In a division where every starting quarterback has an interesting story of ups and downs, how does NY Giants‘ Daniel Jones compare to his NFC East counterparts? If you had done this same exercise two seasons ago you would be comparing three of the same quarterbacks as are present now in the NFC East.
That statement would suggest the division’s quarterback situation has been reasonably stable over the past two seasons … right? Unfortunately, that couldn’t be further from the truth. In the past two seasons, an incredible 18 different players have started a game at quarterback for an NFC East team.
As a result of trades, which saw Carson Wentz both leave and then return to the NFC East in the past two years, as well as serious injuries to both Daniel Jones and Dak Prescott, all four teams in the division have seen their fair share of quarterback chaos.
So, with the starters finally settling in ahead of the 2022 season, how does now 24-year-old Daniel Jones compare to the other starting quarterbacks in the division? Let’s break it down.
4. Daniel Jones – NY Giants
It seems harsh to rank Jones as the worst starting quarterback in the division. Most of the recent issues with the NY Giants’ offense, and the franchise as a whole, have not been the former Duke signal-callers fault.
“We’ve done everything we can to screw this kid up,” said co-owner John Mara of now fourth-year Daniel Jones earlier this year.
It’s hard not to agree with Mara. This past season saw new Giants weapons Kenny Golladay and Kadarius Toney combine for 0 touchdowns, the Giants’ offensive line finish with a ranking of 30th in the league per PFF, and both offensive coordinator Jason Garrett and head coach Joe Judge lose their jobs.
The trend for Jones has been heading in the wrong direction since his impressive rookie season in New York. The past two seasons, albeit impacted by injury, have resulted in a combined 21 touchdowns through the air. This production is less than his 2019 total alone, with Jones throwing 24 touchdowns in his rookie season.
One of the more gifted athletes at the position in the division, there is still an argument to be made that he will succeed with some stability in the coaching staff and a healthy set of weapons. Unfortunately for Jones and the Giants, time is running out. On May 2nd the front office will need to make a decision on his fifth-year option.
With a big season in 2022, this ranking could appear inaccurate upon reflection. However, with the fourth year of his rookie contract coming in the first year of yet another rebuild in New York, he may be up against it to see success in his career as a Giant.
3. Carson Wentz – Washington Commanders
Looking at 2021 statistics alone, the new Commanders’ quarterback has a case for being ranked second in the division. Throwing for 3,563 yards, 27 touchdowns, and just 7 interceptions on the year, it may surprise some that the Colts moved on from Wentz so quickly.
Colts fans, however, will likely remember every one of those interceptions. It felt as though whenever the team needed Wentz to step up and make a play, he failed, often turning the ball over or missing important throws at key times.
The nail in the coffin of Wentz’s career in Indianapolis was a week 18 loss which cost the team a spot in the playoffs, with Wentz and the Colts only managing 11 points against the league-worst Jacksonville Jaguars.
The inconsistencies of 2021 summed up his career so far, with highs that included an MVP level start to 2017 before an ACL tear, and lows that saw him benched for a rookie second-round pick in 2020.
He joins a Commanders team that includes young exciting pieces in WR Dyami Brown, WR Curtis Samuel, and RB Antonio Gibson. Star receiver Terry McLaurin will be the best weapon Wentz has had in his career so far and will help him on his quest to prove he is deserving of a starting spot in the NFL.
2. Jalen Hurts – Philadelphia Eagles
Jalen Hurts and the Eagles’ offense took a step forward in 2021. Ahead of the season, many had ranked the Eagles last in the division. They proved those people wrong, finishing the year 9-8 and earning a playoff birth.
His production in the passing game saw 3,144 yards and 16 touchdowns in his 15 regular-season games. While nothing to write home about, his work in the running game makes up for it. He added 784 yards on the ground, the most by an Eagle in 2021, and scored 10 touchdowns with his legs on the season.
Hurts will of course need to improve through the air if the Eagles are to continue to rise and if he is going to be a long-term starter in the NFL. His first two years, however, have likely given the Eagles’ front office enough comfort to look away from a quarterback in the 2022 draft.
The Eagles currently have two picks in the first round and it would not be a surprise to see another receiver taken in one of those spots. Add that to an impressive rookie season for DeVonta Smith and a healthy Miles Sanders heading into 2022 and Hurts might just have the weapons to continue to impress in Philadelphia.
He is certainly not at the level of Dak Prescott, but with his form heading in the right direction and still entering just his third season as a pro, Hurts ranks second in the NFC East quarterback conversation.
1. Dak Prescott – Dallas Cowboys
For some time now the best quarterback in the division, there were concerns Prescott may not be able to hold on to that title after a career jeopardizing lower leg injury in 2020. Fortunately for both him and the Cowboys, 2021 proved Prescott is again the pick of the bunch in the NFC East.
While the division is certainly not flushed with talent at the position, at his best Prescott is one of the league’s top signal-callers. With a career-high 37 passing touchdowns in 2021 on almost 4,500 yards, his year was by far the most productive for any quarterback in the division.
In fact, he finished the year fifth in the league in passing touchdowns and sixth in passing yards. Playing on one of the most exciting offenses in football, he certainly benefited from the incredible talent at wide receiver the Cowboys had.
The 2022 off-season has already seen star receiver Amari Cooper traded to the Cleveland Browns. Cooper had an equal team-high eight receiving touchdowns in 2021, accounting for over 800 yards of offense on 104 targets.
This is a big hole the Cowboys will need to fill and poses a potential threat to Prescott’s production in 2022. It is nothing that should impact his status as the best quarterback in the NFC East, however, and the Cowboys will likely once again be one of the most productive offenses in the NFL.