NFC East

Dallas Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz is reportedly opting out of the remainder of voluntary workouts amid a stall in contract negotiations.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported Schultz is "frustrated" by a lack of progress and informed the team he will not be showing up for the remainder of the voluntary offseason program.

The Cowboys and Schultz have until July 15 to agree to a new contract or the tight end will have to play out the 2022 campaign on the franchise tag.

Because Schultz already signed his franchise tag, the Cowboys would have the right to fine him if he skips any mandatory workouts. The tag will pay Schultz $10.9 million during the 2022 season.

"Obviously, I think this is the place that I want to be," Schultz told reporters in April. "I've got a good rapport with a lot of the guys here. I love being here. I love this organization.

"I was grateful that I was able to at least come back here for a year. I want to work out a long-term deal and I think they do, too—hopefully we can get that done. But just knowing where I'm going to be for the next year, I'm happy with."

After largely playing a backup role each of his first two NFL seasons, Schultz has emerged as a solid pass-catcher in 2020 and 2021. The Stanford product set career highs in receptions (78), yards (808) and touchdowns (eight) last season while earning a career-best 78.1 grade from Pro Football Focus.

The Cowboys showed their faith in Schultz by giving him the franchise tag, a financial decision that likely played a part in the team trading wideout Amari Cooper to the Cleveland Browns. It's likely the team is banking on Schultz taking on an increased role in the offense next season, particularly on underneath routes that previously went Cooper's direction.

That said, the finances on a long-term contract for Schultz likely skyrocketed after the Browns inked David Njoku to a four-year, $56.8 million contract last month. Njoku is a more physically talented player than Schultz, but his recent production from a receiving standpoint pales in comparison.

That new deal is now likely a mere starting point in negotiations, which could make it difficult to get a deal done before the July deadline.

Wide receiver DeSean Jackson said he overheard former Philadelphia Eagles teammate Donovan McNabb question his dual selection to the Pro Bowl at the end of the 2009 NFL season.

Jackson, who made the game as both a wideout and a kick returner, explained Saturday on the I Am Athlete podcast (via TMZ Sports) that he heard McNabb talking with fellow quarterback Michael Vick after the rosters were announced.

"When the ballots came out and they found out that I was the first player in NFL history to get elected to start in the Pro Bowl for two positions, my starting quarterback tells Michael Vick, 'Damn, I don't think he should've got that. He shouldn't have deserved that,'" Jackson said.

The dynamic playmaker, who's currently a free agent after splitting the 2021 season between the Los Angeles Rams and Las Vegas Raiders, said he never addressed the remarks with McNabb.

Although Jackson said there's no lingering beef with his former quarterback, he also called McNabb "one of the most cheapest, richest motherf--kers you could know" based on his spending habits.

"He'd make you pay for everything," Jackson said on the podcast, per TMZ.

Jackson and McNabb played together for two years in Philadelphia (2008-09) before the veteran QB departed to finish his career with stints as a member of the Washington Commanders and Minnesota Vikings.

In 2010, Jackson hinted at some tension between the pair, saying he didn't think the Eagles "lost anything" when the signal-caller was traded to Washington, which sparked a response.

"It's so wild when people get to talking when you're not there, but when you're there everybody loves you," McNabb said.

The receiver stayed with the Eagles until 2013 and later returned to Philly for a two-year stay (2019-20). He's also played for Washington and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

McNabb finished his career with six Pro Bowl selections, while Jackson has earned three appearances in the NFL's All-Star Game.

While they built some terrific on-field chemistry during their time together, it sounds like there was some drama behind the scenes.

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith was likely in line for a jump in 2022 even before his team acquired A.J. Brown because he has more experience entering his second season.

Adding a No. 1 option alongside the 23-year-old playmaker could set the stage for an even bigger leap.

Brown told reporters as much while suggesting the NFC East team now has two No. 1 wide receivers:

"It takes the pressure off the other guy. Say we're playing [the Eagles defense], I'd probably take [Darius] Slay, because he's cornerback No. 1 and I'd go against him. And that gives another really talented receiver [the chance] to go against a cornerback No. 2. So it takes pressure [off]. In my opinion, Smitty is a wide receiver 1, and he's going against a cornerback No. 2, I expect Smitty to dominate, you know?

"So, just taking pressure off each other. And even being on the same side, so you can't really double—that's great having another great wideout beside you."

Smith had no issue putting up impressive numbers as a rookie with 64 catches for 916 yards and five touchdowns. He led the Eagles in all three categories and was in line to be their No. 1 option during the upcoming season until the team acquired Brown from the Tennessee Titans via a trade.

Brown was a 2020 Pro Bowler who surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first two seasons and likely would have again in his third in 2021 if he wasn't limited to 13 games because of injuries.

He finished the campaign with 63 catches for 869 yards and five touchdowns.

The Eagles have made the playoffs in three of the four seasons since their Super Bowl victory during the 2017 campaign but have one just one postseason win in that span. Part of the issue last year was the lack of an explosive passing offense that finished 25th in the league.

The unit will surely finish higher than that with Brown and Smith torching opposing secondaries as the team looks to take the next step as a Super Bowl contender.

After taking the NFL by storm last season, Micah Parsons intends to be a dominant force on the Dallas Cowboys defense for years to come.

DeMarcus Lawrence joked to reporters earlier this week that he "let a rookie show me up last year" and intends to reclaim the title as the Cowboys sack leader in 2022.

In response to Lawrence's comments, Parsons told reporters he doesn't plan on giving up his crown anytime soon.

"It's healthy for the locker room," Parsons said. "I want D-Law to step up. I want D-Law to be who he is. I'm not taking that away from him. But sorry to tell him, he's never getting that back. I want him to get all the enjoyment that he possibly can, feed his head so he can be a 10-sack guy, great. But if 10's the number, I'm going for 20. You've just got to go out there and compete. It's just going to be a race to the quarterback, like it or not. I'm excited."

Looking back at rumors leading up to the 2021 NFL draft, Parsons was at best the No. 3 option for the Cowboys in the first round.

Sports Illustrated's Mike Fisher reported they were leaning toward South Carolina cornerback Jaycee Horn, but would be "ecstatic" if they got Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain II. Both players were off the board by the time Dallas made its first pick at No. 10.

The Cowboys pivoted by trading down two spots and selecting Parsons. The 23-year-old finished with 30 quarterback hits, 20 tackles for loss and 13 sacks in 16 starts. He was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting.

Lawrence was limited to just seven games last season because of a foot injury that required surgery. The two-time Pro Bowler had three sacks, his fewest in a single season since 2016 (one).

If the Cowboys can get the peak version of Parsons and Lawrence in 2022, their defense could be one of the best units in the NFL. They will likely need both players to be at the top of their game after Randy Gregory left to sign with the Denver Broncos in free agency.

Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie is the latest figure from the sports world to speak out in favor of changes to gun laws in the United States.

In a statement released on the team's official Twitter account, Lurie said the "senseless acts of violence will not cease to occur without a concerted effort from those who govern our nation and make public policy." He added that citizens "need to call upon lawmakers to enact tangible change" to ban assault weapons.

pic.twitter.com/KYufRQzXE2

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) June 3, 2022

Lurie went on to say his "hope" is that citizens organizing around changing the laws will "influence our elected officials to create and pass legislation so the people in this country can feel safe when they leave their homes."

Calls for gun-law reform and a ban on assault weapons have been renewed in the wake of a series of mass shootings across the country in recent weeks. A gunman killed 10 people and injured three others in a racist attack at a Buffalo grocery store in a predominantly Black neighborhood on May 14.

Ten days later, a man shot and killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.

Both shootings were carried out using AR-15-style rifles.

According to a recent estimate by Al Jazeera, there have been somewhere between three and 268 mass shootings in the country through the first five months in 2022, with the discrepancy owing to the varying definitions of a mass shooting.

Per David Leonhardt and Ian Prasad Philbrick of the New York Times, there have been at least 18 mass shootings in the U.S. so far this year.

The Buffalo and Ulvalde shootings in particular have led to several calls for changes to gun laws. In the sports world, the Miami Heat had their public address announcer urge fans to call state senators and demand common-sense gun laws prior to Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr used his pregame press conference before Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals to deliver an impassioned speech demanding action from government leaders.

During a May 26 matchup between the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays, both teams used their social media accounts to raise awareness about gun violence in the U.S. instead of providing live commentary about the game.

The family of former Dallas Cowboys running back Marion Barber III won't donate his brain toward research into chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

"He was real specific in his will that he didn’t want that," Marion Barber II said of his son, per the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Clarence E. Hill Jr. "We are going to respect that. But in the condition his body was in, according to the examiner, that probably would have been a moot point because of the decomposition."

Barber was found dead in his apartment Wednesday. While no cause of death has been determined, authorities don't suspect foul play.

The 2013 PBS documentary League of Denial helped to lift the lid not only on the long-term risks of multiple concussions and repetitive subconcussive blows to the head but also on the NFL suppressing that information from players and the wider public.

Former Pittsburgh Steelers center Mike Webster was the first former NFL player diagnosed with CTE. Since then, the brains of a number of former players have been examined to make posthumous diagnoses and further CTE research.

Per Hill, Barber "suffered some mental health challenges since his retirement from the NFL in 2012" and was hospitalized on two occasions for "mental health evaluations."

The 38-year-old spent seven seasons in the NFL, with all but one of those years coming in Dallas. He ran for 4,780 yards and 53 touchdowns and made one Pro Bowl appearance in 2007.

After a disappointing 2021 season for Saquon Barkley, new head coach Brian Daboll is looking to get the running back involved in other ways.

According to ESPN's Jordan Raanan, the New York Giants star has been "getting a ton of work as a receiver" during organized team activities, adding, "his involvement in the passing game appears on the rise."

Barkley caught 91 passes on 121 targets on his way to winning Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2018. Last year, the running back had 41 catches on 57 targets while setting a career-low 20.2 receiving yards per game.

It was part of a lost year for the 25-year-old, who only had 593 rushing yards and two touchdowns in 13 games.

The entire offense struggled last year under head coach Joe Judge, finishing 31st in both points scored and total yards on the way to a 4-13 finish. The Giants are looking for more under Brian Daboll, who spent the past four years as the Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator.

Buffalo finished third in points scored last season after ranking second in the category in 2020.

Devin Singletary and Zach Moss, who split time in the Bills backfield, combined for 63 catches on 82 targets last season.

"It feels like a fresh start," Barkley said of playing for Daboll, per CBS Sports' Josina Anderson. "I feel good again. I know it's all there. I know how talented I am. Just taking it one day at a time. You feel the energy out here doing different things."

He also told Anderson that he expects a bigger receiving role.

This could make Barkley a lot more valuable in points-per-reception leagues, especially if he can regain his speed and athleticism from before he tore his ACL in 2020.

On the other hand, the Giants still have Kenny Golladay, Sterling Shepard and 2021 first-round pick Kadarius Toney, while they used a second-round pick on Wan'Dale Robinson. It could be a lot of mouths to feed with unproven quarterback Daniel Jones leading the passing attack.

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott dealt with an injury throughout the 2021 season, but he focused on the team when asked if last year was frustrating.

"I'd say, if anything, it was the most frustrating just because we had a great year and then we didn't do what we needed to do once we got to the playoffs," he told reporters. "So that was the frustrating part."

The Cowboys looked the part of legitimate Super Bowl contenders as NFC East champions with a 12-5 record, but a 23-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Wild Card Game ended their season.

It was the finish of the game that stood out the most in the aftermath, as Dallas had the ball trailing by six with no timeouts remaining and 14 seconds left when it designed a run for quarterback Dak Prescott.

That proved to be the team's final snap, as the official who was trailing the play ran over Prescott while trying to catch up. The clock expired, and the game was called amid plenty of confusion and a livid Dallas crowd.

While the crowd was not happy with the officials, the Cowboys also managed just 17 points. Elliott was part of the issue with a mere 31 rushing yards, although he revealed after the loss that he played the season with a partially torn PCL.

He didn't look nearly as explosive as he did when leading the league in rushing yards in 2016 and 2018 and managed just 4.2 yards per carry during the season. There were times when the offense seemed to operate even better when backup running back Tony Pollard was in the game.

Yet Elliott is also just 26 years old with a resume that includes three Pro Bowls, an All-Pro selection and four years with more than 1,000 rushing yards. If he is healthy again in 2022, he figures to bounce back and once again be considered one of the best running backs in the league.

That would also help the Cowboys avoid a frustrating playoff at the end of the season.

New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley is hoping to bounce back in 2022 under new head coach Brian Daboll.

"It feels like a fresh start," Barkley told Josina Anderson of CBS Sports. "I feel good again. I know it's all there. I know how talented I am. Just taking it one day at a time. You feel the energy out here doing different things."

Daboll will be Barkley's third head coach in his fifth NFL season. Pat Shurmur and Joe Judge each led the Giants for two seasons, combining for a 19-46 record and no playoff appearances.

Barkley has especially been disappointing in recent years after bursting onto the scene as the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2018. After injuries held him to just two games in 2020, the Penn State product finished 2021 with just 593 rushing yards, 263 receiving yards and four total touchdowns in 13 appearances.

His 3.7 yards per carry ranked 45th in the NFL among qualified players.

The struggles came within an offense that finished second-to-last in both points scored and total yards.

Daboll will look to turn things around after running a Buffalo Bills offense that finished in the top five in each category, ranking third in the league with 28.4 points per game. Buffalo wasn't known for heavy running back usage last season, although Devin Singletary still managed 1,098 yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns.

The new offensive philosophy could be enough to unlock a talented Giants offense that has not lived up to expectations.

With offseason additions of Evan Neal and Mark Glowinski on the offensive line, New York and Barkley are well positioned to succeed in 2022.

Veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick suggested Thursday that he may be retiring from the NFL.

Former NFL running back Fred Jackson, who was Fitzpatrick's teammate with the Buffalo Bills from 2009 to 2012, shared the following text message he received from Fitz:

Congrats on a Helluva career, Fitzy!! Loved sharing the field with you!! The gratitude is all mine!! #BillsMafia #fitzmagic pic.twitter.com/s7n4DsiLJ7

— Fred Jackson (@Fred22Jackson) June 2, 2022

In addition to thanking Jackson, Fitzpatrick sent him an image that appears to be made up of the names of all of his teammates over the course of a 17-year NFL career.

NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero later reported Fitzpatrick is likely to pursue a career in broadcasting.

Fitzpatrick appeared in just one game for the Washington Commanders last season before suffering a season-ending hip injury.

If it is indeed the end of the line for the 39-year-old Fitzpatrick, he enjoyed one of the most unique and remarkable NFL careers ever.

After being selected by the then-St. Louis Rams in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL draft out of Harvard, Fitzpatrick went on to play for nine different teams—the Rams, Cincinnati Bengals, Bills, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans, New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Miami Dolphins and Washington.

ESPN's Field Yates noted that Fitzpatrick made NFL history by starting at least one game for each of those teams:

Ryan Fitzpatrick served as the starting QB for 9 different teams in his career, the most of any player in NFL history.

Bengals
Bills
Buccaneers
Commanders
Dolphins
Jets
Rams
Texans
Titans

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) June 2, 2022

Fitzpatrick spent significant time as both a starter and a backup during his career, and although he never made it to the playoffs, he put up some impressive numbers.

In 166 career games, 147 of which were starts, Fitz completed 60.7 percent of his passes for 34,990 yards, 223 touchdowns and 169 interceptions. He also rushed for 2,623 yards and 21 touchdowns.

Fitzpatrick ranks 32nd in NFL history in career passing yardage and 36th in career passing touchdowns.

While Fitzpatrick had a nomadic career, he is best remembered for his time with the Bills. Fitzpatrick spent four seasons in Buffalo, marking the longest tenure with a single team in his career.

He earned the nickname "FitzMagic" in Buffalo thanks to some of his memorable wins, including a home victory over Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in 2011.

Fitzpatrick has maintained his love for the Bills and the city of Buffalo since then, even attending last season's playoff win over the Patriots while shirtless.

In addition to his on-field play, Fitzpatrick is known for his entertaining and charismatic interactions with reporters during press conferences, which could make him a natural fit for the announce booth.