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Jon Machota, Zach Berman, Dan Duggan, and Rhiannon Walker 1h ago
With training camp upon us, it’s time to look back on the NFL offseason and ahead to the 2019 campaign. To get you up to speed on the entire league, we’re pooling the talents of our NFL beat writers to give you an in-depth look at each division. Jon Machota (Cowboys), Zach Berman (Eagles), Dan Duggan (Giants) and Rhiannon Walker (Washington) preview the NFC East.
Offseason in a word
Cowboys: Refine. The foundation has been set. There aren’t many glaring weaknesses. The Cowboys are ready to win now. Although they proved not quite ready for a Super Bowl run last season, they aren’t far away. As executive vice president Stephen Jones has said multiple times this offseason, the 2019 goal is to “take the next step.” That means going beyond the divisional round of the playoffs for the first time since the 1995 season. The biggest offseason change was that Scott Linehan was replaced by Kellen Moore as offensive coordinator. While there will be offensive adjustments with a new play-caller, significant changes shouldn’t be expected. Dallas isn’t simply handing the car keys to Moore. Jason Garrett has said that the offensive gameplan will be a “collaborative process.”
Eagles: Carson. This offseason was about quarterback Carson Wentz, who ended the past two seasons with injuries. The Eagles still rewarded Wentz with a four-year, $128-million contract extension. They allowed Nick Foles, Wentz’s former backup and the Super Bowl LII MVP, to leave in free agency. They devoted the spring to fortifying the offense around Wentz, adding wide receivers DeSean Jackson and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside and running backs Jordan Howard and Miles Sanders. They also ensured Jason Peters and Jason Kelce returned on the offensive line before drafting left tackle Andre Dillard in the first round to protect Wentz’s blindside in future seasons. The pressure is on Wentz to return to MVP form, and the Eagles have ensured there are no questions around him.
Giants: Transition. General manager Dave Gettleman broke ground on the rebuilding process last offseason. This year, he took a wrecking ball to the remnants of the Jerry Reese era. Gettleman traded Odell Beckham Jr. (seven months after signing the receiver to a $90 million extension) and linebacker Olivier Vernon to the Browns, and allowed three-time Pro Bowl safety Landon Collins to walk to the Redskins in free agency. While the Beckham trade is Gettleman’s most controversial move, his selection of Duke quarterback Daniel Jones with the sixth pick in the draft will define his legacy. With Jones in the fold, the Giants finally have a succession plan in place for 38-year-old quarterback Eli Manning.
Washington: Hope. By the time Washington got to the last day of the 2018 season, it was dragging what little remained of a roster riddled with a league-leading number of players on injured reserve, and the #FireBruceAllen hashtag was going ridiculously strong. The offseason was a welcome relief that allowed fans to start daydreaming about the future: Washington brought in Landon Collins, a well-known Sean Taylor fan, to immediately improve the safety position. Then the burgundy and gold drafted hometown quarterback Dwayne Haskins and dipped back into the first round to pick up Montez Sweat, who should help make up for the loss of Preston Smith during free agency. Running back Derrius Guice generated hype with videos and diaries about his recovery from a torn ACL, and when Washington re-signed Adrian Peterson, the fanbase was even more energized thinking about what the future holds for that duo.
Unfinished business
Cowboys: Jason Garrett enters the season in the final year of his contract, and there’s no guarantee he will get another one from Jerry Jones. The Cowboys have to play well in order for Garrett to coach beyond his ninth full season with the club. At the very least, Dallas needs to make the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2007. After that, Garrett has to prove to Jones that he can get the team owner another Lombardi Trophy. But recent history isn’t on Garrett’s side. Since 1980, every head coach to win a Super Bowl — except Bill Cowher — has won it all within the first five years they were with that team. Cowher went to a Super Bowl in Year 4 but didn’t win one until Year 14.
Eagles: The Eagles enter training camp with notable injuries lingering from 2018. Guard Brandon Brooks, defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, defensive end Derek Barnett, linebacker Nigel Bradham, cornerbacks Ronald Darby and Jalen Mills and safety Rodney McLeod were all returning starters sidelined during the spring. Most should be back this summer. The Eagles’ lackluster start to last season was rationalized, in part, because of injuries and an incomplete depth chart during training camp. They must keep that from happening again.
Giants: All signs point to this season serving as Manning’s last hurrah. The two-time Super Bowl MVP is in the final season of his contract and Jones is waiting in the wings. The Giants are 47-65 with no playoff wins in the seven seasons since winning Super Bowl XLVI. Manning and the organization would love to put together a magical run in his 16th season, but recent history suggests an ugly ending to his tenure is more likely. The biggest question entering the season is how long the Giants will wait to give Jones a shot.
Washington: There are a lot of question marks on offense, the most important being determining who will line up at quarterback. Washington also needs to figure out who the starting left guard will be (Ereck Flowers or one of two rookies, Wes Martin and Ross Pierschbacher). Trent Williams and the team have to come to some kind of resolution that either keeps him on the team or ships him to another franchise. Washington still hasn’t completed its extension with right guard and two-time Pro Bowler Brandon Scherff, and how he’ll look coming off his season-ending torn pectoral injuring remains to be seen. The production of recently departed Jamison Crowder in the slot needs to be replaced by Trey Quinn or rookie Terry McLaurin. Tight end Jordan Reed didn’t participate in any of the spring practices with an injury, and the team needs him to be completely healthy and return to his 2016 Pro Bowl season level of production. Other than that, things are set.
Impact rookie
Cowboys: Defensive tackle Trysten Hill was the Cowboys’ first pick in this year’s draft, but I think running back Tony Pollard will make a bigger immediate impact. Having a do-everything superstar back like Ezekiel Elliott makes it difficult to get other backs touches, but Dallas wouldn’t have used a fourth-round pick on Pollard if it didn’t expect to get him involved right away. He won’t take carries away from Elliott, but look for Pollard to be used in a variety of ways as both a runner and a receiver. The Cowboys haven’t had that type of back since Lance Dunbar in 2016. Teams know relatively what to expect from Elliott, Jason Witten, Amari Cooper, Randall Cobb and Michael Gallup. Pollard could end up being a valuable chess piece for Moore that keeps defenses guessing.
Eagles: By picking Miles Sanders in the second round, the Eagles made their biggest draft investment in a running back since LeSean McCoy in 2009. The McCoy comparisons won’t slow down for Sanders, who will have a chance to contribute from Day 1 despite missing the spring because of a hamstring injury. Although the Eagles added Jordan Howard, they like to split playing time in the backfield. Sanders is the more dynamic of the two running backs. With Howard entering a contract year, Sanders could soon be the top runner.
Giants: The Giants’ third first-round pick is positioned to make the biggest immediate impact. Jones will draw the majority of headlines, but he’ll start the season the bench. Much will be expected from No. 17 pick Dexter Lawrence, but he’ll be part of a rotation and the impact of an interior defensive lineman typically doesn’t jump out. But cornerback DeAndre Baker figures to be in the spotlight from Day 1. The Giants traded up to take Baker with the 30th pick and he quickly claimed the starting cornerback job opposite Janoris Jenkins this spring. Baker undoubtedly will experience some rookie growing pains, but he has the tools to develop into a quality corner. He’ll be thrown right into the fire as a rookie.
Washington: It’s Haskins’ world and we’re just living in it. Only Robert Griffin III has been welcomed by fans and the Washington media with this much hype. Now the former Heisman candidate has to go out and beat Case Keenum for the starting job — and, should he win, try to help the team win enough games to keep coach Jay Gruden from losing his job this season. So nothing too crazy for the rookie, who started for only one season at Ohio State and managed to blow school and conference records out the water.
Position battle to watch
Cowboys: Most of the starting spots will be the same as last year, so the most interesting position battle entering camp is about the depth at a particular position, and that’s wide receiver. Amari Cooper, Randall Cobb and Michael Gallup are the top three and nothing is changing there. But how many receivers will the Cowboys keep? What kind of receivers will fill out the rest of the 53-man roster? There’s certainly a variety. Allen Hurns and Tavon Austin have the most game experience of the other nine receivers on the roster. Rookie Jon’Vea Johnson and second-year receiver Reggie Davis have the most speed. Then there are players like Noah Brown and Lance Lenoir, who have been on the roster in the past, and Cedrick Wilson, a sixth-round pick in 2018 who missed all of last season with a shoulder injury.
Eagles: The Eagles have six cornerbacks who could all make reasonable arguments to start. Training camp and the preseason will determine the top three for Week 1 against Washington. Ronald Darby and Jalen Mills were the starters the past two years, although both are coming off season-ending injuries. Sidney Jones’ first two seasons have been plagued by injuries, but the Eagles are hoping a healthy offseason is a sign that Jones fulfills the potential the Eagles expected when they selected him in the second round of the 2017 draft. Rasul Douglas has 12 starts the past two years and continues to progress. Avonte Maddox emerged as a reliable defensive back as a rookie last season, and he didn’t slow down this spring. Then there’s Cre’Von LeBlanc, who helped stabilize the Eagles defense after joining as the slot cornerback in November. There are no shortage of options, but there’s not yet a definitive answer.
Giants: The Giants don’t have many starting jobs up for grabs. There will be camp battles for some fringe starting positions — third wide receiver, slot cornerback — but the competition for the starting center job is the most important. Journeyman Jon Halapio won the starting job last year before suffering a season-ending leg injury in Week 2. Spencer Pulley, who was claimed after cut-down day, started nine games at center after Halapio’s injury. Both players were re-signed in the offseason and split first-team reps in the spring. Halapio enters camp with a slight edge in the competition, but this is one spot that may not be decided for a few weeks.
Washington: All eyes are going to be on Washington’s quarterback battle between Keenum, Haskins and Colt McCoy, if he’s fully healthy for camp. On the final day of open OTAs, Gruden wouldn’t give any indication who was leading the competition, but in the next month and half, we’re going to find out whether Keenum finds a way to tap into his Minnesota magic, Haskins delivers on what folks saw at Ohio State or McCoy pulls an upset. It almost goes without saying, but so much of Washington’s success this year is contingent on who wins this battle. Also keep an eye on the left guard battle between Flowers and Martin and the nickel corner competition between rookie Jimmy Moreland, Greg Stroman and Fabian Moreau.
Strongest unit
Cowboys: It comes down to the offensive line and linebacker. While the O-line is loaded with perennial Pro Bowlers like Zack Martin, Tyron Smith and Travis Frederick, I’m going to give the edge to the linebackers. Leighton Vander Esch, Jaylon Smith and Sean Lee are all Pro Bowl-caliber. There’s also solid depth behind them in Joe Thomas, Justin March-Lillard, Chris Covington and Kyle Queiro, all of whom can all help on special teams. There are a few more question marks on the offensive line with Frederick coming back after missing all of last season and Connor Williams looking to be a full-time starter at left guard in his second year. But the O-line also has quality depth with Cameron Fleming, Joe Looney and Connor McGovern.
Eagles: There might be questions about age and injuries on the offensive line, but there are no questions about talent. Left tackle Jason Peters is a future Hall of Famer, Lane Johnson has become one of the NFL’s elite right tackles, Jason Kelce has been named first-team All-Pro the past two seasons and right guard Brandon Brooks made the Pro Bowl both years, too. The other starter is Isaac Seumalo, who signed a three-year contract extension this offseason. The unit is so strong that Halapoulivaati Vaitai and Stefen Wisniewski, both starters in Super Bowl LII, are now reserves. And the Eagles used their first-round pick on left tackle Andre Dillard, who will develop this season behind Peters. If Brooks recovers from a torn Achilles tendon and Peters’ performance does not significantly drop at age 37, this will be considered a frontrunner for the best offensive line in the NFL.
Giants: Giants fans would love to claim the offensive line as the strongest unit, but let’s take a wait-and-see approach. It was proclaimed a year ago that the line was fixed, and by Week 7 both starters on the right side had been benched and Halapio was lost for the season. Instead, the obvious answer is running back. Saquon Barkley is already in the conversation for best running back in the league and he’ll play north of 80 percent of the offensive snaps, so his presence alone makes this a formidable position group. The Giants have some decent young backups as well, but the strength of this group would plummet without Barkley.
Washington: Without question it’s the defensive line, and the team just made it better with the addition of rookies Sweat and Jordan Brailford. You combine those two with Jonathan Allen and Da’Ron Payne, who both look like they’re on the verge of Pro Bowl seasons, Matt Ioannidis, who’s coming of a 7.5-sack season and big contract extension, and Ryan Kerrigan, who led the team with 13 sacks, and that group is going to be a problem for opposing offensive lines and quarterbacks.
Weakest unit
Cowboys: Safety is the Cowboys’ biggest weakness. Most thought Dallas would sign a player like Earl Thomas in free agency or address the position with its second-round pick when top safety prospects like Nasir Adderley, Taylor Rapp and Juan Thornhill were still on the board. But the Cowboys weren’t interested in Thomas’ price tag and they didn’t draft a safety until the second-to-last pick in the sixth round, adding Texas A&M’s Donovan Wilson. In free agency, they signed George Iloka. The starters should be the same as last year with Jeff Heath at strong and Xavier Woods at free. The biggest problem is that they haven’t been able to consistently cause turnovers on the back end. Their best hope is that Heath and Woods stay healthy all year. If either suffers a significant injury, Dallas is likely in trouble.
Eagles: On a deep Eagles roster, uncertainty remains at linebacker. Nigel Bradham and Kamu Grugier-Hill return as starters. Jordan Hicks left in free agency. The Eagles added veterans Zach Brown and L.J. Fort, with Brown the top candidate to replace Hicks. Nate Gerry is entering his third season with the team and Paul Worrilow will try to make the roster after missing last year because of a torn ACL. So there are options, but it’s not a position of strength entering training camp. However, it should be noted that the Eagles play in nickel and dime formations so often that they seldom have three linebackers on the field and increasingly play with only one linebacker.
Giants: It’s baffling that the organization that featured the “Big Blue Wrecking Crew” has gotten so far from its roots. The neglect of the linebacker position continued this offseason, when Gettleman passed on Kentucky edge rusher Josh Allen with the sixth pick to take Jones. The Giants haven’t drafted a linebacker in the first round since Carl Banks in 1984 (three years after taking Lawrence Taylor). Without a top-line star, the Giants are left with a hodgepodge at the second level of their defense. There’s inside linebacker Alec Ogletree, a solid veteran but vastly overpaid; Lorenzo Carter, a 2018 third-round pick with huge expectations after having a minor role as a rookie; and Markus Golden, whose career was derailed by a torn ACL after a breakout 12.5-sack season in 2016. Linebacker is a unit that lacks top-end talent and depth. That’s a bad combination.
Washington: Wide receiver has one of the biggest question marks this season. Can Josh Doctson really take his game to the next level in the final year of his contract? The former first-round pick didn’t show enough for Washington to pick up his fifth-year option, and he’s said that he expects this to be his final year in DC, so what does 2019 hold in store for him? Quinn looked phenomenal in spring practice before suffering a hamstring injury. He’s the guy expected to step up and fill the void left by Crowder. Richardson is on a mission to prove he was worth the five-year, $40-million he signed with the team last offseason. He was limited in OTAs and minicamp with a litany of injuries. Brought in to stretch the field, can he do that for whoever wins the quarterback job? And how will McLaurin and fellow rookie Kelvin Harmon be able to help the offense?
Best-case scenario
Cowboys: Moore is a huge success in his first year as offensive coordinator, Dak Prescott has his best season and there aren’t too many significant injuries to key starters. If those three things happen, the Cowboys should find themselves in a similar situation as last year, playing for a chance to go to the NFC Championship game. Of course, the best-case scenario there is that they play so well during the regular season that they’ll win the division and host playoff games with a chance to not only reach the Super Bowl, but win the franchise’s sixth.
Eagles: It’s not hyperbole to say the team (and the fan base) has Super Bowl expectations. The best-case scenario is Wentz remains healthy and plays like he did in 2017, benefiting from the upgraded skill players to lead a high-powered offense deep into the postseason. The addition of Malik Jackson next to Fletcher Cox gives the Eagles a potent interior pass rush. Doug Pederson avenges last year’s two losses against Dallas to win the NFC East, and there’s a playoff game (or two) in Philadelphia in January before fans migrate to Miami for the first week of February in hopes of celebrating their second Lombardi Trophy in three years.
Giants: The Giants are drawing optimism from their 4-4 finish in the second half of last season and the fact that eight of their 11 losses came by a touchdown or less. Even with Beckham’s departure, the offense should be improved because of the upgraded line that is expected to make Barkley even more effective. There are a ton of unproven players in big roles on defense, but there’s potential on that side of the ball. If everything clicks on defense, a conservative offense and stronger leadership could squeak out wins in the close games they lost a year ago. A 10-6 record and a playoff berth would be a surprise, but it’s not inconceivable, especially with significant turnarounds so common in the NFL.
Washington: Without injuries hampering the team, Washington manages a brutal first five games and starts to click as the schedule softens up. The defense lives up to its potential on paper. Haskins pulls off a rookie year similar to Griffin III, utilizing his big arm and intelligence and the offense comes alive as he gets more comfortable. The running game also provides a lift, with Guice being infused into the attack after missing all of last season. Haskins not only leads the team to a Wild Card berth but helps the team win its first playoff game since 2005.
Worst-case scenario
Cowboys: Moore has some growing pains, the team is hit hard by injuries, Prescott has his worst season and the defense has problems taking the ball away. All of that would likely lead to a sub-.500 record and leave the Cowboys entering the offseason looking for a new head coach. While there are many Dallas fans who would prefer a coaching change, there’s no guarantee the next head coach will step in and immediately get the team over the hump. It could take a year or two for that coach to put together the right staff and make the needed adjustments.
Eagles: Wentz is injured for the third consecutive season, and the injury-prone label becomes unavoidable just as his contract swells. An aging offensive line finally regresses. Neither Derek Barnett nor Brandon Graham provides the edge-rushing help the Eagles need, and the cornerbacks don’t have the production to match their potential. Eagles fans start focusing on Ben Simmons’ jump shot by Christmas, but they can’t help but watch Foles leading the Jaguars to the playoffs.
Giants: The Giants have less talent on paper than last season’s 5-11 team. For all the emphasis on chemistry, talent wins in the NFL and the Giants lack star power. The offensive line looks better, but right tackle remains a question mark with veteran Mike Remmers coming off back surgery, while an injury elsewhere could be catastrophic due to the lack of depth. If the defensive gambles don’t pan out — Carter becoming an every-down force, Golden returning to form, Jabrill Peppers living up to his pre-draft hype, rookies contributing immediately — the Giants could get shredded. Add a quarterback controversy if the team gets off to a slow start, and this season has the potential to go completely off the rails.
Washington: The injury bug takes no mercy on Washington. The team already lost potential starter Reuben Foster on the third play of spring workouts. In this scenario, it was foreshadowing for injuries to come. That five-game gauntlet to start the season breaks the team’s spirit early, and it’s unable to recover, which is exceptionally bad when you keep in mind three of those five are division games. Neither Keenum nor Haskins comes in and is able to truly command the offense and move the ball up and down the field. The defense is once again called on to bear the load. Gruden is either fired in season or after Dec. 29 because of how poorly the team performed. Now the team has to find a new tutor for Haskins in his second year in the league.
With training camp upon us, it’s time to look back on the NFL offseason and ahead to the 2019 campaign. To get you up to speed on the entire league, we’re pooling the talents of our NFL beat writers to give you an in-depth look at each division. Jon Machota (Cowboys), Zach Berman (Eagles), Dan Duggan (Giants) and Rhiannon Walker (Washington) preview the NFC East.
Offseason in a word
Cowboys: Refine. The foundation has been set. There aren’t many glaring weaknesses. The Cowboys are ready to win now. Although they proved not quite ready for a Super Bowl run last season, they aren’t far away. As executive vice president Stephen Jones has said multiple times this offseason, the 2019 goal is to “take the next step.” That means going beyond the divisional round of the playoffs for the first time since the 1995 season. The biggest offseason change was that Scott Linehan was replaced by Kellen Moore as offensive coordinator. While there will be offensive adjustments with a new play-caller, significant changes shouldn’t be expected. Dallas isn’t simply handing the car keys to Moore. Jason Garrett has said that the offensive gameplan will be a “collaborative process.”
Eagles: Carson. This offseason was about quarterback Carson Wentz, who ended the past two seasons with injuries. The Eagles still rewarded Wentz with a four-year, $128-million contract extension. They allowed Nick Foles, Wentz’s former backup and the Super Bowl LII MVP, to leave in free agency. They devoted the spring to fortifying the offense around Wentz, adding wide receivers DeSean Jackson and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside and running backs Jordan Howard and Miles Sanders. They also ensured Jason Peters and Jason Kelce returned on the offensive line before drafting left tackle Andre Dillard in the first round to protect Wentz’s blindside in future seasons. The pressure is on Wentz to return to MVP form, and the Eagles have ensured there are no questions around him.
Giants: Transition. General manager Dave Gettleman broke ground on the rebuilding process last offseason. This year, he took a wrecking ball to the remnants of the Jerry Reese era. Gettleman traded Odell Beckham Jr. (seven months after signing the receiver to a $90 million extension) and linebacker Olivier Vernon to the Browns, and allowed three-time Pro Bowl safety Landon Collins to walk to the Redskins in free agency. While the Beckham trade is Gettleman’s most controversial move, his selection of Duke quarterback Daniel Jones with the sixth pick in the draft will define his legacy. With Jones in the fold, the Giants finally have a succession plan in place for 38-year-old quarterback Eli Manning.
Washington: Hope. By the time Washington got to the last day of the 2018 season, it was dragging what little remained of a roster riddled with a league-leading number of players on injured reserve, and the #FireBruceAllen hashtag was going ridiculously strong. The offseason was a welcome relief that allowed fans to start daydreaming about the future: Washington brought in Landon Collins, a well-known Sean Taylor fan, to immediately improve the safety position. Then the burgundy and gold drafted hometown quarterback Dwayne Haskins and dipped back into the first round to pick up Montez Sweat, who should help make up for the loss of Preston Smith during free agency. Running back Derrius Guice generated hype with videos and diaries about his recovery from a torn ACL, and when Washington re-signed Adrian Peterson, the fanbase was even more energized thinking about what the future holds for that duo.
Unfinished business
Cowboys: Jason Garrett enters the season in the final year of his contract, and there’s no guarantee he will get another one from Jerry Jones. The Cowboys have to play well in order for Garrett to coach beyond his ninth full season with the club. At the very least, Dallas needs to make the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2007. After that, Garrett has to prove to Jones that he can get the team owner another Lombardi Trophy. But recent history isn’t on Garrett’s side. Since 1980, every head coach to win a Super Bowl — except Bill Cowher — has won it all within the first five years they were with that team. Cowher went to a Super Bowl in Year 4 but didn’t win one until Year 14.
Eagles: The Eagles enter training camp with notable injuries lingering from 2018. Guard Brandon Brooks, defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, defensive end Derek Barnett, linebacker Nigel Bradham, cornerbacks Ronald Darby and Jalen Mills and safety Rodney McLeod were all returning starters sidelined during the spring. Most should be back this summer. The Eagles’ lackluster start to last season was rationalized, in part, because of injuries and an incomplete depth chart during training camp. They must keep that from happening again.
Giants: All signs point to this season serving as Manning’s last hurrah. The two-time Super Bowl MVP is in the final season of his contract and Jones is waiting in the wings. The Giants are 47-65 with no playoff wins in the seven seasons since winning Super Bowl XLVI. Manning and the organization would love to put together a magical run in his 16th season, but recent history suggests an ugly ending to his tenure is more likely. The biggest question entering the season is how long the Giants will wait to give Jones a shot.
Washington: There are a lot of question marks on offense, the most important being determining who will line up at quarterback. Washington also needs to figure out who the starting left guard will be (Ereck Flowers or one of two rookies, Wes Martin and Ross Pierschbacher). Trent Williams and the team have to come to some kind of resolution that either keeps him on the team or ships him to another franchise. Washington still hasn’t completed its extension with right guard and two-time Pro Bowler Brandon Scherff, and how he’ll look coming off his season-ending torn pectoral injuring remains to be seen. The production of recently departed Jamison Crowder in the slot needs to be replaced by Trey Quinn or rookie Terry McLaurin. Tight end Jordan Reed didn’t participate in any of the spring practices with an injury, and the team needs him to be completely healthy and return to his 2016 Pro Bowl season level of production. Other than that, things are set.
Impact rookie
Cowboys: Defensive tackle Trysten Hill was the Cowboys’ first pick in this year’s draft, but I think running back Tony Pollard will make a bigger immediate impact. Having a do-everything superstar back like Ezekiel Elliott makes it difficult to get other backs touches, but Dallas wouldn’t have used a fourth-round pick on Pollard if it didn’t expect to get him involved right away. He won’t take carries away from Elliott, but look for Pollard to be used in a variety of ways as both a runner and a receiver. The Cowboys haven’t had that type of back since Lance Dunbar in 2016. Teams know relatively what to expect from Elliott, Jason Witten, Amari Cooper, Randall Cobb and Michael Gallup. Pollard could end up being a valuable chess piece for Moore that keeps defenses guessing.
Eagles: By picking Miles Sanders in the second round, the Eagles made their biggest draft investment in a running back since LeSean McCoy in 2009. The McCoy comparisons won’t slow down for Sanders, who will have a chance to contribute from Day 1 despite missing the spring because of a hamstring injury. Although the Eagles added Jordan Howard, they like to split playing time in the backfield. Sanders is the more dynamic of the two running backs. With Howard entering a contract year, Sanders could soon be the top runner.
Giants: The Giants’ third first-round pick is positioned to make the biggest immediate impact. Jones will draw the majority of headlines, but he’ll start the season the bench. Much will be expected from No. 17 pick Dexter Lawrence, but he’ll be part of a rotation and the impact of an interior defensive lineman typically doesn’t jump out. But cornerback DeAndre Baker figures to be in the spotlight from Day 1. The Giants traded up to take Baker with the 30th pick and he quickly claimed the starting cornerback job opposite Janoris Jenkins this spring. Baker undoubtedly will experience some rookie growing pains, but he has the tools to develop into a quality corner. He’ll be thrown right into the fire as a rookie.
Washington: It’s Haskins’ world and we’re just living in it. Only Robert Griffin III has been welcomed by fans and the Washington media with this much hype. Now the former Heisman candidate has to go out and beat Case Keenum for the starting job — and, should he win, try to help the team win enough games to keep coach Jay Gruden from losing his job this season. So nothing too crazy for the rookie, who started for only one season at Ohio State and managed to blow school and conference records out the water.
Position battle to watch
Cowboys: Most of the starting spots will be the same as last year, so the most interesting position battle entering camp is about the depth at a particular position, and that’s wide receiver. Amari Cooper, Randall Cobb and Michael Gallup are the top three and nothing is changing there. But how many receivers will the Cowboys keep? What kind of receivers will fill out the rest of the 53-man roster? There’s certainly a variety. Allen Hurns and Tavon Austin have the most game experience of the other nine receivers on the roster. Rookie Jon’Vea Johnson and second-year receiver Reggie Davis have the most speed. Then there are players like Noah Brown and Lance Lenoir, who have been on the roster in the past, and Cedrick Wilson, a sixth-round pick in 2018 who missed all of last season with a shoulder injury.
Eagles: The Eagles have six cornerbacks who could all make reasonable arguments to start. Training camp and the preseason will determine the top three for Week 1 against Washington. Ronald Darby and Jalen Mills were the starters the past two years, although both are coming off season-ending injuries. Sidney Jones’ first two seasons have been plagued by injuries, but the Eagles are hoping a healthy offseason is a sign that Jones fulfills the potential the Eagles expected when they selected him in the second round of the 2017 draft. Rasul Douglas has 12 starts the past two years and continues to progress. Avonte Maddox emerged as a reliable defensive back as a rookie last season, and he didn’t slow down this spring. Then there’s Cre’Von LeBlanc, who helped stabilize the Eagles defense after joining as the slot cornerback in November. There are no shortage of options, but there’s not yet a definitive answer.
Giants: The Giants don’t have many starting jobs up for grabs. There will be camp battles for some fringe starting positions — third wide receiver, slot cornerback — but the competition for the starting center job is the most important. Journeyman Jon Halapio won the starting job last year before suffering a season-ending leg injury in Week 2. Spencer Pulley, who was claimed after cut-down day, started nine games at center after Halapio’s injury. Both players were re-signed in the offseason and split first-team reps in the spring. Halapio enters camp with a slight edge in the competition, but this is one spot that may not be decided for a few weeks.
Washington: All eyes are going to be on Washington’s quarterback battle between Keenum, Haskins and Colt McCoy, if he’s fully healthy for camp. On the final day of open OTAs, Gruden wouldn’t give any indication who was leading the competition, but in the next month and half, we’re going to find out whether Keenum finds a way to tap into his Minnesota magic, Haskins delivers on what folks saw at Ohio State or McCoy pulls an upset. It almost goes without saying, but so much of Washington’s success this year is contingent on who wins this battle. Also keep an eye on the left guard battle between Flowers and Martin and the nickel corner competition between rookie Jimmy Moreland, Greg Stroman and Fabian Moreau.
Strongest unit
Cowboys: It comes down to the offensive line and linebacker. While the O-line is loaded with perennial Pro Bowlers like Zack Martin, Tyron Smith and Travis Frederick, I’m going to give the edge to the linebackers. Leighton Vander Esch, Jaylon Smith and Sean Lee are all Pro Bowl-caliber. There’s also solid depth behind them in Joe Thomas, Justin March-Lillard, Chris Covington and Kyle Queiro, all of whom can all help on special teams. There are a few more question marks on the offensive line with Frederick coming back after missing all of last season and Connor Williams looking to be a full-time starter at left guard in his second year. But the O-line also has quality depth with Cameron Fleming, Joe Looney and Connor McGovern.
Eagles: There might be questions about age and injuries on the offensive line, but there are no questions about talent. Left tackle Jason Peters is a future Hall of Famer, Lane Johnson has become one of the NFL’s elite right tackles, Jason Kelce has been named first-team All-Pro the past two seasons and right guard Brandon Brooks made the Pro Bowl both years, too. The other starter is Isaac Seumalo, who signed a three-year contract extension this offseason. The unit is so strong that Halapoulivaati Vaitai and Stefen Wisniewski, both starters in Super Bowl LII, are now reserves. And the Eagles used their first-round pick on left tackle Andre Dillard, who will develop this season behind Peters. If Brooks recovers from a torn Achilles tendon and Peters’ performance does not significantly drop at age 37, this will be considered a frontrunner for the best offensive line in the NFL.
Giants: Giants fans would love to claim the offensive line as the strongest unit, but let’s take a wait-and-see approach. It was proclaimed a year ago that the line was fixed, and by Week 7 both starters on the right side had been benched and Halapio was lost for the season. Instead, the obvious answer is running back. Saquon Barkley is already in the conversation for best running back in the league and he’ll play north of 80 percent of the offensive snaps, so his presence alone makes this a formidable position group. The Giants have some decent young backups as well, but the strength of this group would plummet without Barkley.
Washington: Without question it’s the defensive line, and the team just made it better with the addition of rookies Sweat and Jordan Brailford. You combine those two with Jonathan Allen and Da’Ron Payne, who both look like they’re on the verge of Pro Bowl seasons, Matt Ioannidis, who’s coming of a 7.5-sack season and big contract extension, and Ryan Kerrigan, who led the team with 13 sacks, and that group is going to be a problem for opposing offensive lines and quarterbacks.
Weakest unit
Cowboys: Safety is the Cowboys’ biggest weakness. Most thought Dallas would sign a player like Earl Thomas in free agency or address the position with its second-round pick when top safety prospects like Nasir Adderley, Taylor Rapp and Juan Thornhill were still on the board. But the Cowboys weren’t interested in Thomas’ price tag and they didn’t draft a safety until the second-to-last pick in the sixth round, adding Texas A&M’s Donovan Wilson. In free agency, they signed George Iloka. The starters should be the same as last year with Jeff Heath at strong and Xavier Woods at free. The biggest problem is that they haven’t been able to consistently cause turnovers on the back end. Their best hope is that Heath and Woods stay healthy all year. If either suffers a significant injury, Dallas is likely in trouble.
Eagles: On a deep Eagles roster, uncertainty remains at linebacker. Nigel Bradham and Kamu Grugier-Hill return as starters. Jordan Hicks left in free agency. The Eagles added veterans Zach Brown and L.J. Fort, with Brown the top candidate to replace Hicks. Nate Gerry is entering his third season with the team and Paul Worrilow will try to make the roster after missing last year because of a torn ACL. So there are options, but it’s not a position of strength entering training camp. However, it should be noted that the Eagles play in nickel and dime formations so often that they seldom have three linebackers on the field and increasingly play with only one linebacker.
Giants: It’s baffling that the organization that featured the “Big Blue Wrecking Crew” has gotten so far from its roots. The neglect of the linebacker position continued this offseason, when Gettleman passed on Kentucky edge rusher Josh Allen with the sixth pick to take Jones. The Giants haven’t drafted a linebacker in the first round since Carl Banks in 1984 (three years after taking Lawrence Taylor). Without a top-line star, the Giants are left with a hodgepodge at the second level of their defense. There’s inside linebacker Alec Ogletree, a solid veteran but vastly overpaid; Lorenzo Carter, a 2018 third-round pick with huge expectations after having a minor role as a rookie; and Markus Golden, whose career was derailed by a torn ACL after a breakout 12.5-sack season in 2016. Linebacker is a unit that lacks top-end talent and depth. That’s a bad combination.
Washington: Wide receiver has one of the biggest question marks this season. Can Josh Doctson really take his game to the next level in the final year of his contract? The former first-round pick didn’t show enough for Washington to pick up his fifth-year option, and he’s said that he expects this to be his final year in DC, so what does 2019 hold in store for him? Quinn looked phenomenal in spring practice before suffering a hamstring injury. He’s the guy expected to step up and fill the void left by Crowder. Richardson is on a mission to prove he was worth the five-year, $40-million he signed with the team last offseason. He was limited in OTAs and minicamp with a litany of injuries. Brought in to stretch the field, can he do that for whoever wins the quarterback job? And how will McLaurin and fellow rookie Kelvin Harmon be able to help the offense?
Best-case scenario
Cowboys: Moore is a huge success in his first year as offensive coordinator, Dak Prescott has his best season and there aren’t too many significant injuries to key starters. If those three things happen, the Cowboys should find themselves in a similar situation as last year, playing for a chance to go to the NFC Championship game. Of course, the best-case scenario there is that they play so well during the regular season that they’ll win the division and host playoff games with a chance to not only reach the Super Bowl, but win the franchise’s sixth.
Eagles: It’s not hyperbole to say the team (and the fan base) has Super Bowl expectations. The best-case scenario is Wentz remains healthy and plays like he did in 2017, benefiting from the upgraded skill players to lead a high-powered offense deep into the postseason. The addition of Malik Jackson next to Fletcher Cox gives the Eagles a potent interior pass rush. Doug Pederson avenges last year’s two losses against Dallas to win the NFC East, and there’s a playoff game (or two) in Philadelphia in January before fans migrate to Miami for the first week of February in hopes of celebrating their second Lombardi Trophy in three years.
Giants: The Giants are drawing optimism from their 4-4 finish in the second half of last season and the fact that eight of their 11 losses came by a touchdown or less. Even with Beckham’s departure, the offense should be improved because of the upgraded line that is expected to make Barkley even more effective. There are a ton of unproven players in big roles on defense, but there’s potential on that side of the ball. If everything clicks on defense, a conservative offense and stronger leadership could squeak out wins in the close games they lost a year ago. A 10-6 record and a playoff berth would be a surprise, but it’s not inconceivable, especially with significant turnarounds so common in the NFL.
Washington: Without injuries hampering the team, Washington manages a brutal first five games and starts to click as the schedule softens up. The defense lives up to its potential on paper. Haskins pulls off a rookie year similar to Griffin III, utilizing his big arm and intelligence and the offense comes alive as he gets more comfortable. The running game also provides a lift, with Guice being infused into the attack after missing all of last season. Haskins not only leads the team to a Wild Card berth but helps the team win its first playoff game since 2005.
Worst-case scenario
Cowboys: Moore has some growing pains, the team is hit hard by injuries, Prescott has his worst season and the defense has problems taking the ball away. All of that would likely lead to a sub-.500 record and leave the Cowboys entering the offseason looking for a new head coach. While there are many Dallas fans who would prefer a coaching change, there’s no guarantee the next head coach will step in and immediately get the team over the hump. It could take a year or two for that coach to put together the right staff and make the needed adjustments.
Eagles: Wentz is injured for the third consecutive season, and the injury-prone label becomes unavoidable just as his contract swells. An aging offensive line finally regresses. Neither Derek Barnett nor Brandon Graham provides the edge-rushing help the Eagles need, and the cornerbacks don’t have the production to match their potential. Eagles fans start focusing on Ben Simmons’ jump shot by Christmas, but they can’t help but watch Foles leading the Jaguars to the playoffs.
Giants: The Giants have less talent on paper than last season’s 5-11 team. For all the emphasis on chemistry, talent wins in the NFL and the Giants lack star power. The offensive line looks better, but right tackle remains a question mark with veteran Mike Remmers coming off back surgery, while an injury elsewhere could be catastrophic due to the lack of depth. If the defensive gambles don’t pan out — Carter becoming an every-down force, Golden returning to form, Jabrill Peppers living up to his pre-draft hype, rookies contributing immediately — the Giants could get shredded. Add a quarterback controversy if the team gets off to a slow start, and this season has the potential to go completely off the rails.
Washington: The injury bug takes no mercy on Washington. The team already lost potential starter Reuben Foster on the third play of spring workouts. In this scenario, it was foreshadowing for injuries to come. That five-game gauntlet to start the season breaks the team’s spirit early, and it’s unable to recover, which is exceptionally bad when you keep in mind three of those five are division games. Neither Keenum nor Haskins comes in and is able to truly command the offense and move the ball up and down the field. The defense is once again called on to bear the load. Gruden is either fired in season or after Dec. 29 because of how poorly the team performed. Now the team has to find a new tutor for Haskins in his second year in the league.