With the Position Breakdown series in full swing, the next division under the microscope is the NFC East. 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.
Check out the defensive breakdown here.
NFC East Breakdown by Position: The Offense
Quarterback
The Best: DAL The Rest: NYG, PHI, WAS
It’s very clear that Tony Romo and Eli Manning are the top quarterbacks in the NFC East, and the debate between Cowboys and Giants fans over which quarterback is better will never cease. I’m going to give Tony Romo the slight edge for now because he had one of the best seasons of his career last year. He finished with the best passer rating in the league and completed nearly 70% of his passes. Additionally, he tossed 34 touchdowns with only 9 interceptions. Postseason success is the only hole on his resume right now.
Eli Manning put together a very solid season as well last year, throwing for 4,410 yards and 30 touchdowns. He surrendered 14 interceptions, but this number is skewed by a five-interception game against the 49ers. He completed 63.1% of his passes, which was a career-high. He has two Super Bowl MVPs to his name, but another magical postseason run could cement his legacy.
After Romo and Manning, there is a big dip in terms of quarterback play and consistency. Sam Bradford and Robert Griffin III are both talented quarterbacks when they are on the field, but I’m going to give the edge to the Eagles because Mark Sanchez is a great backup. With Chip Kelly running the offense, the Eagles should be able to get at least competent play from the quarterback position.
Robert Griffin III needs to prove himself this year or the Redskins might be forced to look in a different direction. If he can return to his rookie season form, the Redskins might be able to sneak into the playoffs. If he struggles, Colt McCoy and Kirk Cousins might see the field again this season.
Running Back
The Best: PHI The Rest: WAS, NYG, DAL
The Eagles boast one of the best groups of running backs in the league with DeMarco Murray leading the charge and Darren Sproles and Ryan Mathews contributing in a significant way off the bench. Many Eagles fans were heartbroken when the team traded LeSean McCoy, but the acquisitions of Murray and Mathews more than made up for the loss. With the depth at running back, Murray shouldn’t have to carry the ball as frequently as he did last year, which should allow him to stay fresh and healthy.
Alfred Morris is one of the most underrated running backs in the league and he should be able to break 1,000 rushing yards for the fourth time in as many seasons this year. Despite the struggles at the quarterback position, Morris has allowed the Redskins to maintain a consistent rushing attack. Rookie Matt Jones is next in line to give Morris a break and Chris Thompson will receive the last touches, as Silas Redd is out for the season after tearing his ACL.
The Giants have a solid trio of running backs with Rashad Jennings, Andre Williams, and Shane Vereen, but the offensive line will probably limit their production in 2015. However, Shane Vereen’s pass catching ability gives the Giants a new dimension that the team lacked in 2014. If the line can create holes for Jennings and Williams, the rushing attack will be very respectable.
The Cowboys ultimately did little to replace DeMarco Murray at running back. The team hopes it can maintain a balanced offensive attack because of the talent along the offensive line. Joseph Randle looks like the best bet to receive the majority of the touches, as Darren McFadden’s struggle with injuries continues. Lance Dunbar will get a couple touches each game as well.
Wide Receiver
The Best: NYG The Rest: WAS, DAL, PHI
Wide receiver is the strongest unit for the Giants and they lead the NFC East in this category. By now, everybody knows about Odell Beckham Jr. and what he can do. Victor Cruz has bounced back from his injury without any setbacks and he should be a great option again from the slot. Rueben Randle had a strong finish last season and looks to stay consistent during his contract year as the third option. Dwayne Harris was added in the offseason as a playmaker and Corey Washington, James Jones, Preston Parker, and Geremy Davis will compete for the final receiver spots.
While they are not quite as good as the Giants, the Redskins possess a solid group of receivers as well. DeSean Jackson remains a lethal deep threat and Pierre Garcon should put up big numbers from the slot if Robert Griffin III can produce. Ryan Grant is challenging Andre Roberts for the third option as he enters his second season, and it looks like he is the real deal. Rookies Jamison Crowder and Evan Spencer give the unit some depth and they are both interesting options for the future.
Dez Bryant may be the best receiver in the division and one of the best in the league, but the overall depth of the unit is not as strong as the previously mentioned teams. Terrance Williams is a decent option and he scores touchdowns, but he is a considerable step down from Victor Cruz and Pierre Garcon. Cole Beasley is a feisty receiver that holds the Wes Welker role for this team. Devin Street seems to be locked into the fourth slot and A.J. Jenkins was acquired during the offseason. A few undrafted free agents are fighting for the final wide receiver position.
The Eagles definitely have the worst group of receivers in the division, but that might be because the division is stacked at wide receiver. Jordan Matthews will be looking to take the next step and become a #1 receiver while rookie Nelson Agholor should make an immediate impact as well. Riley Cooper struggled last season, but if he plays like he did in 2013, the Eagles will have a good group of receivers. Josh Huff is the most intriguing of the remaining receivers, and Miles Austin might contribute a little as an aging veteran. Like the Redskins, the production from this unit might depend on the quarterback play.
Tight End
The Best: DAL The Rest: PHI, NYG, WAS
I’m going to give the Cowboys the edge over the Eagles here because Jason Witten is an established veteran, but don’t be surprised if Zach Ertz surpasses him in terms of production this year. Nevertheless, Witten remains a reliable blocker and a consistent target despite his advancing age. Gavin Escobar has shown flashes when he has been on the field, so they form a solid duo. Veteran James Hanna and rookie Geoff Swaim will compete for the third tight end spot.
Zach Ertz needs to improve his blocking, but he should be able to have a breakout year in terms of catching the football. He should be one of the team’s top targets, as the wide receiver group is not exactly an established powerhouse. Aging veteran Brent Celek will be a quality backup and the third tight end spot is completely open right now.
Larry Donnell came out of nowhere in 2014 and established himself as the starting tight end. However, he has a fumbling problem that must be fixed and he needs to become a better blocker. Veteran Daniel Fells is a reliable blocker and managed to catch a few touchdowns last year as well, so he should be able to make the roster as the backup once again. The Adrien Robinson experiment has been a major disappointment, and most Giants fans are hoping Jerome Cunningham or Will Tye can take his spot as the third-string tight end.
The Redskins had very good depth at tight end, but the team has already lost Niles Paul and Logan Paulsen for the season due to injuries. Oft-injured Jordan Reed is the only legitimate contributor left at the position now. He is certainly talented, but he has never played a full season. The Redskins are currently searching for a backup tight end after these injuries.
Offensive Line
The Best: DAL The Rest: PHI, WAS, NYG
The Cowboys have arguably the best offensive line in the league and the unit got even better with the addition of La’el Collins this offseason. All five starters are returning from last year’s dominant unit, so this line will be relied upon to generate a consistent running game. Tyron Smith is one of the best left tackles in the league while Zack Martin and Travis Frederick were Pro Bowlers last season. Veteran Doug Free was re-signed to play right tackle again while Ronald Leary will return at left guard.
The Eagles lost two of their starting offensive linemen this offseason, but the unit is still solid. Jason Peters is one of the best left tackles in the league and Lane Johnson is a quality right tackle. In addition, center Jason Kelce is a Pro Bowler and he will continue to play at a high level. Allen Barbre will replace Evan Mathis at left guard while Matt Tobin and Andrew Gardner will battle for the right guard position.
The Redskins offensive line was horrendous last season, but the addition of Brandon Scherff at right guard should help. Trent Williams is one of the best left tackles in the league and Morgan Moses looks like he is ready to become the starting right tackle. Shawn Lauvao and Kory Lichtensteiger will return as starters because Washington could not find upgrades during the offseason.
When the Will Beatty injury was announced, the Giants offensive line became even less impressive. While pass blocking isn’t a problem with the Giants west coast offense, run blocking is a huge problem. Rookie Ereck Flowers will be forced to play left tackle until Beatty returns, although his technique still needs to be refined. Justin Pugh is probably the best offensive lineman on the team right now, and he moved from right tackle to left guard during the offseason. Weston Richburg moved from guard to his natural center position plus Geoff Schwartz will play right guard after missing most of last season due to injury. Marshall Newhouse is penciled in as the right tackle, which could be a big problem. With so many moving parts, it will be interesting to see if the Giants can pull this unit together before the season starts.
