The NFC East is loaded, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if all four teams make the postseason in 2023.
But there are levels, and the Eagles’ and Cowboys’ talented rosters signify it might be a two-team race for the division title.
Having proven quarterbacks in Jalen Hurts and Dak Prescott certainly helps those two teams maintain competitive rosters, but the Giants made many notable offseason moves (including the deal with Daniel Jones) that should keep them in the mix for the division crown.
The Commanders had a quiet offseason (well, besides the pending owner change, which is a plus), but they have an intriguing roster with an abundance of playmakers on both sides of the football.
Let’s examine what could be the best division in the NFL after free agency and the draft. Here’s how we see the NFC East rosters, from worst to best.
4. Washington Commanders
There’s plenty to like about the Commanders’ roster, but the decision to settle on Sam Howell as the starting quarterback might hold this team back in 2023. On the other hand, perhaps Howell can be a quality game manager. And there’s nowhere to go but up after the disastrous experiment with Carson Wentz last season and the brief one-game stint with Ryan Fitzpatrick the year before.
Howell, a 2022 fifth-round pick, will have a strong receiving corps, with Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson and Curtis Samuel, and a reliable rushing attack, with Brian Robinson Jr. and Antonio Gibson. Having Eric Bieniemy as the offensive coordinator will also help with the development of Howell, who went 11–19 for 169 yards and one touchdown during his starting debut in last year’s regular-season finale vs. the Cowboys.
Washington added right tackle Andrew Wylie in free agency, but that might not be enough for an offensive line that was subpar last season. The Commanders drafted center Ricky Stromberg, a third-round pick, and offensive guard Braeden Daniels, a fourth-round pick.
Coach Ron Rivera’s defense has a dominant front seven, with defensive tackles Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen, plus edge rushers Montez Sweat and Chase Young (who’s entering a contract year after the team declined his fifth-year option). But this secondary is plenty inexperienced, and time will tell if the Commanders chose right in selecting cornerback Emmanuel Forbes and defensive back Jartavius Martin as their first two picks in the draft.
Even if Howell is good enough to keep this team in the mix, Rivera will probably need more than that in a stacked division.
3. New York Giants
Quarterback Daniel Jones improved enough last season for the Giants to sign him to a four-year, $160 million contract extension. There’s plenty of pressure on Jones to deliver after the hefty investment—and there’s no longer the excuse that he doesn’t have any weapons.
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The Giants traded for tight end Darren Waller, signed wide receiver Parris Campbell and drafted wide receiver Jalin Hyatt in the third round. Jones is missing a legit No. 1 wideout, but he’s no longer lacking depth at the position, with Darius Slayton, Sterling Shepard, Wan’Dale Robinson and Isaiah Hodgins also on the roster. A year after having the training wheels on within coach Brian Daboll’s system, Jones might be pushing the ball vertically more this season with his many downfield threats. (Hyatt, Slayton and Campbell all have recorded a 40-yard dash time of 4.40 seconds or less.)
Running back Saquon Barkley is searching for a long-term contract commitment after a bounce-back 2022 season, but he’ll still be around in New York to make life easier for Jones after getting hit with the one-year franchise tag. The offensive line will need better play from ’22 first-round pick Evan Neal, the starting right tackle who received an offense grade of 41.8 from Pro Football Focus last season. The Giants addressed their need at center by drafting John Michael Schmitz in the second round, but offensive guard might be an issue with unproven and inconsistent players on the depth chart.
The Giants have a talented defense, with Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, free-agent acquisition Bobby Okereke (the linebacker who recorded 151 total tackles for the Colts last season) and 2022 first-round edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux (who recorded four sacks and 13 quarterback hits last season). If cornerback Deonte Banks, this year’s first-round selection, makes an immediate impact, the Giants’ defense might compare to the units in Dallas and Philadelphia.
New York improved its roster this offseason, but it might not be good enough to win the NFC East.
2. Dallas Cowboys
Dak Prescott, the Cowboys’ starting quarterback since 2016, will have another strong supporting cast this year—it might be his best offensive roster in recent memory, despite the departures of running back Ezekiel Elliott and tight end Dalton Schultz.
Running back Tony Pollard will look to build off his breakout 2022 season, which included 12 total touchdowns, 1,378 yards from scrimmage and a Pro Bowl selection. The arrival of Brandin Cooks, alongside Michael Gallup and CeeDee Lamb (who racked up 107 catches for 1,359 yards and nine touchdowns last season), might give Dallas the best trio of receivers in the division.
The offensive line might be better this year if left tackle Tyron Smith and right tackle Terence Steele stay healthy this season. Tyler Smith will probably move to left guard after a productive rookie season as the temporary left tackle. Right guard Zack Martin returns after his sixth selection as a first-team All-Pro. Center Tyler Biadasz struggles with consistency, but he has provided experience as the starter the past two seasons.
Tight end might be an issue for the offense, as they’ll need production from Jake Ferguson (a 2022 fourth-round pick) and Luke Schoonmaker (the team’s ’23 second-round pick).
The Cowboys have plenty of depth at pass rusher, with DeMarcus Lawrence, Dorance Armstrong Jr., rookie DeMarvion Overshown and Micah Parsons, the two-time first-team All-Pro who recorded 13.5 sacks last season. Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch is also a productive playmaker in the middle of Dan Quinn’s defense (90 total tackles and one sack last season).
There’s also plenty of star power in the secondary with the new cornerback duo of Trevon Diggs and Stephon Gilmore, the latter of whom the Cowboys acquired in a trade with the Colts.
The roster hasn’t been an issue for the Cowboys in recent years. What they truly need is for Prescott to step up when it matters most, because this team appears headed for another divisional round, the exact place so many Cowboys seasons have ended since the late 1990s.
1. Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles get the nod for the best roster in the division because they have depth at various positions after reloading in the draft—and Jalen Hurts is the best quarterback in the NFC East.
Hurts will again throw to tight end Dallas Goedert and wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, possibly the best trio of pass catchers in the division. The Eagles will have a new-look backfield with D'Andre Swift and Rashaad Penny, which could be risky given both running backs have struggled with staying healthy.
Philadelphia also has the best offensive line in the division, with left tackle Jordan Mailata, left guard Landon Dickerson, center Jason Kelce and right tackle Lane Johnson. Cam Jurgens, the 2022 second-round pick, will take over at right guard before possibly becoming the starting center next year if Kelce decides to retire.
This might also be the last season for defensive tackle Fletcher Cox and defensive end Brandon Graham. They’ll be counted on to produce and guide rookies Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith. GM Howie Roseman often plans ahead through the draft for potential veteran departures, which explains why this team has depth across the roster. Another example is defensive tackle Jordan Davis, a 2022 first-round pick who will take over after Javon Hargrave joined the 49ers in free agency.
Philadelphia doesn’t have any glaring needs on the roster, but it’s banking on a handful of inexperienced players to fill the voids of the departed veteran starters. Rookie safety Sydney Brown, a 2022 third-round pick, and linebacker Nakobe Dean, also a ’22 third-round pick, will likely join the starting defense this season. Nonetheless, youth shouldn’t be a concern on this deep defensive roster, which also includes edge rusher Haason Reddick and cornerbacks Darius Slay and James Bradberry.
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