The NFC East is the division that probably gets the most coverage throughout the season, and usually for little to no reason. However, this season may be different. It appears that all of the teams in the NFC East could be trying to sneak into the playoffs. Washington is a big question mark, but other than them, the division could be wide open. Well, I’ll say it is for the sake of the article. There were no significant changes to any of the teams, so I will just move on with the preview.

1: Philadelphia Eagles (14-3)

The Eagles ran through almost every team last season and I don’t expect things to be different. I could leave it at that, but I am not going to. I think they’re the team to beat this year and it really isn't that close. They did lose some people, but they made up for it in other ways. They had an excellent draft it appears, and they should continue to dominate this year. Jalen Hurts got the bag this offseason with his 5 year/$255M extension. That was the main goal for them this offseason. They also added two really good RBs to replace Miles Sanders. The Eagles new-look backfield will have D’Andre Swift and Rashaad Penny sharing carries. I think both are above average runners if they can stay healthy. I look at this team and wonder who will defeat them this year? Obviously, things can happen during the course of a 17-game season, but they have so much talent and depth on this team. Their backups would be starters on a lot of teams. There really isn't much else to say about them. They should be the team to beat in the NFC.

Difference Maker: DT, Jalen Carter

Carter immediately fills the void of Javon Hargrave this season, or at least the Eagles hope so. Despite being the Super Bowl runner-up, the Eagles had possession of the 9th pick in this year’s draft thanks to the Saints and later the Bears by way of the Panthers. The journey to get Jalen Carter was a confusing one, but they feel like they have their anchor on the D-Line. He got into a little trouble in college, but hopefully that is all behind him and he can focus on his NFL career. Eagles fans hope so too.

2: Dallas Cowboys (11-6)

Dallas will likely be in the contender mix yet again, but I never feel good about them. I can never take them seriously. They will have a lot of talent on this team, but there is always something that keeps them away from contention. They really didn’t do a lot in the offseason, but they really didn’t need to. They traded for Brandin Cooks and lost Ezekiel Elliott. That was about it. They should still have a strong defense and their offense should be good as well, but I really can never get behind them as a real contender. Adding Brandin Cooks will solidify their receiving core and Tony Pollard will get a chance to be a real star. Zack Martin got locked into an extension and that was a smart move for the Cowboys. They traded for Trey Lance and while he isn't in the starting QB competition, the jury is still out if he could be worth the gamble or not. Dallas will have one of the best defensive unit in the NFL yet again and I really don’t have anything to say that hasn’t already been said about them. The spotlight is constantly on them, so I shouldn’t have to explain too much. They were 12-5 last season, and I think they will be a similar team as last season. Dak Prescott missing significant time last season did hurt them, but in all honesty, it wasn’t as much as I expected. Their defense carried the weight of the team during his down time, but in all honesty, I think this further proves that Dak isn't the guy to lead them to a Super Bowl.

Difference Maker: CB, Stephon Gilmore

I’m not really going out on a limb here, but Gilmore was a big get for the Cowboys secondary. This will be the 4th team in 4 seasons for Gilmore, but that isn't a knock on his ability. He is still a very good corner. Last season for the Colts, he played 16 games. It was the first time he has done so since 2019 with the Pats. While Gilmore may not be an elite cornerback, I still consider him a Pro Bowl caliber defender and will get a lot of INT opportunities with Trevon Diggs lining up on the opposite plane as him.

3: New York Giants (7-10)

The Giants surprised a lot of people last season, but can they replicate it? I think they can, but I don’t think they will. Daniel Jones may be their guy, but he is not the guy. $40M per year? Who in their right mind would pay that much for an average QB. The Giants may not fully collapse this season, but in due time, they will be in shambles. They will have Jones for another 4 years and I expect them to be below average for those 4 years. Moving on. There has been a big controversy surrounding RBs on many teams. Understandably so. I think it is a little unfair that they contribute, in a lot of cases, for the majority of the offense and teams don’t respect them at contract time. Saquon Barkley is in that discussion. When healthy, Barkley is one of the league’s best. He had a career high 295 rushing attempts last season, but the Giants are reluctant to give him a deal because the shelf life for RBs tend to be shorter than other positions. I see both sides of it, but I think certain players will always be worth it. At this point, Barkley is one of those players. He signed a 1-yr deal, but the Giants are clearly just waiting for a fall off. Also, the Giants O-Line is one of the worst in football. As for targets, Darren Waller was a big acquisition for the Giants. I don’t know exactly how much he will improve the offense though. Their receiving core is weak aside from Waller. Very weak. Their defense isn't much better. I really don’t know why people are overhyping the Giants. In all honesty, they overperformed last season and got hot at the right time. Any given season, they’re not a playoff team. This season, they will not be a playoff team and I am being generous with 7 wins. I think we will see the collapse of the New York Giants starting this season.

Difference Maker: DE/OLB, Kayvon Thibodeaux

He was the 1st Rounder for the Giants last season and definitely showed some flashes of big-time potential in his rookie season. I expect him to step up this season and become a household name pretty soon. This is his year to shine and I think he will have plenty of opportunities.

4: Washington Commanders (4-13)

The big storyline for Washington this offseason was the sale of the franchise. There is a new ownership group, but I don’t think that will make them play any better. They are still a team that will drag their feet in the back half of the league. Coach Rivera has always prided himself as bringing a scrappy defensive unit to the field and this season is no different. In fact, it will keep them in a lot of games that they likely will have no business being in. However, that offense is weak sauce. I don’t believe Sam Howell is the guy. No matter how good he played in the preseason. Also, if the Howell experiment doesn’t work, Jacoby Brissett isn't exactly a great option either. The good news is that they do have decent WRs. Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson should continue to work well together and have a good season, but the rest of the offense is kinda, meh. The D-Line will be very solid, and the CB for the Commanders will be as well. I just don’t have any confidence that they will be competitive. I think the absolute max for them will be 7 wins. I think it will be the last season in Washington for Ron Rivera and we will see a rebuild starting in the offseason.

Difference Maker: RT, Andrew Wylie

The Commanders will need all the help they can get on the O-Line. They signed Wylie from the Chiefs in the offseason and will bring a championship-winning mindset to the team. He will shift to the Tackle spot after being a Guard for 4 of the last 5 seasons. Sam Howell needs protection and going out and signing a guy like Wylie addresses that need.

Yacs

2023 NFC East Preview