Philadelphia Eagles
2022 Record – 14-3-0, 1st Place NFC East, Super Bowl Runner-Up
Key Additions – RB Rashaad Penny, RB D’Andre Swift, QB Marcus Mariota, WR Olamide Zaccheaus
Key Rookies – DL Jalen Carter (Georgia), DE/LB Nolan Smith (Georgia), OT/OG Tyler Steen (Alabama)
Key Departures – DT Javon Hargrave, RB Miles Sanders, TJ Edwards* S Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, and OG Isaac Seumalo
2023 Prediction – 13-4-0, 1st Place NFC East
Outlook – While there is always a bit of disappointment in a Super Bowl runner-up season, its hard to call the 2022 Eagles anything but successful. It is also hard to imagine after QB Jalen Hurts’s MVP caliber season and the full complement of fire power that they have in the stable that the 2023 Eagles won’t have as good a chance as any to repeat as NFC Champions. While question marks surely exist on both sides of the ball and the sideline, after changing both offensive and defensive coordinator positions, this is arguably the deepest roster in the conference, let alone the division.
* Added by editor.
Dallas Cowboys
2022 Record – 12-5-0, 2nd Place NFC East, Lost in Divisional Round of Playoffs
Key Additions – WR Brandin Cooks, CB Stephon Gilmore, RB Ronald Jones
Key Departures – RB Ezekiel Elliot, TE Dalton Shultz, OL Connor McGovern
Key Rookies – DT Mazi Smith (Michigan), TE Luke Schoonmaker (Michigan), RB Deuce Vaughn (Kansas State)
2023 Prediction – 11-6-0, 2nd Place NFC East
Outlook – Gone are the days of the Dallas Cowboys winning based solely off their gaudy offensive output as they saw the defense take center stage in 2022. QB Dak Prescott coming off a disappointing season in which he led the NFL in interceptions along with key losses on the field and the coaching staff with OC Kelen Moore leaving, paint a bit of a murky picture.
The defense led by DE/LB Micah Parsons is one that can dominate and win them plenty of games while the offense works to get the new pieces up to speed. If the offense can rise to the occasion this just may be a team that no one wants to see in December versus one that routinely has fallen short of their expectations.
New York Giants
2022 Record – 9-7-1, 3rd Place NFC East, Lost in Divisional Round of Playoffs
Key Additions – TE Darren Waller, LB Bobby Okereke, WR Paris Campbell
Key Departures – S Julian Love, WR Richie James, OG Jon Feliciano
Key Rookies – CB Deonte Banks (Maryland), OL John Michael Schmitz (Minnesota), WR Jaylin Hyatt (Tennessee)
2023 Prediction – 9-8-0, 3rd Place NFC East
Outlook – In 2022, HC Brian Daboll’s dramatic turnaround of the floundering Giants offense and along with it, QB Daniel Jones and RB Saquon Barkley’s careers, was one of the key stories of the season. Now that both players have been brought back along with TE Darren Waller added as a go-to target, the expectations that they build upon this unit in 2023 have set in.
Needs to justify the $104 million in guarantees given to Jones as part of his extension have added pressure to prove the vision is clear. The team is still a few years from Super Bowl contention even if their gamble pays off but it is clear that the direction is one of progress.
Washington Commanders
2022 Record – 8-8-1, 4th Place NFC East, Missed Playoffs
Key Additions – OT Andrew Wylie, QB Jacoby Brissett, OL Nick Gates
Key Departures – QB Taylor Heinicke, LB Cole Holcomb, S Bobby McCain
Key Rookies – CB Emmanuel Forbes (Mississippi State), S Jartavius Martin (Illinois), OL Ricky Stromberg (Arkansas)
2023 Prediction – 5-12-0
Outlook – While the on-field product may be a bit rough as the Commanders go into 2023 with unclear direction in both quarterback and head coach, the amount of weight lifted off of Washington fans headed into a Dan Snyder-less season for the first time since 1998 is palpable.
They are going to need that boost of optimism in the future because this rebuild doesn’t appear to have an easy solution. The biggest question for 2023 is if the future at QB is on the roster and while the wins project to be few and far between, answering this question will help shape the early direction of the Josh Harris owned Commanders. *
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