NFL Preseason preview: NFC East

The NFC hasn’t had a back-to-back winner for 18 years, but with the Super Bowl runners-up in the division, could this be the year that streak ends?

This is a loaded group, headlined by wide receiver CeeDee Lamb who has looked every bit the NFL superstar in his first three seasons in the league. Quarterback Dak Prescott had a shaky 2022 with a series of untimely interceptions, but when he’s fit and firing he is a near-elite player. Losing Dalton Schultz at tight end could hurt, but adding Brandin Cooks on the outside is an upgrade.

One of the very best units in football, with Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs leading the way. Coordinator Dan Quinn knows how to get the best out of his charges and the addition of rookie defensive tackle Mazi Smith could give them more solidity in the run game.

On paper, this is one of the best teams in the league, with talent all over the field, but with Mike McCarthy as their head coach, it always feels as though they are a catastrophic moment away from another heartbreaking loss. Playoffs are the absolute minimum for this team, though.

A surprise package in 2022, with Brian Daboll turning things around quicker than anyone could have expected. QB Daniel Jones looked like a solid starter for the most part, although a long way from the top tier. The wide receiving corps leaves little to be desired and Saquon Barkley has another year of tread on his tires. This could be a good, but not great group.

Dexter Lawrence has emerged as one of the very best interior pass-rushers in the league, getting unprecedented pressure from the nose tackle position. Kayvon Thibodeaux is growing into his role as a pass rusher too, but elsewhere there isn’t too much to get excited about.

In a weak NFC, the Giants have a real chance to return to the playoffs in 2023 but they are stuck in one of the toughest divisions in football meaning they will need a little bit of luck to get them there. Brian Daboll has shown himself to be a very good head coach, but year two could look a whole lot different from year one.

Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, Devonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, Deandre Swift, etc, etc. This unit is absolutely stacked, and that’s not to mention arguably the best o-line in football. Losing coordinator Shane Steichen could be an issue as replacement Brian Johnson will be calling plays in the NFL for the first time, but ultimately this is a player’s league, and boy do the Eagles have players.

Again, this unit is looking loaded on paper, with a seemingly endless supply of pass-rushers and elite corners Darius Slay and James Bradberry on the outside. That being said, the Eagles will be starting two new safeties and two new linebackers in 2023 so there could well be holes in the middle of the field. If they get after the QB as well as they did in 2022, it may not matter much.

Will the Eagles be able to overcome their Super Bowl loss? It’s never easy to reach a Super Bowl, and this year they will have to do so facing a far harder schedule than in 2022 where they feasted on some of the worst teams in the league. They look like one of the teams to beat, but a Super Bowl hangover can’t be counted out.

The Commanders are lacking in a few key areas, namely quarterback where they will be choosing between Sam Howell and journeyman Jacoby Brissett as their starter. Brian Robinson Jr. looks like a very good running back and Terry McLaurin can put the team on his back at times.

Another team in the NFC East with an absolutely loaded defensive front, Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, Montez Sweat, and Chase Young is a formidable pass-rushing unit. They may not be quite as good elsewhere as some of their division rivals, but this is a very good unit.

Ultimately quarterback play is the biggest factor in the NFL and for the Commanders, they just don’t have anyone quite at the level to put them in the mix as a truly competitive team. The 2024 draft is loaded, so perhaps they will be tempted to target getting their ‘guy’ there.

There are so many options to choose from but ultimately it’s going to be Devonta Smith. Smith has consistently looked great during his time in the NFL but towards the end of 2023, he started to outperform his teammate A.J. Brown. By all reports he has been dominant in training camp so expect a big year out of him.

Micah Parsons. Parsons is a unicorn player in the NFL, able to play as an elite, conventional linebacker on early downs before being released as one of the best pass-rushers in football in passing situations. What a player.

1. Dallas Cowboys
2. Philadelphia Eagles
3. New York Giants
4. Washington Commanders