The NFC East is always a messy, fun time. That’s part of its charm. It’s loud, overhyped, and never short on delusion from all corners — whether it’s the Dallas Cowboys acting like it’s still the ‘90s, the Washington Commanders clinging to a flash-in-the-pan season, or New York Giants fans wondering if this rebuild is finally the one that sticks.
But for all the talk about tiers and contenders and who’s really ready to challenge the Philadelphia Eagles, the latest roster rankings from NFL.com tell a different story. Eric Edholm dropped his list of the top 10 most complete rosters heading into the 2025 season, and only one NFC East team made the cut. We'll let you take a guess who it was...
If you guessed the Eagles, you'd be correct — the reigning Super Bowl champs. The one team with actual bragging rights. Everyone else in the division was nowhere to be found.
None of the other NFC East teams made the cut — not the Commanders, even after a 12-win season and a trip to the NFC Championship, and not the Cowboys, who stumbled their way through a frustrating year. The Giants were left off too, but let’s not act like that means they’re lagging significantly behind some clearly superior duo. The gap isn’t nearly as wide as their fanbases want to believe.
The gap between the Giants and their rivals isn’t as wide as it seems
New York’s projected roster is littered with potential, and it’s not hard to see the path forward if certain things click. Russell Wilson might not be prime Seattle Russ, but he gives the quarterback room some structure. Malik Nabers looks like a WR1 in the making, and Abdul Carter’s arrival on defense gives this front seven real juice. Dexter Lawrence and Brian Burns still anchor what could be the team’s biggest strength heading into the season.
That said, the rest of the group is still feeling like a work-in-progress. The offensive line is shaky in spots. The receivers after Nabers are mostly question marks. The secondary added key names like Jevon Holland and Paulson Adebo, but that’s still a “wait and see” situation until the snaps actually count.
Washington fans won’t want to hear this, but that description fits their team too. The Commanders made a deep playoff run, but the hype has gotten a little louder than the resume can support. Jayden Daniels had a great rookie year, but he’s surrounded by a questionable offensive line and a defense that still lacks some oomph. Deebo Samuel and Terry McLaurin make for a flashy duo, but there’s still no proof that 2024 wasn't just a flash in the pan.
And then there’s Dallas — the annual offseason champs. CeeDee Lamb is a star, George Pickens is his new complement, and Micah Parsons is the best player in the division not wearing Kelly Green. But their offensive line isn't what it used to be, their running back room is a grab bag of mehs, and their defense won't scare teams, especially the run defense. The Cowboys are more all bark, no bite at this point, and that’s exactly the kind of situation where the wheels come off when it matters most.
Big Blue’s still working its way back, but it’s not like Dallas and Washington are necessarily thriving. Sure the Eagles have set the bar, but after that, it’s a cluster of teams still trying to sort themselves out. The Giants might be starting from further back, but they’re not trailing some juggernauts. All three are stuck outside the top 10, whether those other fanbases want to admit it or not.