By: Luke DeSalvatore
Revisiting 2025
Entering the 2025 season, the NFC East was widely expected to be one of the NFL's most competitive divisions. Not only did the lack of parity disappoint, but the overall talent of the division let many fans down. It only took the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles 11 wins to win the division comfortably before they ultimately fell to the 49ers in the divisional round. In second place came the Dallas Cowboys who managed to come away with only 7 victories in 2025 after having a top ten offense, but ranked dead last on the defensive side of the ball. In third came the Washington Commanders who lost in the NFC championship the year prior, entering with high hopes for 2025 behind young star Jayden Daniels. To say they fell short of expectations would be an understatement as they won a grand total of 5 games. The last place team, the New York Giants, were possibly the most exciting of them all this season although they won only 4 games. This squad, led by electric rookies Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattaboo, now has hope for the future after what has been a rough decade for this franchise. Collectively, these four teams left their fans dissatisfied, but each team will look to make adjustments heading into 2026.
Dallas Cowboys
Searching for Balance
As last season came to a close, one looming question awaited Jerry Jones: How do you repair the worst-rated defense in the NFL? Well, the answer to that question was clear for the 83-year-old general manager: Spend an entire offseason going all in on the defensive unit. The first step was bringing in Christian Parker as the new defensive coordinator to install a fresh scheme to this group. To follow this up, they acquired two veteran linebackers in Rashan Gary and Dee Winters through trades with both the Packers and 49ers. Now, the big chance came for this front office as they approached the NFL Draft. They made a huge splash early in the first round by trading up to the 11th pick and selecting star safety Caleb Downs out of Ohio State. To cap off a thrilling first round, they used the 23rd pick to select edge rusher Malachi Lawrence after an impressive season with UCF. It’s safe to say that the Cowboys took the one-sided nature of their team to heart this offseason and fans should be expecting a new sense of balance this upcoming year.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Although the weakness of the defense sticks out in this team, the strength of their offense might shine brighter. Quarterback Dak Prescott has been critically underrated over the years and now has arguably the best wide receiver duo in the NFL. Between the breakout of George Pickens and solidified star Ceedee Lamb, this unit has all the firepower they need to outscore any opponent that comes their way. However, the passing game isn’t the only strength of this offense as running back Javonte Williams led the way in 2025 with a career-high 1,201 yards. This gives the Dallas Cowboys plenty of options to look to down the stretch as they look to take back the NFC East.
Prediction
Record: 12-5
Division Finish: 1st
Team X Factor: Providing a Serviceable Defense
Philadelphia Eagles
A Massive Hole to Fill
On June 1, the Philadelphia Eagles made one of the more shocking trades within the NFL this offseason. General manager Howie Roseman and the front office sent star receiver A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots and received a 2028 first round pick along with a 2027 fifth round pick. With Brown out of the picture, the Eagles had no choice but to retool their passing game. They went out and acquired 25-year-old Dontayvion Wicks from the Packers, then signed veteran speedster Marquise Brown in free agency. Both will add solid depth behind now No.1 receiver Devonta Smith for the Eagles this upcoming season. On the defensive side of the ball, Philadelphia added recent Super Bowl winning cornerback Tariq Woolen in free agency after he couldn’t get a deal done with the Seattle Seahawks. Woolen is not only one of the fastest defensive backs in the league, but he also brings a unique skill set and a large wingspan. In my opinion, the Eagles re-shaped their squad well after losing A.J. Brown and have massive potential as a group this year as they look to win the NFC East for the third year in a row.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Last season this group finished with a top 5 defense behind their young secondary and their powerful defensive line. This year, no one would be surprised if they dominate opposing offenses better than ever before and allow the least points in the NFL. The primary issue for this team lies in the offense. Scoring only 22.3 points per game, the Eagles failed to meet expectations after what felt like a near perfect year in 2024. Leading this group is quarterback Jalen Hurts and running back Saquon Barkley who both had down years as head coach Nick Sirianni looks to get them back on track as the 2026 season draws near.
Prediction
Record: 10-7
Division Finish: 2nd
Team X Factor: Saquon Barkley Bouncing Back
New York Giants
A Future Worth Believing In
Not many times can a franchise have so many positives after winning only 4 games, but the New York Giants did just that. For starters, they may have found their franchise quarterback and running back in Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo. Both of these guys gave this team the young spark they’ve been looking for along with solidified star receiver Malik Nabers who has done nothing but impress since being drafted in 2024. The biggest issue is keeping this youthful group healthy. In Week 4, Nabers tore his ACL which made his year come to an end after being expected to perform at the top level before the season started. The injuries didn’t end there as Skattebo dislocated his ankle against the Eagles and eventually was forced to have surgery performed on it. In the offseason, general manager Joe Schoen had a productive draft as he and the front office used two top-10 picks to select linebacker Arvell Reese after his explosive season with Ohio State as well as offensive guard Francis Mauigoa out of Miami. If healthy, this team led by new head coach John Harbaugh has the capability to compete with the best and should be an exciting team to keep an eye on.
Strengths & Weaknesses
The pros and cons of the Giants are not totally clear but there are a lot of interesting questions that will determine this team's course. As previously discussed, injuries are a huge issue but the secondary sticks out as the primary problem. Between lack of depth and no established star, defending the passing game might be a difficult situation to counter for New York. While covering receivers might cause trouble, getting to the quarterback shouldn’t. The dynamic pass rush of this crew should keep opposing passers on the lookout at all times. Between Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Abdul Carter, and Arvell Reese, this might be the scariest group of outside linebackers in the whole league. This factor alone should hopefully provide a sense of relief for the defensive backs throughout the year.
Prediction
Record: 9-8
Division Finish: 3rd
Team X Factor: A Full Season of Malik Nabers
Washington Commanders
Back to Reality
In 2024, Jayden Daniels had one of the most impressive rookie seasons of all time, leading the Washington Commanders to the NFC Championship game. In 2025, the team as a whole fell back to reality as they finished with a 5-12 record. Injuries played a huge part in this disappointing season as Daniels was only able to play seven games and was on and off the entire year. This offseason, the front office made a few big moves in hopes to get back on track. Recently, they signed 32-year-old wide receiver Stefon Diggs to serve as their No. 2 receiver behind Terry McLaurin. In addition, they bolstered the pass rush by signing former Chargers standout linebacker Odafe Oweh to a four-year, $100 million deal. This signing should inject needed youth into this defensive group along with high-end athleticism. The primary question for this team approaching 2026 is whether the roster can win games if Jayden Daniels isn’t playing as heroically as he did a couple years ago, and whether they can find the fire they once had.
Strengths & Weaknesses
The Commanders’ biggest strength should be obvious. If healthy, Jayden Daniels should be able to carry this team on his back and win games from his dynamic abilities alone. On the downside, it isn’t too hard to name this team’s clear weakness with just one simple check of the depth chart. The secondary will hold this group back tremendously and already did in 2025 as they let quarterbacks walk all over them. They allowed the second worst QBR to opposing passers last year and gave up a staggering 4,371 passing yards against them. That statistic alone is convincing enough to make fans question if this team has what it takes to keep up with the rest of the division.
Prediction
Record: 6-11
Division Finish: 4th
Team X Factor: Jayden Daniels’ Availability
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