Eagles
The Eagles have continued to stick to their up and down yearly swings but last year felt like a new low. After losing former Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore to the Saints Head Coaching spot they brought in now former OC Kevin Patullo and quickly things started to fall apart. Patullo’s play calling lacked any creativity or sequencing which led to the offense quickly becoming predictable and bogged down once teams caught on, which did not take long as many of these issues have plagued the Eagles offense for years in smaller sample sizes. With the new hire at OC, former Packers Quarterback Coach Sean Mannion, I expect and hope for this offense to finally evolve and shift away from their crutches that made them so predictable last year. Mannion has learned under Matt LaFleur for a few years now and I would expect that to impact and shape how this offense operates. Whether it’s a higher use of motion, under center passing concepts, and/or working the middle and intermediate parts of the field more in the passing game I hope Jalen Hurts and company are willing to grow and adjust to whatever it is this offense shapes into throughout the season. As for the rest of the coaching staff, Vic Fangio is still one of, if not the best, Defensive Coordinator/Coaches in the entire league and despite my issues with Head Coach Nick Srianni you can at least point to his seemingly strong relationship with the players as a positive even if his impact on any phase of the game are marginal at best. I love Fangio but with Srianni still frustrates me more than I’d like and in my opinion holds back this team and while I’m hopeful for Sean Mannion it’s going to be a wait and see approach for him as he’s overall inexperienced as a coach and a first time coordinator.
Whether you want to talk about the offensive or defensive side of the ball for this roster it really doesn’t matter. While they may not have the elite of the elite at any position it’s hard to argue this isn’t the best roster from top down in the league. Year after year General Manager Howie Roseman has constructed this roster into a Super Bowl favorite and sadly it hasn’t been capitalized by the coaching staff consistently. What I’m getting at here is there’s truly no glaring weakness on this team and while I could nitpick small issues here and there this season like every other over the past half decade or more comes down to if this coaching staff can do their part and maximize the talent here. If Sean Mannion is even an average Offensive Coordinator and the locker room is in a better place without AJ Brown this team should be competing for a Super Bowl and frankly if they’re not I’d be looking elsewhere at Head Coach as you could add anyone you want when you have this talent. I don’t mean to dumb this down as there are some worries and also some positives I have from a roster perspective but ultimately it’s not about the talent here. It comes down to can they stay healthy and can the coaching staff step up to hide some of the roster’s small flaws.
Once again it feels too simple to dumb down like this but it’s truly how I feel about this team. If the Eagles don’t win this division this year (barring any major injuries) I don’t know how you keep Nick Srianni at Head Coach as this team is far away the most talented roster in this division. I like the upside of the Cowboys, Giants, and Commanders but each of them have major questions and concerns from a roster perspective when compared to the Eagles and it really shouldn’t be a discussion who is walking into the Playoffs with a home game this year. Outside of the Rams there’s no roster that touches this group and you could make an argument that the depth here tips the scales for the Eagles when you’re talking about getting through an entire season. The fact there’s even a discussion as to who’s winning this division is an inditement on Nick Srianni and for me this team has to get to the Conference Championship and anything less is a disappointment.
Prediction
10 – 14 Wins Super Bowl Hopeful
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Cowboys
The Cowboys 2025 season was up and down to say the least. On one hand you found your new promising offensive minded Head Coach in Brian Schottenheimer along with some surprising standouts on the roster and on the other you had a disastrous result on defense which ultimately led to former Defensive Coordinator Matt Eberflus being a one and done here in Dallas. While this offseason they may not have fixed every issue from a roster perspective, I’ll talk about that later, I believe they did find their future at DC, that being former Eagles Defensive Pass Game Coordinator + DBs Coach Christian Parker. Parker was in my opinion one of the best coaching hires regardless of position throughout the entire league and should be a major boost to Dallas’s defense this coming season. Bringing over the Fangio style of defense it may not be eye popping with creative or unique pressure looks like you see from other well regarded defensive coaches such as Mike Macdonald or Brian Flores but the repeatability and discipline will have a major impact on this team. Under Eberflus the Cowboys were consistently behind opposing offenses from a schematic perspective as he was rigid and unwilling to adjust to fit this team’s personnel. With Parker I expect this defense to be quite literally the opposite. Parker is going to dictate what opposing offenses are capable of doing and aside from just a scheme perspective I like the personnel fit of this team significantly more than under Eberflus. With this addition of Parker this coaching staff is up there for one of my favorite groups and one of the most talented in the league and I expect to see the results show up on the field as well!
This offense from a coaching and personnel perspective is quite literally the same and with that comes the negatives and the positives of last year. The positives being this was one of the most consistent and well rounded passing and running attacks in the league. You also have Dak Prescott putting out some of the most impressive Quarterback play consistently across the league with an incredibly dangerous receiving corps to pair with him. The only unit that gives me pause for this offense going into this season is the inconsistencies across the O-Line. Tyler Booker and Tyler Smith make for one of the best Guard duos in the league and starting Center Cooper Beebe is no slouch either but the lack of consistency at Tackle between Terence Steele and Tyler Guyton is frustrating to say the least as they both showcase the ability to be really solid Tackles. Where I really struggle with the offense and quite honestly the defense as well is the lack of depth. Obviously if Dak were to go down with any significant injury the season is more than likely over but the fact that can be said for just about every position along this unit is scary to me. It’s a really strong unit at the top but they HAVE to stay healthy for this team to be able to compete with the Eagles or the rest of the top of the NFC if they want to compete this year.
The defense on the other hand not only was there a coaching change but the personnel here is drastically different than last year and for good reason. I’m incredibly impressed with what the front office was able to accomplish in just one offseason with the secondary being the biggest/most important improvement here for me. With the additions of Caleb Downs in the draft and Jalen Thompson, Cobie Durant, and PJ Locke through Free Agency this unit not only patched their issues from last year but they may have even built this unit into a strength. Jalen Thompson is an incredibly steady and versatile player at Safety, PJ Locke is a solid versatile depth piece, Cobie Durant has really shown out during camp to earn a starting outside Corner spot, and above all else Caleb Downs is a game changing talent in the Slot/Safety/Star positions out of the box, in my opinion. Along the front seven the additions of two rookies, Edge/ILB Jaishawn Barham and Edge Malachi Lawrence, make this unit at least more likely to succeed but I still have my worries for the ceiling of this group overall. Barham and Lawrence are going to add a pop of athleticism and aggression to the front but unless one them take major steps from college I worry this unit doesn’t have a true game changer when it comes to their pass rush. IDL Quinnen Williams who they traded for during last season is an incredible run defender and quickly proved so in Dallas but over the past two to three years has taken steps back as a pass rusher. The same can be said for newly signed Edge Rashan Gary minus the run defense part. Gary largely hasn’t been the same player following an ACL injury in 2022 and last year was by far his worst season since his rookie year. The lack of effort and discipline on the edge was glaring in Green Bay when he was on the field and as a pass rusher he’s become mainly a one trick pony with his bull rush. The one guy that gives me hope for a real jump or contribution outside of the rookies and/or Quinnen Williams is second year Edge Donovan Ezeiruaku. Ezeiruaku showed a number of flashes last year and I believe he’s capable of putting it all together and being more consistent but I have to see it. For now this front seven is a high floor unit that should be excellent against the run but without a guy that consistently worries an offense when left one on one in a pass rushing opportunity the ceiling is going to be limited.
This Cowboys team has a real chance to be a contender this year but the lack of depth is incredibly concerning. In my eyes their one injury away on both sides of the ball from being a drastically different team. While I don’t foresee them being a bad team by any means even in a world with injuries I can’t say I’m confident they’ll hit their ceiling either. To me this team is still a year away from being a true contender but I wouldn’t be surprised if they get healthy at the right time and threaten to make a run at the NFC Championship game in which case anything can happen from there.
Prediction
8 – 11 Wins – Playoff Run Hopeful
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Giants
After yet another failed regime in New York the Giants are looking to the right ship with the first experienced higher in a while, that being former Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh. Harbaugh spent 18 seasons with the Ravens and in that time the Giants have had 5 different Head Coaches along with 2 interim Head Coaches as well. While things weren’t perfect with Harbaugh in Baltimore, especially in recent years, the Giants are hoping to capture some sense of the stability he brought as it’s been largely a disaster since they’ve moved on from Tom Coughlin over a decade ago. I can’t say with certainty that this hire will go the way the Giants expect it to but I have a hard time imagining Harbaugh will be any less successful than the previous handful of staffs have had. The reason why I say this may not go the way the Giants ownership/executives want is largely due to Harbaugh’s stubbornness/unwillingness to adjust and fix bad habits he has but even more so than that the coaching staff he’s constructed here. Defensive Coordinator Dennard Wilson is largely exempt from this conversation as I really like what he’s done as a DC over the past two seasons in Tennessee despite a less than ideal roster. Offensively is where I have a ton of questions. Currently they have Matt Nagy listed as Offensive Coordinator, Brian Callahan as the Pass Game Coordinator, and Greg Roman as the Run Game Coordinator. I actually quite like Callahan and Roman in their current positions but with Matt Nagy currently listed as the play caller I’m worried for how this all may come together on game days. Matt Nagy has consistently shown whether it was as a Head Coach with the Bears or OC with the Chiefs that he struggles with sequencing and constructing an offense. While his ability to design and run creative plays is impressive at times the lack of cohesion sticks out like a sore thumb and I’m worried that regardless of the play calls Callahan and Roman construct that Nagy won’t be able to make them work off each other which will in turn create a predictable and/or stagnant offense. There’s a world where this trio of coaches work wonderfully together and the Giants’ offense flourishes because of it but I struggle to put any amount of trust into it with Nagy leading the unit. Overall I expect this to be an improvement over the last regime but there’s going to be some incredibly frustrating moments as well whether that be from Harbaugh mismanaging time or Nagy putting together an offense that looks incredibly stale, especially when compared side by side to former Head Coach Brian Daboll’s offense.
Offensively aside from the coaching staff I’m actually quite optimistic for this season’s outlook but with that there’s also a number of questions I have as well. The most important part of this offense for me is the Giants finally have put together an O-Line that doesn’t have glaring holes to start the season. The depth along the line still worries me quite a bit especially when you consider the injury history of a guy like Andrew Thomas but I can’t even think of the last time the Giants fielded an O-Line that I looked at with an optimistic view going into the season. As optimistic as I am for this unit I would like to see steps from John Michael Schmitz Jr and see their 1st Round pick Francis Mauigoa prove himself before I truly stamp this line as a plus unit but overall barring major injuries this should be a serviceable unit in front of their second year Quarterback Jaxson Dart. Speaking of Dart he’s also one of the most important factors in this offense succeeding this upcoming season. While he flashed quality Quarterback play far more than many expected in his rookie season Dart also had many frustrating moments as well with the injuries/concussions being the most serious issue of all. Dart from play perspective has to learn to play within structure and in rhythm more often but that can be said for the far majority of young Quarterbacks so it’ll be a wait and see if he’s one that can figure it out. Where I get far more concerned with Dart is with his mentality as a runner and seemingly unwillingness to change/adjust. Not only does this impact the Giants this year but if he’s unwilling to change how he runs his career and the Giants future could be far more disappointing than it seems as of right now. I do also worry the support system from a coaching standpoint will be worse this season and in turn Dart’s progression will be halted. Then you move onto the weaponry and while it’s a solid group overall I worry that the lack of game changing talent may create a fine but lackluster group surrounding Dart. Malik Nabers is the only player I view as a game changing talent in any of the WR, TE, or RB rooms and considering he’s coming off a season ending knee injury last year I worry we won’t see him at his best this season. Without Nabers the “weaponry” around Dart will be fine but I worry that it’ll be just that… fine. Defenses will be able to hone in on Nabers and the rest of the group won’t be threatening enough to ease the stress off of Dart. With that being said the offense overall is a far more well rounded from a roster perspective than last season but there being a few major question marks surrounding all aspects of this unit makes for a boom or bust outlook for their season, in my opinion.
Defensively there’s a lot to like with this roster but also some concerning issues such as the lack of depth and honestly overall talent along the IDL. Following the trade of All Pro Nose Tackle Dexter Lawrence it became clear the Giants would need to supplement their IDL group as it was already thin with him on the roster. While going out and adding Shelby Harris and DJ Reader provides a nice veteran floor for the unit those two are far past their primes at this point and with little to no promising young talent behind them I’m unsure of how that group will round out by the end of the year. The Edge group on the other hand is up there for the best in the league. Abdul Carter headed into his second year projects to be making a major jump, Brian Burns isn’t quite what he used to be in Carolina but is a very solid second man next to Carter, Kayvon Thibodeaux has developed into a really solid Edge over his tenure here, and then you add on occasional snaps from their Top 5 pick ILB/Edge Arvell Reese. I expect Carter and Reese to make for one of the most athletic, disruptive, and versatile duos along any front seven in the league and that’s not even mentioning Thibodeaux and Burns. This front seven has a chance to be really special but I’m worried the IDL group will allow teams to punish them by hammering away with heavy personnel and runs through the middle of their defense. The secondary is a really intriguing unit with a good amount of young talent that could allow them to exceed expectations, especially with Dennard Wilson coaching the young guys up. Overall I expect this defense to shine against teams that want to spread the field out and/or make their living by playing more horizontal than north and south but against a team like the Rams or Bills that use heavy personnel religiously and are willing to take 4-5 yards up the middle over and over I worry they won’t be able to hold up. In my opinion they’re only an offseason away from being a really dangerous defense that no one wants to match up with due to their athleticism and game wrecking players along their front but the loss of Dexter Lawrence will be very noticeable, especially late in the year.
This Giants season can truly go any way depending on how well this coaching staff performs and if they can sure up some of the many questions I have throughout the roster. On one hand I’m super positive and see the opportunity for them to be a scrappy 9-10 win team and on the other I see too many issues along the roster and coaching staff that this could go sideways quickly and end in a disappointing and dysfunctional season that ends in 5-6 wins. It truly could any direction but I tend to lean more optimistic for them moving forward.
Prediction
5 -9 Wins – Playoff Hopeful
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Commanders
After a meteoric rise to stardom for Jayden Daniels in 2024 that vaulted the Commanders into an unexpected window of contention they quickly fell back down the ladder last year. The Commanders decision makers tried to piece together a veteran loaded and top heavy roster to surround Jayden for success last year but the veterans they focused on acquiring/keeping suffered injuries or showed their age on the field. With the large majority of their money and assets wrapped up in players that simply weren’t playing and/or playing well when they’re out there, including Jayden, the realization they needed to regroup this past offseason became more and more apparent. How they went about doing that wasn’t only within the roster but along the coaching staff as well. On the offensive side of things they brought in former Lions Quarterback and Assistant Quarterbacks Coach David Blough. This is a big bet on Blough as his experience as a coach is limited to 2 years of being an Assistant Quarterbacks Coach so while he’s impressed in that position in a short time it’s hard to say what will translate to such a big jump in responsibility and role within an offense. The Defensive Coordinator on the other hand was one of my favorite hires regardless of position this offseason, with that being former Defensive Pass Game Coordinator/DBs Coach in Minnesota Daronte Jones. Jones has been the one responsible for helping Brian Flores put together all the wild coverages and responsibilities on the back end of the Vikings defense along with coaching up the DBs to be able to execute said coverages and roles. I expect Jones to be an incredibly valuable piece for Dan Quinn this season to help reinvent what this defense looks like to be less predictable and more dangerous in high leverage moments. In all honesty these hires feel like a desperate attempt to find the next great coordinators to help patch over the major holes and issues from last season so Dan Quinn isn’t the one out after this season. There’s absolutely a world where these young coordinators have it all figured out quickly and everything clicks but there’s also a world that Blough and/or Jones don’t look ready for this role increase (Blough more so than Jones) and this coaching staff is scrapped after this year in favor of a more Quarterback and Offensive centric group to help Jayden along.
Offensively from a roster perspective I’m not sure I have any more answers than I do questions. Outside of Jayden Daniels at Quarterback, who has questions of his own regarding injuries, I can’t say I’m sure about any position group throughout this offense. The receiver room is solid and has rounded out well with the addition of Stefon Diggs but even this group comes with major questions. Whether it’s Diggs aging and not looking like the prime version of himself over the past 2-3 years, Terry McLaurin’s injury history as of late, rookie Antonio Williams looking good in camp but largely being an unknown heading into the season, or the overall lackluster depth this unit isn’t exactly free of doubt either. The Running Back and Tight End rooms also have some intriguing names but none that move the needle for me. Where I really start to worry about this offense though is with the Offensive Line. With Laremy Tunsil this group had its questions but overall was serviceable enough for me to not be too concerned but with Tunsil now out for the majority of this season following a Tricep injury in camp I have major questions for the left side of the line. To be fair Brandon Coleman’s best position is at Left Tackle in my opinion but when you take into account he’s replacing the best Left Tackle in football it’s hard to be optimistic for what that means for this team. Chris Paul is a fine Guard that excels in pass protection, Nick Allegretti is best as a swing IOL but is currently slated as the starting Center, Sam Cosmi is a really good Guard but considering he missed last year with an injury I’m unsure what he’ll look like coming into the year, and second year Tackle Josh Conefly Jr is a good player but has to continue to grow before I feel confident in him down to down. It’s a fine unit and I don’t expect it to be the leagues worst by any means but what could have been a strength with Tunsil at Left Tackle now turns this unit into a number of question marks. This offense has the opportunity to put it all together and look closer to the 2024 version of themselves(hopefully with less predictable play calling) but I struggle with how many questions there are at every single position group.
Similar to the coaching staff talk the defensive roster has me much more optimistic for what they can become this year. There was a concerted effort here to sure up the front seven after last year’s disastrous results and while I can’t say I agree with every move they made they certainly added talent. Starting off in the Linebacker room they took Ohio State prospect Sonny Styles at 7th overall and brought in former Chief ILB Leo Chenal as well. Styles is an athletic freak and no slouch of a player either and while Chenal may not be the athlete Styles is he’s an excellent run defender and steady player overall. The difference in athleticism and coverage ability going from 35 year old Bobby Wagner last year to Sonny Styles this year will not only be significant for Dan Quinn and Daronte Jones and what they’re able to call coverage wise. They also went out and spent a large sum of money at Edge for Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson. These additions are where I’m a bit hesitant and struggle to stay optimistic for this group. While Oweh and Chaisson are solid players and certainly upgrades over what they fielded last year you’re now paying Daron Payne, Javon Kinlaw, Odafe Oweh, and K’Lavon Chaisson over $230mil in total contract value without anyone of them being true game changing talents. Don’t get me wrong they’re all really solid players and I expect it to be a middle of the road pass rush this season but the depth is far from ideal and they’re still lacking a number one guy which for that much money you should have at least one of not two of those players. The secondary is also fine but far from perfect and they’ve had to patch together their Corner room now that second year CB Trey Amos will miss at least the first four games of the season with an ankle injury. The defense is a well rounded unit and I expect this coaching staff to make the most of the players that are here but the lack of star power/game changing talent throughout is worrisome for a team that has even more questions on the other side of the ball.
It’s fitting that this Commanders team is the last that I write up for this series as I really have no clue how this season will go. You could tell me that at the end of the year the coaching staff has been fired and they’re looking towards a rebuild centered around Jayden or that they made a playoff run, the coordinator hires were outstanding, and Jayden was back to being a borderline MVP candidate and I would believe it all. There’s so many ways for this season to go for this team and I can’t say I’m confident in either outcome but if I had to lean one way it would more than likely be they’re headed towards a rebuild/retool around Jayden and the young core after this year.
Prediction
5 – 10 Wins – Playoff Hopeful
