NFC East: Who’s the Beast of the Least among the Cowboys, Giants, Eagles and Commanders
NFC EAST
DALLAS COWBOYS
Coach: Mike McCarthy (third season in Dallas, 18-15 regular season, 0-1 in the playoffs).
Last season: 12-5 (first in the division), lost in the NFC Wild Card round to San Francisco.
Key additions: DE Dante Fowler Jr., WR James Washington, T/G Tyler Smith.
Key subtractions: WR Amari Cooper, OT La’El Collins, DE Randy Gregory, K Greg Zuerlein.
Looking ahead: Most of the players in the NFL weren’t born or were in the crib the last time the Dallas star shined in a Super Bowl. The Cowboys, especially quarterback Dak Prescott, will put up gaudy numbers as they glide by the wrecks of the NFC East. But if you roll up the NFL’s most yards and points, but score only 17 in getting taken out of the playoffs at home, it means you’re a bullying fraud. And Ezekiel Elliott is starting to look running back old.
NEW YORK GIANTS
Coach: Brian Daboll (first season as an NFL head coach).
Last season: 4-13 (fourth in the division).
Key additions: C Jon Feliciano, G Mark Glowinski, G Max Garcia, OT Evan Neal, NT Justin Ellis, TE Ricky Seals-Jones, LB Kayvon Thibodeaux, CB Cor’Dale Flott.
Key subtractions: CB James Bradberry, S Logan Ryan, LB Lorenzo Carter, TE Evan Engram, OT Nate Solder, C Billy Price, G Will Hernandez.
Looking ahead: As the successor to Eli Manning, QB Daniel Jones has been treated more like Archie Manning was in New Orleans — asked to rise above the morass of constant change and mediocrity. And Turnover Jones (15.9% of Giants drives last year ended in a turnover) isn’t as good as any Manning. Brian Daboll inhales and hitches a ride on Jones. The Giants did sign and draft to put a decent line in front of Jones and Saquon Barkley, who could be morphing into another oft-injured Penn State running back bust.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Coach: Nick Sirianni (second season with the Eagles).
Last season: 9-8 (second in the division), lost in the NFC Wild Card round to Tampa Bay.
Key additions: LB Haason Reddick, WR A.J. Brown, OLB Kyzir White.
Key subtractions: CB Steven Nelson, RB Rodney McLeod.
Looking ahead: Trading for A.J. Brown tells QB Jalen Hurts “we’re giving you every chance to make enough plays to be Our Guy [and get an Our Guy contract].” Hurts needs to improve in assessing the defense before throwing. In assessing Philly’s defense, management saw No. 31 in sacks, No. 32 in pass-completion percentage allowed and added Haason Reddick, a nomadic pass rushing menace with 23.5 sacks and two teams the last two seasons.
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
Coach: Ron Rivera (third season in Washington, 14-19 in the regular season, 0-1 in the playoffs).
Last season: 7-10 (third in the division).
Key additions: QB Carson Wentz, WR Jahan Dotson, G Andrew Norwell, G Trai Turner.
Key subtractions: G Ereck Flowers, G Brandon Scherff, S Landon Collins, TE Ricky Seals-Jones
Looking ahead: The Carson Wentz “Didn’t He Almost Have It All?” post-Philadelphia tour comes back to the NFC East. Washington hopes DE Chase Young comes back as the terror he was as 2020 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year; he was terrible in 2021 even before his season-ending knee injury. Terry McLaurin is the best wide receiver too few know about because he gets so little help from the quarterback. The Commanders went quantity over star quality in the draft, telling you they know they have a lot of holes. Just plugging them might be good enough in this division.
