Today we find out who the best team in the NFC East is!
Well, at least on paper.
Nobody likes to celebrate paper champions before we've even flipped to July on the calendar, but it's cool to have slight bragging rights until the season starts.
If you follow #CowboysNation and specifically my very own articles, you know I just wrapped up an NFC East positional rankings series.
I broke down every position, and ranked each team from one through four.
Let's take those individual results, and score each team to see which reigns supreme.
Each team will receive points for every position based on their ranking, and those points totaled up will crown the paper kings of the NFC East.
Please remember that the rankings are based on the entire unit that each team could potentially field, and not just the starters. Depth matters!
Quarterbacks
Dak Prescott played better than expected considering the “weapons” he was provided with.
No, I'm not worried about the interceptions. Especially with Kellen “let's run four curl routes” Moore out of the picture.
Prescott's injury opened a five game window for backup Cooper Rush to show what he can do.
Rush showed a perfect mix of being a game manager, sprinkled with clutch plays when needed for a 4-1 record.
Philadelphia Eagles- 3
Jalen Hurts played MVP football to lead his team to a Super Bowl berth, but is still behind Prescott as a pure passer.
A shoulder injury kept him out for two games. The style of play should be a concern for Eagles fans.
Marcus Mariota joined the Eagles, and is a much better fit as backup than Gardner Minshew.
However, it's still Marcus Mariota, who has done less with more his entire career.
Daniel Jones showed marked improvement in his first year under Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka.
He needs to prove he can do it again before I rank him above Prescott and Hurts.
Tyrod Taylor is a solid addition to the room as a backup.
Sam Howell won his only start last season. Against Dallas, no less.
The addition of veteran Jacoby Brissett shows the Commanders aren't sold on Howell.
The uncertainty makes the Commanders QB room the lowest ranked in the division for 2023.
Running back
Dallas Cowboys- 4
This ranking was one of the most difficult rankings.
Tony Pollard was finally unleashed in 2022, and the Cowboys plan to make him the featured back in 2023.
He rushed for over 1,000 yards despite splitting carries with the departed Ezekiel Elliott.
The backups behind him will not steal significant carries from him, but may be just good enough to spell him.
New York Giants- 3
Saquon Barkley is the most physically gifted running back in the division, but his injury history keeps him from the number one spot.
He just can't stay healthy enough to be considered for the top spot, but his talent still ranks him over the Eagles and Commanders RB room.
Philadelphia Eagles- 2
The Eagles acquired D'Andre Swift and Rashaad Penny to replace Miles Sanders.
Like Barkley, Swift and Penny just cannot stay healthy, and have not lived up to their hype.
Plus, Hurts is probably going to be the team's leading rusher.
Washington Commanders- 1
Antonio Gibson hasn't reached the “next Christian McCaffrey” level that was bestowed on him by Ron Rivera.
Brian Robinson was solid in his return from a gunshot wound, but has a ways to go before he can be fully counted on.
Wide receivers
Dallas Cowboys- 4
This position was a two team race.
CeeDee Lamb is a lock after earning 2nd team All-Pro honors.
Dallas wins with the addition of Mr. 1k Brandin Cooks, and the return of a fully healthy Michael Gallup to 2021 form.
Philadelphia Eagles- 3
Eagles fans cooked me on social media for this ranking, but that's just because they can't handle the truth.
Yes, I would admit that the A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith tandem is better than the Cowboys CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks/Michael Gallup.
However, their third wide receiver being Quez Watkins is what knocks them down to the two spot.
Washington Commanders- 2
The Commanders have used high draft capital on wide receiver the past couple of seasons.
The young wide receivers need to develop, and Terry McLaurin needs to show up in games versus premier cornerbacks.
New York Giants- 1
The Giants are very young at the wide receiver position, and have yet to accomplish anything of note.
Tight ends
New York Giants- 4
Shiny new toy Darren Waller combined with the young Daniel Bellinger immediately vaults the Giants to the top of the list.
Philadelphia Eagles- 3
Dallas Goedert has been solid, and has been good enough for the Eagles to feel comfortable moving on from Zach Ertz.
Dallas Cowboys- 2
Dalton Schultz was never a barn burner, but still was the Cowboys' best tight end in the room.
They replaced him with a rookie. The jury is still out.
Washington Commanders- 1
The Commanders once again are putting all their eggs in the basket of oft-injured Logan Thomas.
Offensive line
Philadelphia Eagles- 4
The Eagles have done a great job developing late round talent at key positions on the offensive line.
Combined with stellar play from their early round picks, they have the best group in the division.
Dallas Cowboys- 3
The Cowboys have players who are very good at their job, but uncertainty at a couple of positions keeps them from the top spot.
New York Giants- 2
One thing the Giants have going for them is youth.
That youth needs to develop before they can be ranked higher than the Eagles and Cowboys.
Washington Commanders- 1
The Commanders once had good pieces all across the line, but have not done a good job of replacing free agent departures.
Interior defensive line
Washington Commanders- 4
DaRon Payne and Jonathan Allen are monsters in the interior.
That duo puts the Commanders at the top spot.
Philadelphia Eagles- 3
Philly has three 1st round picks at their disposal at defensive tackle.
We know what Fletcher Cox can do, but they can't assume the top ranking until we see more from Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter.
New York Giants- 2
The Giants have an All-Pro and a Pro Bowler at defensive tackle, but still can't crack into the top two.
That is a sign as to how talented the top two teams are.
Dallas Cowboys- 1
The Cowboys have addressed the defensive tackle position with Jonathan Hankins and Mazi Smith.
Even using a high draft pick, it's still one of the few weak spots on the roster.
Defensive end/EDGE
Dallas Cowboys- 4
The Cowboys have EDGE depth for days, and Dan Quinn is a master at keeping most of them fresh with steady rotation.
Micah Parsons leads the charge, and is considered by many to be the best EDGE in the NFL despite only entering season three.
Philadelphia Eagles- 3
Haason Redick wants to claim the top EDGE spot in the NFC East, and he might have a case.
However, the depth behind him versus the Cowboys depth behind Parsons is what bumps the Eagles unit down.
New York Giants- 2
The Giants have the youngest EDGE group in the division.
There is a great deal of talent, but we need to see production before they can be considered on the same level as their division counterparts.
Washington Commanders- 1
The Commanders claim the top spot with their defensive tackle group, but have a ways to go with their EDGE unit.
Linebackers
Washington Commanders- 4
The linebacker position has a few notable names, but lacks serious depth across all four teams.
Washington's two tackling machines, Jamin Davis and newly signed Cody Barton, give them the top spot.
Dallas Cowboys- 3
Leighton Vander-Esch is an All-Pro at his best, and Quinn's scheme seems to bring out the best in him.
However, there is no one behind him besides rookies and unproven players.
New York Giants- 2
Jaylon Smith was starting for the Giants last season.
He is gone now, and the Giants only addressed the position with one player, Bobby Okereke.
Philadelphia Eagles- 1
The Eagles are starting unproven players and one veteran journeyman at linebacker this season.
Cornerbacks
Dallas Cowboys- 4
When a team's fourth player on the depth chart can start for 20+ other teams in the NFL, it's a good group.
Trevon Diggs, Stephon Gilmore, DaRon Bland, and Jourdan Lewis give Dallas the top spot.
Philadelphia Eagles- 3
Darius Slay, James Bradberry, and Avonte Maddox are a talented trio for Philadelphia.
However, and this math may be difficult for Eagles fans, four is more than three.
The Dallas top four is better.
Washington Commanders- 2
The Commanders will field veteran Kendall Fuller followed by rookies and special teams players.
They have some work to do.
New York Giants- 1
The Giants are in the same position as the Commanders with a veteran starter backed up by no experience behind him.
Safety
Dallas Cowboys- 4
The Cowboys have a three-headed monster at safety.
Jayron Kearse, Donovan Wilson, and Malik Hooker give the defense flexibility and playmaking at the back of the formation.
Philadelphia Eagles- 3
The Eagles boast a former 1st round pick, followed by an undrafted free agent and some rookies.
New York Giants- 2
The Giants are in the same situation as the Eagles.
Except key contributors for them would be mainly special teams players after Xavier McKinney.
Washington Commanders- 1
The Commanders are completely unproven at safety, and make it easy to rank them the lowest.
Final Rankings
Dallas Cowboys- 33
Philadelphia Eagles- 28
New York Giants- 21
Washington Commanders- 18
