NFC East

The Dallas Cowboys look like one of the best teams in the NFC at 6-2, but they may be even better if owner Jerry Jones is aggressive ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline.

It seems like that is his plan.

"When if I have a chance to do something that would be interpreted but real meat on the bone of going for it, then I would do that," Jones said, per Kevin Gray Jr. of 105.3 The Fan. "I feel that good about our chances here. I would do that. Yeah, and I'd give up some future currency to go for it."

Dallas would have surely been pleased with a 6-2 start coming into the season, and that is even more the case had it known Dak Prescott was going to miss significant time.

The two-time Pro Bowler suffered a thumb injury that required surgery during the Week 1 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In past years, that might have spelled the end of the team's chances to realistically compete in the NFC East.

Instead, Cooper Rush went 4-1 as a starter, not only keeping the Cowboys afloat, but also putting them into position to make a run later in the season.

Prescott is now back and led his side to two straight victories over NFC North squads in the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears. He went 21-of-27 for 250 yards, two touchdowns and one interception during the win over the Bears on Sunday as the team exploded for 49 points.

The question now is whether the team will add any depth ahead of the trade deadline.

The defense looked like it can take some strides even with Micah Parsons among the league's most dominant players. Chicago averaged 5.6 yards per carry on the way to 240 yards and two scores on the ground, which helped it climb back into the game in the third quarter.

Health may be something of a concern, as running back Ezekiel Elliott and wide receiver Noah Brown were among those who missed Sunday's contest with injuries.

Dallas is headed to a bye week and now has time to assess its roster, which is ideal timing with the trade deadline. Catching the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East may be too tall a task, but the Cowboys look like potential contenders and could be aggressive with that chance.

Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard seemed to establish himself as the top option in the backfield with his three-touchdown performance in Sunday's 49-29 win over the Chicago Bears.

However, Cowboys CEO Jerry Jones said after the game that the team is not giving up on Ezekiel Elliott, who sat out the game with a knee injury.

"We go as Zeke goes. … He's as important as he was before the game," Jones told reporters after Sunday's victory.

Pollard finished with 131 yards and three scores on 14 carries, including a long run of 54 yards. It was a season high in carries for him as well as his second 100-yard game of the year, the last one coming in Week 3 against the New York Giants.

Elliott, on the other hand, has not eclipsed the 100-yard mark in his seven starts this season and has a streak of 19 games under the century mark dating back to 2021. He's topped 80 yards in a game just once in 2022 and has finished with 15 or fewer carries five times. The 27-year-old has rushed for 443 yards and four touchdowns on 109 carries.

The Cowboys are now facing an interesting set of circumstances. Pollard is clearly more effective than Elliott, but it's Elliott who has the backing from the team's higher-ups. Their position is somewhat understandable, considering Elliott is earning a base salary of $12.4 million this season.

For his part, Pollard isn't trying to start a running back controversy despite many believing he's capable of handling lead-back duties.

"I mean, I’m always trying to go out there and show what I can do, prove myself right, prove others wrong and just play team ball," Pollard said this week leading up to the game, per ESPN's Todd Archer.

The Cowboys will be on a bye next week, giving them extra time to figure out their running back situation before returning to action on Nov. 13 against the Green Bay Packers.

Dak Prescott is back.

The Dallas Cowboys quarterback started his second game since returning from a thumb injury, and he enjoyed his best performance of the season as the Cowboys downed the Chicago Bears 49-29 on Sunday at AT&T Stadium.

Prescott went 21-of-27 for 250 yards, two touchdowns and an interception and carried the ball five times for 34 yards and one score.

.@dak ➡️ @_CeeDeeThree = chef's kiss.

📺: #CHIvsDAL on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/QMxVpZl61r pic.twitter.com/FmciwvSAfN

— NFL (@NFL) October 30, 2022

There was never going to be a genuine quarterback battle resulting from the five-week interlude with Cooper Rush as the starter. That run did at least embolden Prescott's critics to question his value to the team.

Sunday was an emphatic response to that group.

Dak Prescott, Tony Pollard and the Cowboys offense has saved the defense today

— Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) October 30, 2022

Dak Prescott haters will move goal posts like no other:

"I won't call him elite until he has 100% completion with 5 TDs with at least one of them coming with his eyes closed to prove he has perfect accuracy also I need it to be raining so I know he can do it in the elements"

— RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) October 30, 2022

Dak had one bad throw in the first half, played lights out other than that, yet half of cowboys nation will call for him to be cut over one throw.

— Ross Schumann (@RossSchumann) October 30, 2022

The biggest issue for the #Cowboys offense going into Week 8 was the inefficiency on third down.

They're currently 9/10 on the afternoon (90%).

Well just go ahead and slap me with a bottle of ideal.

— Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) October 30, 2022

Y'all wanted offense, the Cowboys said say lessss.

Living for it.

49 points for Dallas - last time they were in this range was the final game of the 2021 regular season when they hung 51 on the Eagles.

— Hailey Sutton (@_HaileySutton) October 30, 2022

Sunday's contest also provided the Cowboys with a glimpse into what life after Ezekiel Elliott might look like. Tony Pollard took over for the injured Elliott and ran for 131 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries.

TONY POLLARD HOUSE CALL FOR HIS THIRD TD 💨

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/YMmhIOe4Uh

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 30, 2022

You'd expect Elliott to remain the starter when he's healthy again, but days like this will leave Dallas feeling more confident about potentially letting him go this offseason.

Ezekiel Elliott cheering for Tony Pollard pic.twitter.com/ZB8Wwwzdoo

— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) October 30, 2022

Tony Pollard is a cerified ankle snatcher

— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) October 30, 2022

Few players in NFL score there. Tony Pollard is one of them. The Cowboys RB, who is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in March, is making himself some money. A 54-yard TD run on third-and-1. Fourteen carries, 131 yards, three TDs vs. Bears.

— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) October 30, 2022

The Cowboys can just use Tony Pollard like this whenever they want!

— Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) October 30, 2022

"Y'all imagine how many yards Zeke would have against this defense if he was out there today, goddangingitydang." - Jerry Jones, probably

— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) October 30, 2022

genuinely looking forward to jerry jones' inevitable quotes about zeke being the key to the cowboys offense this week

— Seth Walder (@SethWalder) October 30, 2022

We've seen this story play out so many times, with the Cowboys raising expectations in the regular season and falling apart in the playoffs.

After the team put together an offensive performance like this, you can understand why Dallas fans are talking themselves into believing things will be different in 2022.

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay recently said he believes there should be consideration given to removing Washington Commanders owner Daniel Snyder, and he's reportedly hoping to get more involved in the process along with other owners around the NFL.

According to Mark Maske and Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post, on Friday Irsay "called the owners the NFL’s stakeholders and said that they, in his view, must take control of the process, rather than allow it to be directed by Commissioner Roger Goodell or the league."

Snyder is under investigation by the NFL regarding sexual assault allegations that surfaced against him in February, and Irsay said he believes it's warranted to discuss the consequences that should face Snyder.

He told the Post:

"I’m not sure how that report’s going to come out. But what already has come out is extremely disturbing, and I disagree with the process. And I most likely disagree that we haven’t discussed something more severe such as him being removed as owner. As I said, it’s not something that I’m saying we should do. I’m saying it’s something that has to be given serious consideration."

The last time Snyder and his regime came under investigation, the NFL fined the Commanders $10 million for "fostering a workplace culture where sexual harassment, bullying and intimidation were commonplace," per Will Hobson, Maske, Liz Clarke, Beth Reinhard of the Washington Post. It also resulted in Tanya Snyder, his wife and the team's co-CEO, assuming control of the franchise's daily operations.

However, Irsay said he wasn't happy with the lack of input the other owners had in the NFL's punishment at the time.

"It’s not just what was handed down, the $10 million fine and this so-called suspension that I still don’t really understand, because I told Roger and spoke about it at our meeting, that: 'Look, I’ve been in the league 52 years. I wasn’t even asked about this, not consulted one time,'" Irsay said.

His comments echo his previous declaration on Oct. 18 that he believes "there is merit" to removing Snyder as Commanders owner. The NFL requires a vote from at least 24 out of 32 owners to agree to remove an owner, and Irsay said that number "potentially" has been reached already.

The timing of Irsay's most recent comments is interesting, considering the Colts will face the Commanders this week.

"It’s unfortunate that Mr. Irsay continues to behave in a way that clearly is in violation of the constitution of the NFL," a Commanders spokesperson said in a statement to the Washington Post. "We look forward to playing his team on Sunday."

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones praised Odell Beckham Jr. as the free-agent wide receiver continues to recover from a torn ACL suffered during the Super Bowl in February.

Jones referenced OBJ's remarkable one-handed catch against the Cowboys in 2014 during his comments Friday on 105.3 The Fan (via Jon Machota of The Athletic).

"He made the greatest catch I've seen, other than the one Dez [Bryant] made for the touchdown against Green Bay," Jones said. "Bottom line is, Odell is a player that I admire a lot."

Beckham, who began his career as a member of the New York Giants, has enjoyed plenty of success against Dallas in the past. He's recorded 40 catches for 558 yards and seven touchdowns in eight regular-season appearances against America's Team.

In 2020, the three-time Pro Bowler discussed his family's Cowboys fandom.

"All of my family grew up in Texas so they are all huge Cowboy fans," Beckham said. "It has always been kind of a funny story with them as far as being in New York and them being in Dallas. I do not have any animosity, hate or rivalry with them."

Beckham still doesn't have a firm timetable for his return from the knee injury, but he wants to "assess his options" once healthy before signing to ensure he's joining a title contender for the final stages of the season, per Jeff Howe of The Athletic.

The Cowboys, who own a 5-2 record, could fall into that category, but whether they're in the market for another receiver is unclear.

Dallas is operating with CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup and Noah Brown in three-wide sets, and James Washington could return from a foot injury during the season's second half.

Beckham could provide an upgrade as a No. 2 option behind Lamb if he quickly returns to peak form, but adding another target for quarterback Dak Prescott probably isn't atop the front office's to-do list.

Dallas is back in action Sunday when it hosts the Chicago Bears before heading into its bye week.

Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera vehemently denied any rumors that Antonio Gibson might be traded before Tuesday's deadline.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Rivera said the third-year running back won't be moved.

Ron Rivera said he'll talk to Antonio Gibson directly about the rumors of them taking trade calls. "I don't know why people throw stuff up against the wall."

— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) October 28, 2022

Jordan Schultz of The Score reported on Friday morning that opposing teams have called the Commanders about Gibson, but there was a sense they preferred to keep him.

Earlier this week, Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports noted Gibson could bring back "a nice return" for the Commanders if they decided to move him.

Gibson's role in Washington has decreased slightly with J.D. McKissic and Brian Robinson Jr. getting the bulk of the reps. He is averaging a career-low 13.2 touches per game through the first seven weeks.

The change in role for Gibson comes as he's been less effective as a running back. He averaged 4.7 yards per attempt as a rookie, but that number dropped to 4.0 in 2021 and 3.8 so far this season.

Washington has increased Gibson's usage as a receiver in 2022. He's averaging a career-high 3.1 receptions per game and 7.7 yards per catch.

Gibson has been one of Washington's most productive offensive players since entering the league. He surpassed 1,000 yards from scrimmage in 2020 and 2021. The 24-year-old has one more year remaining on his rookie contract with a $1.3 million base salary in 2023.

Coming off back-to-back wins following a 1-4 start, the Commanders find themselves in contention for a wild-card spot in a crowded NFC. They are one of six teams heading into Week 8 with a 3-4 record and one game behind the Los Angeles Rams as the No. 7 seed.

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott will reportedly miss at least one game because of a sprained knee injury.

Per Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Elliott isn't expected to play Sunday against the Chicago Bears to give his knee time to heal.

Head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters Wednesday that Elliott would do side work this week while the team practices to rehab his knee.

While the Cowboys have a bye in Week 9, McCarthy said that wouldn't factor into whether Elliott plays against the Bears.

"That's just not the way we approach it, so we'll just see how he responds today," he said. "[Director of rehabilitation Britt Brown] will continue to build the plan based off what they accomplish today."

Elliott didn't practice Wednesday or Thursday. He suffered the injury in the second quarter of the Cowboys' Week 7 win over the Detroit Lions.

The three-time Pro Bowler returned to that game and finished with 57 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries, though he only played 31 offensive snaps. His 443 rushing yards this season rank 13th in the NFL.

The Cowboys will turn to Tony Pollard as their primary running back until Elliott returns. The fourth-year veteran has been more efficient than Elliott. His 480 yards from scrimmage rank second on the team behind CeeDee Lamb (490).

Pollard is averaging 5.6 yards per carry, ninth-best among running backs with at least 50 rushing attempts this season.

Following their bye in Week 9, the Cowboys have a stretch of three games in 12 days against the Green Bay Packers (Nov. 13), Minnesota Vikings (Nov. 20) and New York Giants (Nov. 24).

The Philadelphia Eagles reportedly aren't pursuing a trade for New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara ahead of Tuesday's 2022 NFL trade deadline.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported Friday it's "unclear" why the Kamara-to-Philly rumors emerged and, while it's possible the five-time Pro Bowler is moved before the deadline, it "won't be the Eagles" who make the blockbuster deal.

Although the Eagles' 6-0 record solidifies them as a contender and their recent trade for defensive end Robert Quinn shows the front office is looking to upgrade the roster, the rushing attack has been quite productive in 2022.

Philadelphia ranks sixth in the NFL in rushing yards per game (156) and their 13 rushing touchdowns are the most in the league.

Miles Sanders (4.6 yards per carry) and Kenneth Gainwell (4.2) have formed a solid one-two backfield punch, and quarterback Jalen Hurts is also a key factor in the ground game.

Kamara is a game-changing player when healthy, but injuries have started to become a factor in recent years. He missed four games in 2021 with a knee injury and he's already sat out two contests this season while recovering from a rib injury.

In turn, there would be added risk to giving up the assets likely required to acquire a player of his caliber, and it's not a guarantee he'd significantly improve an already productive backfield.

Kamara, who's recorded 542 total yards and no touchdowns in five appearances this season, appeared to take interest in the rumors in a Thursday post on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/A_kamara6/status/1585737123453292544

No other teams have been heavily linked to the 27-year-old rusher, but any acquiring club would take on the remaining three-plus seasons on his five-year, $75 million contract.

So, all things considered, it wouldn't be a surprise if Kamara is still in New Orleans when the deadline dust settles next week.

After being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles earlier this week, Robert Quinn is going to become a free agent at the end of the season.

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Eagles and Quinn agreed to void the final two seasons of his current contract as part of negotiations between the two sides during trade talks with the Chicago Bears.

The Eagles sent a 2023 fourth-round draft pick to Chicago in exchange for the three-time Pro Bowler.

Quinn is still owed $7.82 million this season, of which the Bears agreed to pay $7.1 million as part of the trade. For 11 games of Quinn playing on their defensive line, the Eagles only have to pay him $711,000.

It's certainly possible Quinn could play his way into Philadelphia's plans for 2023 and beyond with a strong finish this season, but the team is also facing a potential cap crunch next year.

Per Spotrac, the Eagles have $188.9 million in cap commitments to 46 players in 2023. Darius Slay ($26.1 million) and Lane Johnson ($24.2 million) have the highest cap hits on the team next season.

The Bears originally signed Quinn to a five-year, $70 million deal ($30 million guaranteed) in April 2020. He was inconsistent in two-plus seasons with Chicago. The 32-year-old had two sacks in 2020 before finishing second in the NFL with 18.5 sacks last season.

In seven games so far this season, Quinn has two tackles for loss and one sack. He will be joining an Eagles defensive line that doesn't require him to be the No. 1 edge-rusher.

Head coach Nick Sirianni has the luxury of using Quinn in a rotation on pass-rushing downs. Hasson Reddick, Brandon Graham and Josh Sweat can take a lot of attention away from Quinn.

Eagles general manager Howie Roseman made the move for Quinn in an attempt to capitalize on his team's fantastic start. They are the NFL's only remaining undefeated team (6-0) and rank fourth in both scoring offense (26.8 points per game) and scoring defense (17.5).

It's unclear at this point if Quinn will play on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Philadelphia Eagles are all-in for a Super Bowl run after a 6-0 start, and the Chicago Bears are rebuilding with a first-year general manager, first-year head coach and young quarterback.

That made them ideal trade partners, and they came to terms on a blockbuster agreement Wednesday.

The Bears are trading star pass-rusher Robert Quinn to the Eagles, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. ESPN's Adam Schefter noted the Bears will receive a fourth-round draft pick in return.

While Quinn has only one sack through seven games this year, he was dominant in 2021 as a Pro Bowler with 18.5 sacks. It was the fifth time in his career that he finished a season with double-digit sacks.

Twitter users had plenty of reactions to the deal, with many praising Eagles general manager Howie Roseman:

Howie Roseman is the executive of the year by a mile. https://t.co/lYTKYvbX3p

— Wendell Ferreira (@wendellfp) October 26, 2022

The rich get richer. Love how Howie Roseman isn’t staying complacent with an already impressive start to the season, especially for the defense. A 4th rounder for a productive pass rusher is more than worth it #FlyEaglesFly https://t.co/BPdx6A0K5S

— Jared Phillips (@JaredL_Phillips) October 26, 2022

Howie Roseman is the best GM in the NFL https://t.co/6qwi803KeD

— Jeremy Klump (@NUTTYxPROFESSOR) October 26, 2022

Robert Quinn to the #Eagles.

Excellent move by Howie Roseman.

— Jeff Kerr (@JeffKerrCBS) October 26, 2022

Howie Roseman is playing no games. Hard to find many (any?) weaknesses on that undefeated Eagles team. https://t.co/tSiFAJn00W

— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) October 26, 2022

Howie Roseman does it again. Brilliant move for the Birds. https://t.co/mrQiA6kMBB

— Chris (@CBengelCBS) October 26, 2022

Other NFL GMs when they get off the phone having just been fleeced by Howie Roseman… pic.twitter.com/DGI0DIkbHA

— Marc Farzetta (@MarcFarzetta) October 26, 2022

This Robert Quinn deal reminds me a lot of the Jay Ajayi trade in 2017.

Adding some depth to a position group that is already pretty solid but could use a boost.

Did you really think Howie Roseman was playing golf during the bye week?

— Alex Smith (@AlexSmithSNY) October 26, 2022

The @Eagles Executive Vice President/GM Howie Roseman is a MF dawg!! Dude runs laps around some executives out there! How does he rebuild, compete and acquire picks! All at the same damn time. @nflnetwork @nfl #FlyEaglesFly

— Michael Robinson (@RealMikeRob) October 26, 2022

Quinn is having a down season, but he'll be on a far better team in Philadelphia than he was in Chicago. He likely won't see nearly as many double-teams on the Eagles and could rediscover the form he showed in the past when he was playing alongside the likes of Khalil Mack and Akiem Hicks on the Bears.

Mack and Hicks are no longer in Chicago, so Quinn was the focus of every opposing offensive line whenever he took the field in 2022. That won't necessarily be the case for the Eagles, and he now has a chance to pursue a Lombardi Trophy.