The New York Giants may have believed that they could win the NFC East before the season started, but they never could have pictured it happening like this. John Harbaugh’s squad has suffered season-ending injuries to multiple key players, and it’s still the most stable team in the division by a wide margin.
To the frustration of their fans, the G-Men didn’t make any moves at the NFL trade deadline. Harbaugh certainly wanted to make a splash, but he was rejected at every opportunity.
Still, with the state of the other teams in the division, this is New York’s division to lose. After a chaotic trade deadline, let’s check in with every team in the NFC East.
New York Giants have no excuses despite quiet trade deadline
Jonathan Taylor isn’t walking through the door. Bijan Robinson isn’t either. Even a low-cost move to add some depth to the roster never came to fruition. But that shouldn’t change the outlook for the rest of the Giants’ season.
At 5-2-1, Big Blue currently has a clear lead over the Dallas Cowboys, who sit in second place in the NFC East. J.J. McCarthy’s second start wasn’t as encouraging as his first, but he at least seems capable of leading a competent team. Dennard Wilson’s defense is hitting its stride, leaning into its identity as a blitz-happy unit with discipline on the back end.
The Giants knew what they were at the trade deadline. While their NFC foes made splash deals for players like Jeffery Simmons, DeForest Buckner, and Quenton Nelson, New York stood pat. It’s the boring option, but it’s probably for the best in the long run.
That said, the G-Men should absolutely maintain control of the NFC East. Their rivals are somehow in much worse shape and don’t show any signs of turning things around.
Dallas Cowboys can’t put their money where their mouth is
Jerry Jones spent the days leading up to the deadline talking about how he was willing to make moves to improve his roster. When the deadline reckoning came, he did nothing. No pass-rush help, no safety addition, not even a late-round swap for a veteran.
For anyone who has paid attention to the Cowboys for long, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. Jones has made a few big moves in the past, but he typically prefers to pinch pennies at the trade deadline.
The Cowboys still have the tools to field an elite offense. Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and George Pickens aren’t going anywhere, at least not this season. The defense is a different animal, though. Even at its healthiest, it could legitimately be the worst in the NFL. New York shouldn’t worry too much about Dallas making a run at the NFC East title.
Washington Commanders accept their fate as a Dan Quinn decision looms
This seems like a team that has given up. The Washington Commanders didn’t sell at the deadline (they didn’t really have anybody to sell), but they clearly didn’t believe that they were a piece away from competing for the division this year.
Washington is currently 2-5-1 (there goes that blasted tie) and three full games behind the Giants. They’ve been competitive against top teams like the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams, but the win-loss columns tell the story at the end of the day.
The more pressing Commanders-related question has little to do with the roster. Dan Quinn seems to be on the chopping block after failing to live up to his 2024 campaign, but will he be fired before the season is over? Even if Washington has improved slightly in recent weeks, it’s nowhere close to contending.
Big changes are on the horizon for this Commanders team, and Quinn likely won’t be there to see them.
Philadelphia Eagles kickstart rebuild with active trade deadline
Howie Roseman will remain with the Philadelphia Eagles next season. In all likelihood, Nick Sirianni will not. The Eagles have recognized their position in the NFC East and are leaning into a full-scale rebuild that could take years to complete.
They’ve shipped off Cam Jurgens and Jordan Davis, and they would have sent Arnold Ebiketie to the Cincinnati Bengals if nobody had told Duke Tobin how compensatory picks work.
Philadelphia now holds ten picks across the first two rounds of the next three drafts. They’re stripping the roster down to the studs and starting over. These are the actions of a general manager who isn’t worried about his job security.
This season is already a lost cause for the Eagles. Joe Milton III isn’t providing the spark they hoped he would, and injuries on offense have left Philadelphia with no path to improvement.
With the Eagles out of the picture, the Giants have an obvious window to take control of the NFC East.
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