NFC East Morning Run | June 9, 2020

DALLAS | DeMarcus Lawrence says Cowboys were divided in 2019

Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence was asked why he and the Cowboys ultimately disappointed in their 2019 campaign in an episode of Speak for Yourself on FS1. Lawrence said that the team might have been divided by the obstacles presented to it.

“I think it all comes down to knowing who you are and focusing on what’s in front of you,” Lawrence said. “We had so many obstacles come our way, and it kind of divided us as a team.''

"We were worried about other things around us instead of sticking to our jobs and the coach,'' Lawrence said. "We didn’t capitalize on the opportunities we had to win.”

Lawrence only produced five sacks last season as the Cowboys fell to an 8-8 record, which ultimately led to the departure of former head coach Jason Garrett.

NEW YORK | Why Leonard Williams might want to wait to sign a long-term contract

Giants defensive tackle Leonard Williams has signed the $16.1 million franchise tender for 2020. Still, the Giants would love for nothing more than to get that number down by signing the defensive lineman to a long-term deal before the July 15 deadline.

But is a long-term deal in Williams' best interest right now? A case could be made that he'd be better off playing out the one-year franchise tender and seeking a new contract after the 2020 season, where he'd likely be an attractive pass-rushing option if he hit the market.

That's a big if, however, as there are still barriers that could impede Williams' pursuit of a lucrative long-term contract in 2021. Those include being tagged again by the Giants, provided that the cap space isn't compromised by COVID-19's impact on the league.

PHILADELPHIA | Eagles tweak sports medicine/performance staff

The Eagles have added Eddie Grayer as an assistant strength coach and are parting ways with assistant trainers Micah Gerhart and Mark Lewis.

These moves might be tied to the changes made at the top of the department back in February when the director of sports medicine Tom Hunkele and director of sports performance Tom Rath were hired.

Both Hunkele and Rather helped manage two of the best athletic training staffs in the NFL over the past few years with Hunkele being recognized as the "Tim Davey Assistant Athletic Trainer of the Year" for the NFC and Rath winning the 2017 "Strength Coach of the Year" per the Professional Football Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association.

WASHINGTON | Dwayne Haskins appears to be in better shape

Redskins quarterback Dwayne Haskins was seen passing shirtless Monday and appeared to be much leaner than last season.

Besides the fact that this throw is a dime, Dwayne Haskins looks like he’s in incredible shape. Physically, he looks like he’s about to put on a show this season. pic.twitter.com/Hr7DiNHgej
— Conor Forrest (@conorforrest_) June 5, 2020

Haskins said that he lowered his body fat percentage from 17 to 13 percent last season.

Haskins was selected 15th overall by the Redskins in the 2019 draft. He completed 58.6 percent of his passes as a rookie for 1,365 yards and seven touchdowns to go along with seven interceptions.

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