With the NFL division breakdown series in full swing, the next division in focus is the NFC East. In this article, I will rank each offensive position.
In one of the worst divisions in the NFL last season, the Eagles advanced to the postseason with a record of 10-6, but they were promptly eliminated by the New Orleans Saints in the first round. The NFC East battled an inordinate amount of injuries last season, some more devastating than others. The injury of former Eagles quarterback Michael Vick allowed quarterback Nick Foles to takeover in Philadelphia, while the injuries of linebacker Sean Lee and quarterback Tony Romo destroyed the Cowboys chance to make the postseason. Both the Giants and the Redskins had slow starts that they never recovered from. After many key free agent acquisitions and draft picks, the NFC East is poised to return to a much greater level of competition.
Here’s an offensive position-by-position breakdown of the NFC East, with “the best” at each position followed by “the rest” in descending order.
NFC East Breakdown
Quarterback
The Best: DAL The Rest: NYG, PHI, WAS
Quarterback is one of the greatest positions of controversy in the NFC East, as a valid argument could be made for each player as the best in the division. For now, Tony Romo is the best quarterback in the division. He receives most of the blame for the Cowboys postseason woes, but his stats are difficult to argue against. His clutch factor is definitely questionable, but his team often lets him down.
Eli Manning is right behind Tony Romo, but after his catastrophic 2013 season, Tony Romo has the edge. That being said, Eli Manning is a proven veteran that has put together phenomenal postseasons when he was needed most, leading to his two championships with the Giants. He often takes chances though, leading to a large amount of interceptions, but he should be able to bounce back this season with a legitimate offensive line and running game. In Philadelphia, Nick Foles definitely had a great season last year, but he didn’t even complete one full season and he lost his best wide receiver in the offseason. He can’t be ranked above veterans like Tony Romo or Eli Manning yet, but he should definitely give Eagles fans something to look forward to this season. Finally, Robert Griffin III is an extremely talented young man, but his knee remains a huge concern. If his mobility returns and he can withstand the severe blows that come with playing the quarterback position, the Redskins offense should be very scary this year.
Running Back
The Best: PHI The Rest: WAS, DAL, NYG
This position is relatively easy, as LeSean McCoy and Darren Sproles will form one of the best running back duos in the entire NFL, let alone the NFC East. LeSean McCoy is one of the best running backs in the NFL by himself, but the acquisition of Darren Sproles to complement him should pan out well. These guys should take a lot of pressure off of Nick Foles.
The Redskins aren’t too shabby themselves at running back, with Alfred Morris and Roy Helu leading the way. Alfred Morris finished fourth in the NFL in rushing yards last season with 1,275 yards. DeMarco Murray and Lance Dunbar will lead the Cowboys rushing attack. Murray finished tenth in the NFL in rushing yards last season with 1,121 yards. The Cowboys have a very good rushing game, and they would be ranked higher than third in most divisions. Finally, the Giants completely refurbished their rushing game, adding Rashad Jennings in free agency and drafting Andre Williams. The Giants were one of the worst teams in the league rushing the ball last season, but these new additions should significantly increase their productivity at running back.
Wide Receiver
The Best: WAS The Rest: DAL, NYG, PHI
Just like the quarterback position, each team in this division has a good wide receiver corps. With the addition of DeSean Jackson, the Redskins group of wide receivers moved to the top of the division, while the Eagles jumped in the opposite direction. Jackson will fit in nicely with Pierre Garcon and free agent acquisition Andre Roberts. Robert Griffin III certainly has plenty of dangerous weapons.
The Cowboys are not far behind the Redskins, as Dez Bryant is the best wide receiver in the division. Terrance Williams, Cole Beasley, and fifth-round pick Devin Street should complement Dez nicely, but none of them will match the impact veteran Pierre Garcon will have on the Redskins this season. The Giants bolstered their wide receiver corps in the offseason as well, drafting Odell Beckham Jr. in the first round and signing Mario Manningham in free agency. These players will join Victor Cruz and Reuben Randle, so Eli Manning will have plenty of options to choose from as well. Finally, the Eagles re-signed Riley Cooper and Jeremy Maclin, and they drafted Jordan Matthews and Josh Huff. Losing DeSean Jackson will definitely hurt, but Jordan Matthews should be a solid replacement. If Maclin can rebound from his knee injury and Cooper can build off of his first successful season, the Eagles will thrive at wide receiver as well.
Tight End
The Best: DAL The Rest: WAS, PHI, NYG
In Dallas, Jason Witten has dominated opposing linebackers that have tried to cover him for many years. While he may be slowing down a bit at the age of 32, he still possesses the ability to make a large amount of catches and turn some of them into big plays. He has been Tony Romo’s favorite target for many years, especially when Romo needs to dump off the ball quickly. Gavin Escobar could learn a lot from Witten, and they will form a great tight end duo this season.
In Washington, Jordan Reed proved to be a dominant playmaker before his concussion last season. He should easily achieve over 1000 receiving yards if he stays healthy this season. In Philadelphia, Zach Ertz and Brenk Celek form a solid duo as well. Ertz has great size and he should be utilized much more this season. In New York, the Giants have a disaster at tight end. They neglected to address the situation in free agency and the draft. They are counting on either Adrien Robinson or undrafted free agent Xavier Grimble to step up.
Offensive Line
The Best: PHI The Rest: DAL, NYG, WAS
While the Cowboys are close, the Eagles definitely have the best offensive line in the NFC East. Left tackle Jason Peters, guard Evan Mathis, and center Jason Kelce are each one of the best at their position. Lane Johnson will be suspended for four games to start the season, but he is a very solid right tackle as well.
The Cowboys bolstered their offensive line even further by drafting guard Zack Martin in the first round. Left tackle Tyron Smith is one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL and Travis Frederick proved that he was worthy of his first round selection last season. The Giants and Redskins are much further from the top. The Giants did boost their offensive line tremendously in the offseason, drafting center Weston Richburg in the second round and acquiring guards Geoff Schwartz and John Jerry in the offseason. Justin Pugh was the only offensive linemen that played well last season, and he will return at right tackle. With veteran Chris Snee returning on a cheap contract, he might start at right guard and move John Jerry to left tackle. Will Beatty hopes that he can return to left tackle after a gruesome leg injury, but his play was poor last season even before the injury. In Washington, Trent Williams is one of the best linemen in the NFL, but the rest of the line looks weak. The Redskins did draft tackle Morgan Moses and guard Spencer Long in the third round to help their offensive line.
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