Expectations for the NFC East are likely to remain high in 2023 after last year’s resurgence back to respectability for the division.
Three teams — the Philadelphia Eagles (14-3), Dallas Cowboys (12-5) and New York Giants (9-7-1) — all finished above .500 and qualified for the postseason, and the fourth-place team, the Washington Commanders, finished 8-8-1.
Predictions for 2023 keep coming in and the Giants haven’t been receiving a lot of love from critics and experts. An NFC South defensive coach had this to say, as per Matt Lombardo of Fanbuzz.
“Watch out for Washington, they have talent on defense and now some offensive innovation,” the coach said. “They’re the Eagles’ biggest threat. I still think it’s Philly’s division to lose, but the Eagles could have a drop off now playing a first-place schedule. Dallas will have extreme pressure with their head coach calling the plays, and a tough schedule. I think the Giants finish fourth, the expectations for Daniel Jones are just a little too high.”
The one interesting thing about the piece by Lombardo is his choice for the “offseason addition that will shape the race” being Giants tight end, Darren Waller.
If Waller can stay healthy, he’s arguably one of the top-five tight ends in the NFL, and an absolute matchup nightmare in the vertical passing game.
According to multiple reports, Waller has been one of the early standouts from Giants training camp, and there’s little standing in his way from climbing to the top of Jones’ target hierarchy. After catching 298 passes for 3,572 yards and 19 touchdowns through the first seven seasons of his career, Waller has the opportunity to be the focal point of the Giants’ passing game and is one of the most important players to New York’s trajectory in 2023.
Waller has been lighting it up at practice to the point where his teammates and coaches are calling him a “unicorn” and “uncoverable”.
