A quick tour around the division:
Washington: Hey, big spender! The money flows like burgundy at Redskins Park. A nine figure deal for DT Albert Haynesworth. A huge deal for CB D'Angelo Hall. And tonight, the Redskins welcomed OG Derrick Dockery back after two years in Buffalo.
Washington jettisoned CB Shawn Springs to make cap space for Hall. A meme developed, first on the Washington Post's Redskins blog, then on an ESPN blog, that Springs could find his way to Dallas. I've seen nothing other than name association -- Springs father Ron was a Cowboys fullback for Tom Landry -- to give this idea merit. It may be the internet echo chamber at work, were one person tosses out an idea and it gains some creedence as more people repeat it.
New York: The Cowboys Nation cringes in December. This year, Giants Nation did too. The Giants entered December 11-1, staggered through the month at 1-3, and went one and out in January.
Many point to Plaxico Burress' absence as the prime reason for New York's slide. The team appears far more concerned about the defense. New York made a strong push for Haynesworth, but was outbid by Washington. New York now has two other DTs slated for visits. Seahawks DT Rocky Bernard is visiting and says he will cancel his other visits if he "hears the right things" from the Giants.
A Bernard signing could leave Chris Canty on the outside a second time. He was the Redskins fallback option and cancelled there after Haynesworth signed. The Packers, Seahawks and 49ers have expressed interest in him as well.
The Giants may lose S James Butler to the Rams, where former Giants DC Steve Spagnuolo wants to bolster his secondary.
New York did sign former Falcons LB Michael Boley today.
Philadelphia: The Eagles signed former Bengals OT Stacy Andrews and hope to pair him with brother Shawn on the right side of their line. Andrews replaces long time RT Jon Runyan.
The reception there has been lukewarm, because Andrews is rehabbing a torn ACL and MCL suffered late last year.
Many Eagles fans are apoplectic about news that long-time S Brian Dawkins may soon sign with Denver. Reports that the deal had been completed proved false, but Dawkins is in Denver at this time. The Broncos also signed former Eagles RB Correll Buckhalter today.
The Eagles are close to trading CB Lito Sheppard to the Jets for a 5th round pick this year and a conditional pick in 2010 that could rise as high as the 2nd round.