East Notes: J. Reed, Hardy, Dolphins, Bromley

Two tight ends from the 2013 draft class, Zach Ertz of the Eagles and Travis Kelce of the Chiefs, signed lucrative new contract extensions last week, potentially setting the market for another tight end who was drafted that year. As Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post writes, it could be time for Washington to explore a new deal for Jordan Reed, whom GM Scot McCloughan wants to keep around.

However, it’s not as simple as immediately offering Reed an extension similar to the ones signed by Ertz and Kelce. As Tesfatsion details, 2015 was the first time that the Washington tight end exhibited an ability to stay healthy for a full season, so the team may be wary about jumping right into a long-term commitment. The Kirk Cousins situation also looms large over Washington’s offseason, and it could make sense for the club to get a sense of what it will be paying Cousins in 2016 and beyond before finalizing anything with Reed.

As we wait to see how McCloughan and co. handle the Reed situation, let’s round up a few more items from out of the NFL’s East divisions….

  • Although the Cowboys may be unlikely to re-sign Greg Hardy, at least one of the defensive end’s teammates would like to see him back in Dallas in 2016. Dez Bryant recently told Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News that he hopes the Cowboys can re-sign Hardy, adding that he’d “love” to continue playing with him.
  • Teams rarely let 26-year-old pass rushers get away unless the cost is astronomical, which is why Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap thinks it would make sense for the Dolphins to retain Olivier Vernon this winter. Fitzgerald explores that topic and many others in his preview of Miami’s offseason.
  • With a police investigation ongoing, Giants defensive tackle Jay Bromley is steadfastly denying that he attempted to rape and assaulted a woman in a New York hotel, writes Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News. Bromley’s manager has said the allegations are “absolutely not” true, while the lineman’s attorney said he doesn’t expect his client to be charged.
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