NFL power rankings: Where do the Giants stand in the NFC East this preseason?

1. Dallas Cowboys

Taking the top spot has to be the Cowboys. While their season came to a screaming halt inside AT&T Stadium at the hands of the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card Round, Mike McCarthy’s team has Super Bowl hopes once again.

Dak Prescott performed at an MVP level in 2023 and CeeDee Lamb took a leap towards becoming one of the top wide receivers in the NFL. The team could’ve used more from their running backs in '23, but the addition of Ezekiel Elliott returning to the fold, along with Rico Dowdle and their strong offensive line, could alleviate some of the pressure on Prescott.

Meanwhile, Dallas lost defensive coordinator Quinn to the Washington Commanders, but with the job coveted, the Cowboys hit a home run by hiring former Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer. There’s plenty of talent, and Micah Parsons, so their defense should return to form with a new voice at the helm.

Moving forward to 2024, there’s no reason to have any other squad than the Dallas Cowboys as the top team in the NFC East, as much as that pains this writer to type, unless there’s a major snag in contract negotiations with either Lamb or Prescott. The Giants showed they weren’t in their league in 2023. Maybe that changes when they take the field together this fall, but a near-perfect offseason, coupled with Daboll getting the most out of New York’s roster, will be needed to do so, and the jury is still out at the moment.