After the Philadelphia Eagles fired head coach Doug Pederson, the hierarchy in the NFC East was certainly shaken up, but how does the NY Giants’ future stack up in the division?
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson, who won a Super Bowl in 2017 and was the NFC East’s longest-tenured coach prior to his dismissal, was fired on Monday which shakes up the division’s hierarchy.
Following Pederson’s dismissal, the division will feature three coaches hired in 2020; the NY Giants’ Joe Judge, Washington Football Team’s Ron Rivera, and Dallas Cowboys’ Mike McCarthy, and a rookie hire in Philadelphia.
So, how does the NY Giants’ future stack up in the division, after finishing 6-10 and nearly making the postseason as the NFC East champion in 2020?
Here’s a look:
1. Washington Football Team
Washington sneaked into the NFL Playoffs after beating the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 17, but proceeded behind unheralded backup quarterback Taylor Heinicke to very nearly upset Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a 31-23 Wild Card loss.
It is unlikely that Heinicke is Washington’s long-term solution at quarterback, though he’ll likely have a chance to win the starting job next summer, but the rest of the roster might be the most primed for sustained success in the division.
Washington enters the offseason with upwards of $40.5 million in cap space to supplement a roster that on offense includes playmakers like wide receiver Terry McLaurin and running back Antonio Gibson, and a defense built with a dominant defensive line of four former first-round picks; Chase Young, Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, and Montez Sweat. It wouldn’t be surprising if Washington uses a chunk of their available cap space to dip into the historically deep free agent class at wide receiver to build around Heinicke or whoever is at quarterback next season.
Head coach Ron Rivera is a proven winner, with an 83-72 career record, and Washington finished winning five of its final seven games, allowing more than 16 points just once, underscoring the development of the defense down the stretch.
If Young, Allen, Sweat, and Payne continue to develop, the front office finds a solution at quarterback and adds at least one more playmaker, Washington has a roster capable of repeating as division champs next season.
2. Dallas Cowboys
Presuming the Cowboys bring back Dak Prescott in 2021, the Cowboys will have the most gifted and stable quarterback situation in the division.
Prior to suffering a season-ending injury against the Giants back in Week 5, Prescott started the season on a torrid tear completing 68 percent of his passes for 1,856 yards with nine touchdowns and four interceptions.
The supporting cast around Prescott is as dynamic as there is in the NFC, with running back Ezekiel Elliott, wide receivers Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, and Michael Gallup. For the Cowboys’ offense, the biggest question becomes how to fortify what was once the league’s most dominant offensive line, but has been decimated by injuries and departures in recent seasons.
Dallas’ biggest weakness this season was a toothless defense, which finished 23rd in DVOA, and allowed 29.6 points per game. But, over the second half of the season, the Cowboys defense seemed to find its footing a bit.
If the Cowboys sink significant resources, including $18 million in cap space and the No. 10 overall pick in the NFL Draft to rebuilding the defense and fortifying the offensive line, there is plenty of explosive talent for this team to make a run.
3. NY Giants
If Joe Judge did anything in his first season as head coach of the NY Giants, it was establish a culture and teach a young team how to win.
Even if Judge’s Giants only won six games with just one victory coming outside of the historically pathetic NFC East and one against an opponent with an above .500 record, there is some reason for optimism about the Giants’ future.
The jury very much remains undecided on Daniel Jones, who rather than taking a second-year leap regressed dramatically under new offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, but the Giants have the resources to add enough weapons around him to set 2021 up for a make-or-break campaign. Getting electrifying running back Saquon Barkley back and healthy next season is a boost, so too would be the addition of a marquee free agent receiver such as Allen Robinson, Kenny Golloday, or Will Fuller.
If Jones is more consistent and the Giants are able to improve dramatically in the vertical passing game next season to open up the running game for Barkley, the offense has a chance to dictate. But, averaging 17 points per game in the NFL’s highest-scoring season on record makes it impossible to become a legitimate contender.
Coordinator Patrick Graham’s defense was a bright spot, finishing this season No. 25 in DVOA, but holding opponents to 22.3 points per game. If the Giants can find a way to retain both Leonard Williams and Dalvin Tomlinson along what became a disruptive defensive line and add a lockdown cornerback opposite Pro Bowl cornerback James Bradberry, this has the makings of a top-flight defense.
There is enough talent in place for the Giants to have plenty of optimism about breaking a four-year postseason drought, but plenty of questions that need answered and holes that need filled, as well.
4. Philadelphia Eagles
There’s no kind way of putting this … The Eagles as currently constructed are a disaster.
It remains a quizzical decision that the Eagles would move on from head coach Doug Pederson, but retain general manager Howie Roseman who has whiffed in the early rounds of recent drafts, watched the offensive line age, and oversaw the construction of a roster that now leaves Philadelphia upwards of $74 million over the cap this offseason.
The Eagles have difficult decisions to make about tight end Zach Ertz, Fletcher Cox, Jason Kelce, and others to try to create cap space.
An acrimonious end of the season that saw quarterback Carson Wentz benched in favor of rookie Jalen Hurts certainly creates uncertainty at the quarterback position, and the Eagles’ coaching search will likely be guided by the candidate with the best chance to rebuild Wentz both physically and emotionally after a tumultuous 2020 campaign.
Given the dramatic constrictions the Eagles face in terms of cap space this offseason, uncertainty at quarterback, an aging roster with little depth behind its high-priced veterans at several positions, it feels like the Eagles are lightyears away from being a team capable of competing for championships.
Matt Lombardo is the site expert for GMenHQ, and writes Between The Hash Marks each Wednesday for FanSided. Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattLombardoNFL.