it is and the way it's always been. The best teams I've been on had a variety of styles of leadership from the players."

But one thing I'm sure they all have in common is that, regardless of style, they're genuine. You can't pretend to be a fiery-speech guy if you're not. People will see through it, and people don't respond to phonies. Lewis, for all of his bluster, is no phony. He believes the stuff he's screaming at his teammates before and after games, and they respond to it.

But Manning's teammates respond to his much calmer style, and that apparently works, too. Just because no one's in the Giants' locker room yelling and screaming all the time doesn't mean they lack leadership. And you know what? Just because no one's in the Cowboys' locker room yelling and screaming all the time doesn't mean they lack leadership. If Ray Lewis had been in the Cowboys' locker room on the evening of Jan. 1 and given some fiery speech, would only one Giants fullback have been able to hurdle Terence Newman that night instead of two?

The Cowboys' problem in 2011 was a defense that didn't have enough good players to hold up all season. They're embarking on the process now of trying to fix that. If some of the guys they bring in turn out to be Ray Lewis speechmaking types and they win some playoff games next year, you'll hear a lot about those new, fiery leaders. If the guys they bring in are all quiet types and they win some playoff games next year, you'll hear a lot about those new, cool, quiet leaders.

That's the way things work in this league -- results dictate the narrative, and the narrative must be molded to fit the results. The Cowboys don't need "leadership." They need defensive backs. And a pass rush. And some help on the offensive line. And if they get all of that stuff and it works in 2012, we're going to be told by people inside their locker room that they had plenty of leaders all along.

Yeah, that's right. The ESPNDallas.com position series makes a stop today at cornerback, which is a position of extreme need for the Dallas Cowboys. As Tim MacMahon writes, Terence Newman is a sure thing to be cut, and the fact that the Cowboys gave Orlando Scandrick a contract extension during the 2011 season indicates that maybe they're thinking about making him the starter opposite Mike Jenkins. Tim doesn't think that'd be wise:

The Cowboys cannot make the mistake of just handing Scandrick a starting role just because he's paid at that level. He hasn't done anything to prove he's capable of being anything more than a nickelback. Acquiring a cornerback to pair with Jenkins should be one of the Cowboys’ top priorities.

Agreed on all points. In fact, given Jenkins' injury issues, it might not be a bad idea for the Cowboys to sign a free-agent corner and draft one in the first round, assuming they address the pass rush and the offensive line in free agency somehow. They've poked around on Stanford Routt, who's visited several teams but has yet to sign with one after being released by the Raiders this month for contract reasons. And they should be players in the markets for Brandon Carr, Brent Grimes and Cortland Finnegan.

It is simply imperative that the Cowboys find a Newman replacement over whom the Giants' fullbacks can't jump, and pieces that deepen the depth chart so that Scandrick can remain the nickel corner and an occasional injury fill-in for one of the starters. That's his role, and he needs to get better at it before he deserves to be a starter himself.

Friday links require no introduction.

New York Giants

The one drawback to winning the Super Bowl is that you have to wait a month longer than everyone else does to have your postseason surgeries. But David Diehl said his hand will be fine, and he enjoyed taking part in a Wrestlemania news conference Thursday at MetLife Stadium.

Victor Cruz continued his star turn with a stint at Fashion Week as a guest of Tommy Hilfiger. Really, that's all I've got. I looked and looked and looked for a second Giants link. My guess is that everyone who writes about the Giants is still sleeping off the Super Bowl.

Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles GM Howie Roseman has nothing but good things to say, publicly, about DeSean Jackson and wanting him on the team. This is no surprise. What will be a surprise is if the Eagles don't exercise their right to make Jackson their franchise player at some point in the next couple of weeks, then look into trading him.

Other than Jackson, the Eagles have the looming free agency of players like Evan Mathis and Antonio Dixon to consider. Mathis in particular was a major contributor at left guard in 2011, and the Eagles likely will have interest in keeping him off the open market by doing a new deal as soon as possible.

Dallas Cowboys

ESPNDallas.com's position-by-position series took a look at outside linebacker and the decision on whether or not to franchise Anthony Spencer. Tim MacMahon believes that the $8.8 million franchise number is too much to pay a "non-impact player," and that a long-term deal for Spencer would have the effect of "rewarding mediocrity." I guess my question is whether they can upgrade the position. Spencer may not be the impact player Cowboys fans want him to be, but he's hardly the worst outside linebacker in the league. Unless they can find someone better, or get a guy like Courtney Upshaw in the draft, it may be wise to keep Spencer around until a better solution presents itself.

Clarence Hill says the Cowboys are likely to end up with more than the $12.667 million in cap room they're already projected to have, once they cut Terence Newman and restructure some deals, and that they plan to be aggressive in free agency and use it. Which is good. Teams should use their cap room, I think.

Washington Redskins

Rich Campbell takes a look at the reasons Peyton Manning would be a fit with Mike Shanahan in Washington, and the possible enticements a pairing with Shanahan would offer for Manning.

Todd McShay's draft conference call Thursday was big news in Washington. He spoke about the potential of Ryan Tannehill creeping up into the top half of the first round and said, off the top of his head, that he thought it would take a first-round pick, a second-round pick and a fourth-round pick to trade up to No. 2 overall and get Robert Griffin III. Based on the draft value chart teams use to evaluate the worth of draft picks against each other, it looks as though Todd is underestimating the cost, especially if more than one team is interested in the deal. I think, if the Redskins could get the No. 2 pick for that price, they should do it. But I think it'll cost more.

Football Outsiders is an Insider feature here on ESPN.com, which cracks me up every time, but if you have the Insider access you can check out Vince Verhei's piece on the biggest offseason needs for each team in the NFC East. If you don't have Insider access or you're too lazy to read Vince's whole piece, I have the Cliff's Notes for you.

Dallas Cowboys: Vince cops out! He says cornerback and guard. No fair. Got to pick one, says I. Vince lists both but spends the bulk of his analysis on cornerback. To wit:

So far in our charting data (which is incomplete for a handful of teams), we've found 80 cornerbacks who were targeted in pass coverage 40 or more times last season. Only 28 of those players had a success rate below 50 percent, and three of those players were on the Cowboys. Terence Newman was the worst of the bunch, ranking 72nd in success rate and last among those 80 cornerbacks in yards per play.

He goes on to explain that their historical comparisons to Newman indicate there's not much hope for a recovery, and concludes that it's time to move on. I agree. I'd say cornerback is the biggest need.

New York Giants: Offensive line. Fair enough. A lot depends on whether Will Beatty can come back and continue to develop, but with David Diehl getting up there in age and Kareem McKenzie looking like a free-agent casualty, the Giants need to start figuring out what their offensive line will look like in the future. I still think that if they target one position in free agency or the draft, however, it's more likely to be tight end.

Philadelphia Eagles: Linebacker. No doubt. The biggest thing the Eagles need is for the players they have at cornerback and safety to play better than they did in 2011. Assuming that happens, yes, they need better, quicker, stronger, surer-tackling linebackers than they had last year to support the "Wide 9" defensive line scheme and help them stop offenses that can find a way through their studs up front:

The stat pages at Football Outsiders make the holes in the Philadelphia defense very clear. First, the defensive line statistics, where we see Philadelphia ranked third in stuff rate but 29th in second-level yards and 22nd in open-field yards. In plain English, that means the defensive line was very good at hitting runners in the backfield, but when those runners made it across the line of scrimmage, they usually went for big gains.

This isn't a position 4-3 teams tend to prioritize, and it remains to be seen whether the Eagles will do so. But given their relative strength and depth at other positions, there's no reason for them not to make this the focus of their offseason.

Washington Redskins: Quarterback. Everyone agrees on this. The question is what to do about it. It'd be easy if they were picking No. 2 in the draft. They'd just take Robert Griffin III and get on with it. But they're not, and they may not be able to get Griffin without completely ignoring their many other needs, so they need to consider other options, which they are. One of those is Peyton Manning, whom Vince describes (as others have) as "a fading star." I don't know why this keeps bothering me so much. Manning has not done any "fading" whatsoever. He was a superstar in his prime two years ago and missed this past year due to injury. If he proves he can throw the way he did in 2010, he's one of the best quarterbacks in the league, and quarterback-needy teams should climb all over each other trying to get him. If he can't, he'll probably retire, which would bring an abrupt end to a brilliant career. But no matter what happens, the guy is not "fading." He's either his old, great self or he's done. If he's done, no one will sign him. If he's not, the Redskins would be foolish to rule it out just because they got Donovan McNabb when he was "fading." These simplistic comparisons are bugging me. Anyway, quarterback, as everyone knows. Sorry. Rant over.