NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Eagles, Jeffery

New head coach Mike McCarthy has plenty of changes in the works for the Cowboys, but they won’t be straying from their 4-3 defense. When speaking with reporters, McCarthy confirmed that the team’s base will continue to be four down linemen, though they’ll mix things up with their playbook (Twitter link via Jon Machota of The Athletic).

The defense will be run by Mike Nolan, who joined McCarthy in Dallas earlier this month. On the other side of the ball, Kellen Moore will stay as the OC and be in charge of play calling.

Here’s more from the NFC East:

  • The Eagles’ need for help at wide receiver is glaring, but the contracts of Alshon Jeffery and DeSean Jackson will limit their flexibility, as Zach Berman of The Athletic writes. Releasing Jeffery, who is coming off of an injury-riddled and subpar season, would saddle the Eagles with $26.1MM in dead money and zero cap savings. A trade would result in $16.2MM in dead money – a slightly less painful hit – but they’d likely have to sweeten the pot with a draft pick, a la the Brock Osweiler deal. Jeffery reportedly clashed with teammates last year, but the Eagles are probably stuck with him. If Jeffery isn’t on the roster, Berman writes, it’ll show just how badly the relationship soured.
  • Regarding Jackson, Berman believes his place on the roster is more of a given. Cutting DJax after he missed much of the season with an abdomenal injury might be a stronger consideration if it wouldn’t cost the Eagles $12.54MM with zero cap relief. Instead, you can expect DJax to fly with the Birds yet again in 2020. The Eagles will hope that the 33-year-old can stay healthy and resume his place as one of the league’s most dangerous deep threats.
  • In more positive cap news, the Eagles are projected to have $46.9MM to spend this offseason. Eagles GM Howie Roseman could push that number even higher by trading safety Malcolm Jenkins or linebacker Nigel Bradham, as Eliot Shorr-Parks of WIP writes. Jenkins is adamant that he won’t play for the Eagles “on the same deal” in 2020, so a trade seems likely if the two sides cannot come to an accord on an extension.
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