2026 NFC East preview, offseason recap for Eagles, Cowboys, Commanders & Giants

Inside: Previewing the NFC East, where the Eagles could claim the division for the third consecutive year as the Cowboys, Commanders and Giants play catch-up.

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NFC East Preview

2025 was a disappointment for a group with high expectations, led by the reigning-champion Eagles and upstart Commanders, fresh off an NFC Championship Game appearance.

But Philadelphia never figured out their offense. The Cowboys had a similar problem with defense. Washington was among the league’s worst teams, even in the rare game when Jayden Daniels started (2-5). The Giants had a losing record for the eighth time in nine seasons.

Is 2026 a bounce-back year?

Philadelphia Eagles

(11-6, lost in wild-card round)

Headline change: A.J. Brown traded. Brown’s ability to win deep one-on-one matchups was a perfect match for Jalen Hurts. His off-field persona clearly was not. DeVonta Smith is talented enough to seamlessly shift to WR1, creating a hole at No. 2. It sounds like Dontayvion Wicks is the WR2 for now, because first-rounder Makai Lemon has missed significant time with a hamstring injury

Subtle change: Jeff Stoutland steps away. Philly’s legendary offensive line coach and run game coordinator stepped away from the team after 13 seasons. The Eagles had an offensive lineman make the Pro Bowl in all 13 of Stoutland’s seasons, the longest streak of any team. His replacement, Chris Kuper, is a former NFL guard who coached the Vikings offensive line for four seasons. We’ll see.

Lingering question: Is Sean Mannion up to the task? After a down year rushing in 2025, the Eagles’ new offensive coordinator (and former nine-year NFL veteran quarterback) has Hurts under center with Saquon Barkley as the focal point of the offense. Saturday’s preseason action will be Mannion’s first as an NFL play caller.

Projection: 11-6. There is too much talent on both sides of the ball for this team to miss the playoffs. What happens in the postseason depends on whether Mannion has this offense looking like it did under Kellen Moore (who won the Super Bowl) or Kevin Patullo (whose house was egged).

Dallas Cowboys

(7-9-1 in 2025)

Headline: Defensive overhaul. We didn’t think the Cowboys defense could be worse after a brutal 2024, but Dallas followed that up by allowing the sixth-most points ever in a season. So defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus was replaced by 34-year-old Christian Parker, who studied under Vic Fangio in Philly. Hiring Parker was step one of Dallas’ massive defensive shift. The team spent four top-120 draft picks on defense and added veteran starters in outside linebacker Rashan Gary, safety Jalen Thompson, cornerback Cobie Durant and linebacker Dee Winters.

Subtle: All 11 offensive starters return. Thanks to George Pickens signing his franchise tag, the Cowboys should again field an elite offense. The strong passing game opens running lanes, with second-year running back Jaydon Blue projected to add an explosive element to the backfield.

Question: Are the corners good enough? Fangio built his defense to stop explosive plays. Parker’s is likely to share a similar goal after the Cowboys allowed 58 passes of 20-plus yards. That leaky secondary was patched with three new starters, including rookie Caleb Downs at nickel, plus promising second-year player Shavon Revel as CB3.

Projection: 9-8. It’s simple: Dak Prescott and the offense need an average defense. The midseason trade for Quinnen Williams dramatically improved the Cowboys’ run defense, so it’s their pass defense that needs to catch up. If not, they’ll miss the playoffs for the third straight year. The fourth-toughest schedule won’t help.

Washington Commanders

(5-12 in 2025)

Headline: Laremy Tunsil injured. He’s the second-most valuable Commander, per our beat reporter Nicki Jhabvala, and Tunsil’s triceps injury will keep him out for months. Brandon Coleman shifts to left tackle, where he started when the Commanders won 12 games in 2024 (but a rookie Jayden Daniels took 47 sacks). This puts a particularly big damper on Washington’s running game. Brutal.

Subtle: Two first-time coordinators. The headline change until Tunsil’s injury was coach Dan Quinn’s bet on first-time play callers David Blough and Daronte Jones. It sounds like Daniels is already mastering Blough’s offense, which has him under center more, while Jones’ revamped defense showed promising signs in camp after Washington allowed the most yards in the NFL last year.

Question: Can Daniels stay healthy? His magic covered Washington’s holes in 2024. Year 2 was different. He suffered a sprained left knee, a right hamstring injury and a dislocated left elbow (which happened as the Commanders were losing 38-7 in the fourth quarter). The 25-year-old is healthy and ready to get back to winning. Can that continue for a player who has struggled to protect himself?

Projection: 7-10. The impressive 12-5 record two years ago included five wins on the last play from scrimmage. So while the Commanders are better than last year’s 5-12, don’t expect a reversion to 2024. BetMGM projects 7.5 wins. I’ll take the under after Tunsil’s injury.

New York Giants

(4-13 in 2025)

Headline: John Harbaugh hired. “He pulls the best out of everybody,” said second-year edge rusher Abdul Carter, in Michael Silver’s story about how the new coach gives New York direction. After posting just three losing records in 18 seasons with the Ravens, is Harbaugh’s winning pedigree enough to fix the Giants?

Not-so-subtle: Trading Dexter Lawrence. A contract dispute snowballed into a trade, which cost the league’s worst rushing defense its best run-stopper. Projected starter Roy Robertson-Harris tore his Achilles in May. New York signed middling replacements D.J. Reader (age 32) and Shelby Harris (35) this offseason.

Question: Can Jaxson Dart stay healthy? Dart was checked for a concussion five times in 12 starts as a rookie last year. He also dealt with ankle and hamstring issues. An ineffective supporting cast deserves some blame for Dart trying to play hero ball, because No. 1 receiver Malik Nabers and RB1 Cam Skattebo missed most of 2025.

Projection: 6-11. It’s easy to get excited about these Giants. They have a young core, a well-pedigreed coach and a quarterback who nearly began his career 3-1 (if not for that 33-point fourth-quarter collapse). But Harbaugh’s Ravens struggled with injuries and maintaining leads. His new team has the same problems. I’ll take the under in Year 1.

Extra Points

 Matt LaFleur reflected on his seven seasons in Green Bay in a conversation with my colleague Jourdan Rodrigue. The coach’s thoughts might not be what you’d expect.

 Quarterback school is underway in Pittsburgh, where Mike McCarthy has evolved an approach that unlocked Aaron Rodgers’ Hall of Fame upside.

 Eric Bieniemy returned to Chiefs training camp after a two-week absence, which began when his wife Mia was shot in the couple’s home in late July. She’s out of the ICU and making progress in her recovery, the Chiefs said three days after the incident.

 Terry McLaurin is back. A contract dispute kept the Commanders WR sidelined last offseason before injuries limited him to 10 games. He’s enjoying football again.

 Quinnen Williams paid. The Cowboys’ star defensive tackle, 28, signed a three-year, $105.9 million extension that keeps him in Dallas through 2030.

Most-clicked: Dan Pompei’s story on why the Cowboys won’t retire No. 88. “He creates separation like a good divorce lawyer” is an epic line from Dan.

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