NFC East Morning Run | What Andy Dalton's Signing Means to Dak Prescott, Eagles Power Ranking, and New Details on Alex Smith's Injury

Jackson Thompson takes you around the NFC East to see what some of the biggest stories are within the walls of the Giants' divisional opponents.

COWBOYS | What Does Andy Dalton’s 1-year, $7 million Contract Mean For Dak Prescott Negotiations?

The Cowboys wasted no time in scooping up former Bengals starting quarterback Andy Dalton after he was released last week, but what was somewhat surprising was that they signed Dalton to a reported $7 million contract with $3 million guaranteed according to Cowboys Maven Matt Galatzan.

So why Dalton and what does this move mean for Dak Prescott, who has been trying to come to terms with the Cowboys over a new long-term deal? Well, as Galatzan noted, Dalton’s experience as a starter, even if that experience didn’t always result in a winning effort, would be invaluable to a Cowboys team in the event they needed Dalton to step in and play multiple games. Dalton has a 62% career percentage and has thrown for 31,594 yards in nine NFL seasons.

Dalton, who per Pro Football Reference also has a career record of 70-61-2 as a starter, has led 20 comeback drives and 24-game-winning drives, making him one of the best values in terms of backup quarterbacks on the market.

Moreover, if the Cowboys and Prescott, whom Cowboys Maven Mike Fisher notes has an offer on the table that would average $35 million per year with more than $106 million guaranteed, don’t come to a long-term agreement, Dalton, a native of the Dallas-Fort Worth area, could end up playing a bigger role. However, Fisher also reported that a Cowboys source said that the move to sign Dalton had nothing to do with Prescott’s contract situation.

EAGLES | SI Power Rankings Put The Eagles At Number Five In The League

Despite some questionable decisions in the draft, the MMQB staff has the Eagles ranked at number five in the most-recent NFL power rankings. After winning the NFC East with a 9-7 record, Albert Breer is expecting a bounce-back year for head coach Doug Pederson's squad.

This marks a stark rise after ranking just 12th following the end of the Super Bowl, and considering that the Eagles received an SI Draft Grade of C, this is a very generous ranking by the MMQB staff.

This ranking is even more generous by the fact that the Eagles rank one spot higher than the Seattle Seahawks, who defeated the Eagles in the first round of the playoffs by double digits in Philadelphia. Not to mention the Seahawks also got a better draft grade with a B.

The defense of this ranking came down to two factors, according to MMQB's Albert Breer: the additions of Darius Slay and Jalen Reagor in free agency and the draft, and a big year from Carson Wentz. However, the Eagles themselves might not be entirely sold on Wentz's dependability, considering they drafted Jalen Hurts with their second-round pick.

WASHINGTON | New Details Emerge On Alex Smith's Leg Surgery

Alex Smith suffered one of the NFL's most gruesome leg injuries in recent memory in 2018, but according to Chris Russell of the Redskins Report, the surgery for that injury wasn't much less grisly.

In an exclusive interview with ESPN injury analyst Stephania Bell, a contributor to ESPN's documentary "Project 11," which goes into depth on Smith's injury and recovery, it was revealed that surgeons removed a piece of dirty sock from Smith's leg during the procedure.

"Because the injury was so different, from a typical sports injury, it was far more like a military blast injury, the trauma that he suffered to his leg," Bell said on Russell's LockedOn Redskins podcast. "Nothing was spared."

Smith has expressed interest in returning to the NFL to resume his career, but whether or not that is possible is not a question that Bell believes she can even answer.

"It certainly won't be me that says it's not possible for him to return," Bell said.

We send our best wishes to Smith as he continues his recovery.