NFC East Preview: Cowboys & Injuries
- iAmMizz!
- Sep 13, 2020
- 9 min read
The NFC East was the division that nobody wanted to win in 2019. New York and Washington were helplessly out of it, in perennial rebuilds that have lasted a good five years or so. Washington finished 3-13, and was granted the second overall pick, while the Giants weren't too far behind at 4-12, and a fourth overall spot in the draft. From there it became the battle between Philly and Dallas, Wentz and Dak, and things were set up for the Cowboys to win it. They had a narrow lead as Eagles players dropped daily from injuries, but then the strangest thing occurred, Philadelphia seemed to rally around their underdog cry yet again. They started winning with practice squad players, not to mention some spectacular games by Wentz. The crippling blow was a home win over the Cowboys down the stretch. In the end, Dallas choked again, finishing 8-8. It was the final nail in the coffin for long-time head coach Jason Garrett, and the 9-7 Eagles took the East for the second time in three years, with Doug Pederson's lore growing by the second. As we look towards Week 1, let's see how the NFC East shapes up after a long offseason.
In case you want to look back on an article for more depth or information, provided are links to my 2020 NFL offseason free agency articles, 2020 NFL draft articles and more;
4. New York Giants (Projection: 4-12)
NightCap Free Agency Grade: B- (previously C+)
IN- CB James Bradberry, DB Logan Ryan, LB Blake Martinez, EDGE Kyler Fackrell, RB Dion Lewis, CB Isaac Yiadom, TE Levine Toilolo, T Cameron Fleming, S Nate Ebner, S Adrian Colbert, DT Austin Johnson, QB Colt McCoy, Leonard Williams (key tag), Markus Golden (key re-sign), K Graham Gano
OUT- QB Eli Manning (retired), CB DeAndre Baker, S Michael Thomas, LB Alec Ogletree, LB Ryan Connelly, S Antoine Bethea, OL Mike Remmers, WR Cody Latimer, WR Russell Shepard, WR Corey Coleman, TE Rhett Ellison (retired), CB Grant Haley, LB Kareem Martin, LB Deone Bucannon, CB Antonio Hamilton, RB Javorius Allen, K Aldrick Rosas
OPT OUTS- T Nate Solder, CB Sam Beal
LONG-TERM INJURIES- WR Golden Tate (strong questionable for Week 1), S Xavier McKinney (week 9), LB David Mayo (week 9), WR Cody Core (IR)
NightCap NFL Draft Grade: A-
KEY PICKS- T Andrew Thomas, S Xavier McKinney, T Matt Peart, CB Darnay Holmes, G Shane Lemieux, LB Tae Crowder
Final Offseason Grade: B
Man, this entire Giants offseason was, well, a giant buzzkill... pun intended. Every time the franchise did something good a news story seemed to spiral them back to square one. I actually thought GM Dave Gettleman and HC Joe Judge did a really nice job of reinvigorating this roster in both free agency and the draft, but poor decisions and circumstances seemed to work against management at every turn. The first moves were to solidify this defense. Bradberry, Martinez and Fackrell were the immediate additions. Shortly after, 2019 first round pick DeAndre Baker got arrested for armed robbery, he has since been released. Then came the draft, where I thought the G-Men did extremely well. They targeted need positions, and were able to secured players that many analysts believed to be sleepers or high value on most of their selections. Thomas, McKinney, Holmes, Lemieux and Crowder were probably Big Blue's best picks. Unfortunately, lightning struck again in the form of an injury this time. Play-making safety Xavier McKinney injured his foot in camp, and he'll be out half the season. Okay, okay, let's remain calm. The Giants eventually remedied that by signing nickel/safety Logan Ryan late in free agency. They also traded for Isaac Yiadom to help account for both Baker and Sam Beal (opt-out). Speaking of opt-outs, New York planned to have veteran Nate Solder teach first rounder Andrew Thomas and third rounder Matt Peart and sort of show them the ropes. A decent plan, even though Solder has declined with age... well, up until Nate Solder opted out. Now the G-Men will likely start two inexperienced rookies at tackle. Nothing else could possibly go wrong this offseason, right? Wrong! Kicker Aldrick Rosas was involved in a drunken hit-and-run accident. He was caught returning to the scene of the crime, and later released. Maybe Baker and Rosas can chip in on a solid lawyer, and some brain cells. Luckily, veteran Graham Gano became available at the perfect time, so NYG scooped him up. It's been one thing after another for Big Blue this Summer, but so far I applaud Gettleman for the way he's handled each obstacle (and I'm not usually a fan of his). The one major mistake was trying to sneak promising LB Ryan Connelly onto the practice squad while he recovered from his 2019 injury. The Vikings grabbed Connelly immediately, and the Giants were left looking foolish. Overall, it has been a really positive offseason though, at least in terms of the future outlook. You may not think that from the repeat 4-12 projection, but New York has an unforgiving schedule and a ton of moving pieces, injuries, opt-outs and rookies. All that plus a new coaching staff and a small amount of time to learn the playbook. 2021 is more likely the "jump" year for Big Blue, but fans should take some pleasure knowing that things are finally moving in the right direction.
3. Washington Football Team (Projection: 5-11)
NightCap Free Agency Grade: C
IN- CB Kendall Fuller, CB Ronald Darby, LB Thomas Davis, RB Peyton Barber, RB J.D. McKissic, TE Logan Thomas, T Cornelius Lucas, WR Dontrelle Inman, QB Kyle Allen, G Wes Schweitzer, LB Jared Norris, G Brandon Scherff (key tag)
OUT- T Trent Williams, RB Derrius Guice, CB Josh Norman, CB Quinton Dunbar, RB Adrian Peterson, RB Chris Thompson, TE Jordan Reed, TE Vernon Davis (retired), G Ereck Flowers, CB Aaron Colvin, T Donald Penn, WR Paul Richardson, WR Trey Quinn, S Montae Nicholson, CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB Kayvon Webster, DB Coty Sensabaugh, QB Case Keenum, QB Colt McCoy, DE Nate Orchard, OL Joshua Garnett, FB Mike Burton
OPT OUTS- DL Caleb Brantley
LONG-TERM INJURIES- CB Kendall Fuller (doubtful week 1), LB Thomas Davis (week 2), LB Reuben Foster (week 4), G Michael Liedtke (week 4),
NightCap NFL Draft Grade: C+ (previously C)
KEY PICKS- DE Chase Young, RB Antonio Gibson, WR Antonio Gandy-Golden, T Saahdiq Charles, LB Khaleke Hudson, C Keith Ismael
Final Offseason Grade: C+
The Washington Football Team did a massive overhaul after bringing in Ron Rivera as the new head coach. I thought that they improved a lot defensively through both free agency and the draft, but they completely ignored their offensive line (which pocket passer Dwayne Haskins will need if he's going to be successful in this league). Let's start with the positives. I love spending for two shutdown corners. I think more teams should do it when they are available, and feel Kendall Fuller and Ronald Darby are proven guys unlike a Trumaine Johnson type. Fuller may not play Week 1, but once he's on the field the combination of him and Darby, plus Landon Collins and this ridiculous front four should be enough to stifle most passing attacks (and they shouldn't be too shabby against the run either). A veteran presence like Thomas Davis who knows Rivera's system is never a bad idea either, although he's currently dealing with a calf issue. I want to repeat, this front four or five on defense WILL BE a problem for most offensive lines if Chase Young lives up to expectations. I wasn't crazy about the pick because I thought Washington desperately needed a tackle much more than another pass rusher, but now that they have him let's take a look. Young, Ryan Kerrigan, Daron Payne, Jonathan Allen, Montez Sweat and Matt Ioannidis all rotating in and out. ALL first round picks besides Ioannidis. That might beat the 49ers with DeForest Buckner gone. Now the negatives, this lackluster offense. The line is in horrible shape. Trent Williams is finally gone, but they never bothered to replace him, or even replace his replacement in Cornelius Lucas. Scherff is the only real bright spot here, and maybe center Chase Roullier, but as a whole this blocking unit is an issue. It doesn't help that Haskins lacks playmakers. Outside of Terry McLaurin and possibly rookie Antonio Gibson, who is a playmaker on this offense? I've heard good things about Gandy-Golden, but we've got to see it from the fourth rounder out of Liberty. Washington is still a year or two away, but this defense will surprise teams in 2020.
2. Philadelphia Eagles (Projection: 9-7)
NightCap Free Agency Grade: C- (previously B-)
IN- CB Darius Slay, DT Javon Hargrave, CB Nickell Robey-Coleman, LB Jatavis Brown, S Will Parks, WR Marquise Goodwin, T Jason Peters (key re-sign)
OUT- CB Ronald Darby, S Malcolm Jenkins, RB Jordan Howard, T Halapoulivaati Vaitai, DT Timmy Jernigan, WR Nelson Agholor, CB Sidney Jones, RB Darren Sproles (retired), LB Nigel Bradham, G Chance Warmack, CB Rasul Douglas, LB Kamu Grugier-Hill
OPT OUTS- WR Marquise Goodwin
LONG-TERM INJURIES- RB Miles Sanders (week 2), DT Javon Hargrave (week 2), WR Alshon Jeffery (week 2), DE Derek Barnett (week 2), S Will Parks (week 4), WR Quez Watkins (week 4), T Andre Dillard (IR), TE Josh Perkins (IR), G Brandon Brooks (out for season)
NightCap NFL Draft Grade: C+
KEY PICKS- WR Jalen Reagor, QB Jalen Hurts, LB Davion Taylor, S K'Von Wallace, WR John Hightower, G Jack Driscoll, T Prince Tega Wanogho, WR Quez Watkins
Final Offseason Grade: C
Wow, injuries have just rocked this franchise yet again. I knew about top-rated guard Brandon Brooks and tackle Andre Dillard (both reasons why Peters was re-signed), I even knew about Sanders and Jeffery likely missing Week 1, but Hargrave and Barnett too? The Eagles are in rough shape and it's early! This is the same team that limped into the playoffs last year on the backs of Carson Wentz and slot receiver Greg Ward, and less than a year later they are still limping. In my original March free agency article I had Philly as a B- grade. They had bulked up their secondary, which was their greatest flaw in 2019, trading for Slay and signing Robey-Coleman, plus Parks. I also liked the Hargrave pickup, although they were less needy at defensive tackle. I was less pleased about the draft. Philadelphia passed on some top talent wide receivers to take slot-man Jalen Reagor. It's not that I didn't like Reagor, I just thought that they really needed an outside guy so that they no longer have to rely on Jeffery, not a slot where Ward had performed so well last year. I also hated the Hurts pick. I didn't hate that the Eagles drafted a backup for Wentz, I more so hated the value. This was a reach, and not only that, there were other players still on the board at QB that I liked much more than Hurts who has NFL bust written all over him. A couple of the later picks could have sleeper potential, but overall I thought this draft could have been better. Now with all the early injuries (especially the ones to the offensive line), I'm going to have to amend my initial pick that had the Eagles taking the final NFC wildcard spot, putting in the Arizona Cardinals in their place, via tiebreak. It's a dangerous thing to count Doug Pederson's Eagles out, but something just doesn't feel right this season in Philly.
1. Dallas Cowboys (Projection: 11-5)
NightCap Free Agency Grade: C- (previously D+)
IN- DE Everson Griffen, T Dontari Poe, CB Daryl Worley, EDGE Aldon Smith, CB Brandon Carr, QB Andy Dalton, TE Blake Bell, OL Cameron Erving, WR Malik Turner, QB Dak Prescott (key re-sign), WR Amari Cooper (key re-sign), K Greg Zuerlein
OUT- C Travis Frederick (retired), CB Byron Jones, EDGE Robert Quinn, WR Randall Cobb, DT Maliek Collins, TE Jason Witten, S Jeff Heath, DT Christian Covington, WR Tavon Austin, EDGE Michael Bennett, EDGE Kerry Hyder, CB C.J. Goodwin, LB Malcolm Smith, T Cameron Fleming, G Xavier Su'a-Filo, LB Justin March, K Kai Forbath
OPT OUTS- CB Maurice Canady
LONG-TERM INJURIES- DT Gerald McCoy (released after season-ending injury), CB Jourdan Lewis (week 2), T La'el Collins (week 4), LB Sean Lee (week 4)
NightCap NFL Draft Grade: A
KEY PICKS- WR CeeDee Lamb, CB Trevon Diggs, DT Neville Gallimore, C Tyler Biadasz, DB Reggie Robinson, EDGE Bradlee Anae
Final Offseason Grade: B-
The Cowboys were another offseason like the Giants that fluctuated between highs and lows. During the early stages of free agency, they hadn't impressed me much between the stalled negotiations with Prescott and center Travis Frederick's retirement. Veterans like Byron Jones, Quinn, Cobb and Witten also walked, despite Cooper returning, and Jerry Jones' only real moves were to bulk the D-Line with Gerald McCoy and Dontari Poe, and sign safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. At the time, I looked at these moves as positives. After the draft, I was all about Mike McCarthy's Cowboys. CeeDee Lamb as the WR3 at a tremendous value. Trevon Diggs as a Byron Jones replacement. Gallimore seemed like solid DT depth. Biadasz looked like a sleeper pick that could possibly start in Frederick's old spot. Even Anae was an edge rusher I thought had promise. Jerry's team killed the draft, and rightly so they received an A mark from me. Since then, things have gone awry. Although Dak eventually signed, along with backup Andy Dalton, McCoy ruptured his quad on one of the first days of camp. Then, tackle La'el Collins got hurt, along with Lewis and Lee. The offseason went from Dallas hype to question marks in no time. The Everson Griffen signing calmed a few of those questions though, and with the Eagles also reeling from losses and the Giants and W.F.T. at a lower level of talent, I do believe the Cowboys will take back the division in 2020. They have the best offensive unit in the East by far, along with many playmakers on a generally under-performing defense. They just need a level-headed coach to finally bring it all together. Mike McCarthy is that guy, and maybe hiring him was the most important offseason move of all.
After a minor adjustment, the Dallas Cowboys become the only team to make the NFC Playoffs in my projections, as the injury-prone Eagles get bumped by the dark horse Cardinals in this revision. New York and Washington should show signs of development and improvement in 2020, but they still have a lot to fix before they contend for the division or the postseason. This is Dallas' spot to lose, plain and simple. All they have to do is not choke.
Comments