NFC East Notes: Coughlin has years left

Tom Coughlin is 65. He'll be 66 when the 2012 season starts.

But that doesn't mean the Giants head coach doesn't have plenty of coaching years left.

According to 70-year-old Ray Perkins, Coughlin could coach for another 15-20 years.

Perkins, the former coach of the Giants and Buccaneers and Alabama, is returning to coaching this season with Jones County Junior College and told the New York Post that Coughlin has plenty of years left.

“Tom Coughlin’s got another 15, 20 years in him," Perkins said. “He does. He works out, he takes care of himself, he feels good. He’s a great coach, and I mean it. He’s got 15 or 20 more years in him. And he is totally wrong if he starts thinking of retirement, in my opinion."

Coughlin is under contract through 2014. In 15 years, he'll be 80. In 20 years, he'll be 85.

Connie Mack coached the Philadelphia Athletics until he was 87. Marv Levy coached the Buffalo Bills until he was 72. George Halas was 72 when he stopped coaching the Bears.

Cowboys weak at safety

The Dallas Morning News posted a transcript of a few questions from a chat with columnist Kevin Sherrington.

One commenter asked about safety Barry Church, if he could be an answer at safety.

"From what I hear, he was pretty good," Sherrington said. "But that's a pretty big leap for him to be the answer at safety. I would think the Cowboys are still keeping their eyes open as training camp approaches. They still need a playmaker at the position."

Will Hankerson have a year?

In four games in his rookie season in 2011, Redskins' wideout Leonard Hankerson had 13 catches for 163 yards.

Hankerson hurt his hip in Week 10, according to CSNWashington's Rich Tandler, or he might have broken out last year.

Tandler agrees with NFL.com, which thinks Hankerson could have a big year for the 'Skins in 2012.

The 6-foot-2 Hankerson was a third-round (79th overall) pick in the 2011 draft.

E-mail Dave Zangaro at dzangaro@comcastsportsnet.com