During the month of August, the Last Word On Sports NFL department will be breaking down every division in the league by position. This article contains a position-by-position breakdown of the NFC East defenses. The breakdown will contain “the best” at each unit followed by “the rest” in descending order.
2016 NFC East Breakdown by Position: The Defense and Special Teams
Defensive Line
The Best: Philadelphia Eagles
The Rest: New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Dallas Cowboys
The Philadelphia Eagles transition to a 4-3 defensive scheme should make the defensive line even more effective because the unit is the strength of the team. Fletcher Cox is one of the best interior defenders in the league and he should continue to wreak havoc from his new defensive tackle position. Vinny Curry should benefit the most from the transition, as the pass rusher wasn’t being utilized to the best of his abilities in the 3-4 scheme. Connor Barwin is listed as the starter opposite Curry, but expect Brandon Graham to see his fair share of snaps. Graham is the better overall player and he will probably benefit more from the scheme change than Barwin. Lining up next to Cox, Bennie Logan is a solid run stuffer who does his job effectively. With solid depth across the defensive line, this is the strongest unit on the team.
The New York Giants revamped their defensive line this off-season, and they desperately needed the talent injection. Olivier Vernon received a huge contract and the Giants expect him to record double-digit sacks annually. He has looked very impressive during limited preseason action. On the other end, Jason Pierre-Paul is a year removed from the fireworks incident, so it will be interesting to see if he can become an above average pass rusher again. Pierre-Paul is the key to this unit, and if he can become a dominant player again, the Giants defensive line will be scary. On the inside, Johnathan Hankins returns from his pectoral injury. Hankins is a talented run stuffer who showed pass rushing potential in 2014 (seven sacks). With the talent around him, expect Hankins to record a few sacks and continue to be one of the most underrated defensive tackles in the game. Damon Harrison was the other key acquisition at this unit, and he is one of the best run stuffers in the league. With Hankins and Harrison clogging up the middle, expect the Giants run defense to improve significantly.
The Washington Redskins have a disadvantage in this category because they run a 3-4 scheme, but they also lost Jason Hatcher and Terrance Knighton this off-season. The unit struggled last year, so perhaps those losses aren’t as bad as they seem. Chris Baker is the best defensive lineman on the team and he recorded a career-high six sacks last season. He should continue to be a solid defender both against the run and rushing the passer. At nose tackle, veteran Kedric Golston is expected to stuff the run and occupy space, but rookie Matt Ioannidis is a promising player who could see time in the future. At the other defensive end position, the Redskins have a few veterans who will battle for playing time. Free agent acquisition Kendall Reyes will compete with Ricky Jean-Francois for the starting position while Stephen Paea should give the unit depth. Overall, the defensive line is certainly a question mark for the Redskins, but the rest of the defense should be able to make up for this potential weakness.
The Dallas Cowboys have one of the worst defensive lines in the league. The suspensions of Demarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory do not help. The line lacks an impact player and the team is mostly banking on young, unproven players to step up. Tyrone Crawford, Terrell McClain, Jack Crawford, and free agent acquisition Cedric Thornton are decent options at defensive tackle, but they are certainly worse than the other interior linemen in the division. Youngsters Ryan Russell, David Irving, Benson Mayowa, and Charles Tapper will be depended upon to generate a pass rush, but don’t expect them to become impact players overnight.
Linebacker
The Best: Washington Redskins
The Rest: Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants
The Redskins have an advantage in this category because of their scheme and the fact that they don’t have a weak linebacker. The loss of Junior Galette hurts, but the Redskins still have Ryan Kerrigan and Preston Smith wreaking havoc off the edge. Kerrigan has averaged nearly 10 sacks per season during his five years in the league, so expect another impactful season in 2016. Smith is one of the most underrated pass rushers in the league, as he quietly racked up eight sacks as a rookie and became a force as the season developed. Look for him to pick up where he left off in 2016. Trent Murphy gives the Redskins some depth at outside linebacker as well, as he was initially slated to move to defensive end but switched back to outside linebacker after Galette went down. He is a dependable rotational player and he will see the field regardless of where he plays. On the inside, Will Compton is a hard-working leader who gets the best out of his teammates. He is locked in as a starter after having a solid 2015 campaign. Next to him, Mason Foster and Perry Riley will compete for the starting job. Foster is expected to retain the job after finishing the 2015 season strong and Riley could be cut because of his high salary and health concerns. Talented rookie Su’a Cravens will also see playing time as a linebacker-safety hybrid.
The Eagles have a solid group of linebackers as well, highlighted by impact player Jordan Hicks. Hicks has a tremendous ceiling and if he can stay healthy, his potential is limitless. The Eagles acquired Nigel Bradham this off-season and he should have a good season now that he is reunited with Jim Schwartz as a strong-side linebacker. Mychal Kendricks struggled a bit last season, and if his struggles continue, he could be replaced as a starter. If that happens, recent acquisition Stephen Tulloch would move to middle linebacker and Hicks would slide to the weak side. The Redskins have more impact players at linebacker, but the Eagles definitely have a solid group as well.
The Cowboys have a decent group of linebackers led by Sean Lee, who should continue to thrive in his weak side role if he can stay healthy. After Lee, the picture is not as pretty. The Rolando McClain suspension hurts this group, and it will be interesting to see if the Cowboys even want him on the team after missing 10 games. Anthony Hitchens will replace McClain, and he struggled against the run in 2015 after being a solid contributor in 2014. On the strong side, Kyle Wilber is currently listed as the starter, and he is solid in run support but a liability in coverage. The Cowboys could definitely use an upgrade. It will be interesting to see how veteran Justin Durant factors into the mix, as he returned to Dallas this off-season after struggling in Atlanta.
Linebacker is definitely the worst defensive unit for the Giants, as the team does not have a single impact player at this position. The middle linebacker position is wide open, with Jasper Brinkley, Keenan Robinson, and Kelvin Sheppard competing for the starting position. Expect Brinkley to be the starter and expect Robinson to come in on passing downs. Devon Kennard has the strong-side linebacker position locked down, and he has the best chance to become an impact player if he can stay healthy. Expect Steve Spagnuolo to blitz Kennard frequently. On the weak side, Jonathan Casillas and J.T. Thomas are competing for the starting position, but Casillas will probably get the nod. Thomas started last year but suffered another injury this summer, allowing Casillas to prove that he deserves the job.
Cornerback
The Best: Washington Redskins
The Rest: New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys
The top spot is very close between the Redskins and the Giants, but Josh Norman gives the Redskins a slight edge because of the terrific season he had last year. Many fans question whether he can remain one of the best cornerbacks in the league with a new team, but his transition isn’t as tough as many people think. Norman will certainly have less talent around him, but the Redskins run a similar zone-heavy scheme. On the other side, Bashaud Breeland is one of the most underrated cornerbacks in the game. Breeland has had great success against top receivers like Dez Bryant and Pro Football Focus rewarded him for his underrated season with a respectable overall grade of 81.3. Talented rookie Kendall Fuller will likely hold the nickel corner role, and if he can make a full recovery from microfracture surgery, he could be the steal of the draft.
The Giants have three proven cornerbacks and a first-round selection at the position, so they have a legitimate claim for the top spot as well. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie had a Pro Bowl season in 2015, and he will continue to use his speed to track down some of the fastest receivers in the league. The Giants handed Janoris Jenkins a big contract in the off-season to start on the other side. Jenkins is a very aggressive corner who makes and sometimes gives up big plays. He is definitely an upgrade over Prince Amukamara. Recently-signed veteran Leon Hall should continue to be a solid slot corner, and he will certainly be an upgrade over Trevin Wade. Rookie Eli Apple should see limited action as the fourth cornerback and look for him to replace Rodgers-Cromartie in a year or two.
The Eagles and Cowboys are definitely similar in terms of cornerback play (and a step back from the Redskins and Giants), but the Eagles have an edge because they have much more depth. Leodis McKelvin is probably locked into the top spot while Nolan Carroll is a good bet to start opposite him. McKelvin is familiar with Schwartz’ scheme, so that should help, but he is just an average cornerback. Carroll is probably more talented but he is coming off an injury and only recently passed Ron Brooks on the depth chart. Rookie Jalen Mills is the exciting addition to the group, and he could see action at nickel corner immediately. Eric Rowe seems to be lost in the mix at the moment, but the 2015 second-round pick should not be forgotten.
Orlando Scandrick was very good in 2014, but he is coming off a major knee injury and he turns 30 in February. He will likely be the top cornerback anyway. Morris Claiborne and Brandon Carr have simply not lived up to expectations. Claiborne has one more chance with the Cowboys, as the team gave him a one-year, “prove-it” deal. Don’t expect much from this unit in 2016.
Safety
The Best: Philadelphia Eagles
The Rest: Washington Redskins, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants
The Eagles have one of the best safety duos in the league. Malcolm Jenkins is coming off a Pro Bowl season and the hard-hitting Rodney McLeod was added in the off-season. Philadelphia clearly stands above the rest of the division with two above average safeties.
Deangelo Hall has revived his career at safety and had a respectable season in his first year at free safety. At strong safety, the Redskins have a couple solid options. Veterans David Bruton and Duke Ihenacho will battle for the starting position while talented rookie Su’a Cravens will see some time as well. The Redskins don’t have a great safety group like the Eagles, but they have a respectable one.
Byron Jones is a talented free safety and if the Cowboys had a competent strong safety, they would probably surpass the Redskins. Barry Church is a below average strong safety and J.J. Wilcox is even worse. The Cowboys are hoping that rookie Kavon Frazier can steal the starting position sometime in the future.
The Giants safety situation isn’t nearly as horrible as it was last season. Landon Collins was exposed at free safety because of his poor coverage skills, but expect him to be much better at strong safety, where he can stop the run and display his hard-hitting ability. Rookie Darian Thompson was an interception machine in college, so the Giants are excited about his potential. He recently suffered a shoulder injury, but he should be ready for Week 1.
Special Teams
The Best: Dallas Cowboys
The Rest: New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
The Cowboys have the best kicker and punter in the division, so they earned the top spot. Dan Bailey was tied for the best field goal percentage in the league and converted five field goals that were 50 yards or more. Chris Jones had the third-highest net punting average in the league and more than 39 percent of his punts were placed inside the 20 yard line. Lucky Whitehead was a solid returner, but this ranking is more about Bailey and Jones.
The Giants are not far behind the Cowboys. Josh Brown was tied with Dan Bailey for the best field goal percentage in the league last season, but he only attempted (and converted) three field goals that were 50 yards or more. Brad Wing placed more than 43 percent of his punts inside the 20 yard line, which was the best in the division. Returner Dwayne Harris was one of the best in the league, taking two returns for touchdowns (tied for the most in the league). He also averaged 28.7 yards per kick return (third-best in the league) and 10.0 yards per punt return (sixth-best in the league).
The Eagles special teams unit lags behind the top two because of kicker Caleb Sturgis. He only converted 18 of 22 field goal attempts, which was the 25th-best percentage among qualified kickers. The unit was elevated by punter Donnie Jones, who had the sixth-highest net punting average and finished in the top 10 in terms of punts placed inside the 20 yard line. Punt returner Darren Sproles was also one of the best in the league, averaging 11.7 yards per punt return (second-best in the league) and returning two punts for touchdowns (best in the league). Josh Huff was not a good kick returner, averaging only 23.7 yards per kick return (second-worst in the league among qualified returners), but his roster spot is in jeopardy anyway.
Since none of their specialists were among the best in the league, the Redskins finished last in this ranking. Dustin Hopkins finished ninth in the league in terms of field goal percentage, but his 25 made field goals was only tied for 16th-best. Tress Way was only 18th in terms of net punting average and 27th in terms of punts inside the 20 yard line. Rashad Ross’ 24.4 yards per kick return average was the third-worst in the league (barely above Josh Huff). Jamison Crowder was last in the league among qualified returners with only 5.3 yards per punt return.
Coaching
The Best: Washington Redskins
The Rest: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants/Philadelphia Eagles (tied)
The NFC East coaching staffs are largely unproven. Jay Gruden was the most unproven coach in the division last year, but he has jumped to the top spot now after winning the division in his second season. That probably has more to do with two teams hiring new coaches and Jason Garrett being mediocre though.
After a poor four-win season, Garrett’s career win percentage dropped to .511. He only has one postseason win during his 5.5 seasons as a head coach. He needs a strong postseason showing sometime soon or he will forever be labeled a mediocre head coach.
Ben McAdoo and Doug Pederson are both new head coaches with no prior head coaching experience, so it would be unfair to rank them ahead of the other head coaches. They are both essentially unranked until they have a season under their belts to prove their worth.
Check out the NFC East offensive breakdown.
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