[2024] Division Preview: NFC East

[Piercewise1]

NFC East

 

Team: Washington Commanders
Last Year: 16-1 (division champion)
Alexfall ranking: 2/32

Key Progressions:
OLB Karl Ogles +5 (85/6)
TE Glenn Lloyd +5 (78/6)
OG Jorge Ledezma +4 (79/6)
QB Jerome Morrison +4 (72/4)
QB Jose Padilla -2 (81/10)

Rookie to Watch:
OG John Lauer (A- / C-)

Overview:
After another furious year of trades, Washington has kept their championship window open despite mounting veteran salaries and a dearth of draft picks. They lead the league with 10 players of 80+ Overall, and won’t start many below 70. The secondary is particularly nasty, with CBs Randy Espino (88/6) and William Stevens (82/9) locking down the edges and FS Lucio Escarcega (84/8) playing deep.

Strengths:
Secondary
Wide receiver

Weaknesses:
Offensive tackle

Prediction:
Division winner

Washington was one of the few teams to retain their division crown from ’22 to ’23, and they appear the odds-on favorite to do it again. They have one of the most complete rosters in the league and – until Father Time or another East team finally humbles them – are the standard bearers in their division.   

 

Team: Dallas Cowboys
Last Year: 12-5 (wild card)
Alexfall ranking: 3/32

Key Progressions:
CB Amara Rodriguez +6 (71/3)
DT Eric Simon +5 (78/6)
FS Jorge Mendez +5 (74/4)
WR Christopher Lee +4 (89/6)
DT Elliott Grossman +4 (79/6)

Rookie to Watch:
OT Francisco Smith (58/C-)

Overview:
The Cowboys have built an offensive juggernaut, with Jesse Noel (84/9) throwing to a trio of talented wide receivers and an excellent tight end. And it’s all secured behind a wall of an offensive line led by one of the league’s best in OT Kevin Escobar (87/6). Meanwhile Amara Rodriguez is a shining future star as a 71 Overall corner in only his 3^rd year.

Strengths:
Offensive line
Wide receiver

Weaknesses:
Safety

Prediction:
2^nd place

Even if the Cowboys don’t unseat their rivals at the top of the division (and they have the horses to do it), they should be looking at a 12+ win season and a playoff berth. The roster is stacked, especially on the offensive side, and no one understands the sim better than their owner. Even their talented divisional opposition and a 2^nd-place schedule won’t be enough to keep them down.

 

Team: Philadelphia Eagles
Last Year:  7-11 (3^rd place)
Alexfall rank: 17/32

Key Progressions:
C Randy Harrell +5 (76/6)
SS Ryan Reininger +5 (68/3)
FS Leonard Vaughn +4 (84/5)
TE Matthew Lee +4 (78/6)
QB Aaron Pool -3 (73/10)

Rookie to Watch:
DE Whit Wilson (59/C-)

Overview:
The Eagles have a dichotomous roster, with an offense of seasoned veterans (Pool, Lemay, Silva) and a defense of young up and comers (Reininger, Soto, Palardy, and now Wilson). The drafting of Moncrief is a signal to the future, but don’t expect the Pool party to end anytime soon, especially with those weapons at his disposal.

Strengths:
Offensive tackle
Safety

Weaknesses:
Defensive end

Prediction:
3^rd place

The biggest obstacles to the Eagles playoff hopes are the two teams above them in the standings, which represent 4 very tough games. But that also means they get a 3^rd place schedule, and those games against the relatively weak AFC South should help them get past other NFC teams. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Eagles are the third team from the East to make it to the playoffs in 2024.

 

Team: New York Giants
Last Year:  3-13-1 (4^th place)
Alexfall rank: 16/32

Key Progressions:
SS Matt Bass +5 (68/3)
OT Richard Plutko +4 (64/2)
TE Randy Wright +3 (83/6)
WR Mathew Madden -2 (84/8)
RB John Knighten -3 (73/12)

Rookie to Watch:
WR Paul Canha (66/F)

Overview:
After a flurry of activity, including multiple deals with their fellow New York franchise, the Giants are set to premiere a new-look offense with Lamar Johnson (77/8), John Knighten (73/12), and new top-5 selection Paul Canha (66/F). We’ll see if these new selections can mesh into a cohesive unit in time for the team to be competitive on Sundays.

Strengths:
Defensive line

Weaknesses:
Linebacker
Special teams

Prediction:
4^th place

I think the Giants improve from their 3.5-win season, but it’s hard to see them making much positional headway in a division nicknamed the “NFC Beast”. The team has plenty of young talent, though I don’t know if QB Wilfredo Joseph remains the heir apparent or if the team decides to go in a completely new direction, especially with what is believed to be a QB-heavy draft class next year.

[alexfall862]

Nice content! 

I wonder if the Wilfredo experiment is over, and whether Wilfredo imitates the man who stole his starting job and gets moved across the stadium to the Jets locker room if they're looking for a different approach at QB.