I don’t like to sugar-coat things. If something looks FANTASTIC, I like to point it out. If something looks BAD, I will bring that to the forefront.
In this series, “The Cold, Hard Truth”, I will give my analysis on various parts of the team in an effort to allow healthy discussions on the specific topics at hand.
**Washington has the least talented overall roster in the NFC East - by a LONG shot**:
General managers and head coaches always speak about competing within, and winning, your division. It’s the most sure-fire way to get your team into the playoffs.
For the Commanders, there is some major work to be done to make them competitive with the rest of the NFC East from an overall talent perspective. Although there are other factors that contribute to winning - coaching, health, and even some luck; talent is usually what separates the good teams from the bad.
Below is a breakdown of how each team in the division ranks on a positional basis as things stand **BEFORE** the offseason starts. I wanted to do this now and compare it to how these teams look after free agency and the NFL draft so we can get the full perspective.
**This should be a fun exercise to see which teams improved and which stayed the same or got worse during the offseason.**
* Commanders
* Cowboys
* Eagles
* Giants
The Commanders take this one in convincing fashion. Being quarterback is the most important position in the league, this will hold some weight in overall rankings.
* Eagles
* Cowboys
* Giants
* Commanders
The Eagles take this category running away. There are some really good running backs in free agency and a guy by the name of Love in the NFL draft so these rankings can change a bit heading into May, although it will be tough for anyone to catch Philly. The Giants are the ones to watch here if Skattebo returns to full health.
* Cowboys
* Eagles
* Giants
* Commanders
Dallas is the clear-cut favorite here and part of that is their recent decision to place the franchise tag on George Pickens. What happens with A.J. Brown over these next two months will be telling. The Giants are a sneaky up-and-comer while Washington is pulling up the rear - but has a chance to make some noise over these next six weeks.
* Eagles
* Cowboys
* Giants
* Commanders
This is a toss-up between the Eagles and Cowboys with the Eagles getting a slight edge now before Goedert’s fate is decided. The Giants are a team to watch as they have a nice young option in Theo Johnson.
* Eagles
* Cowboys
* Commanders
* Giants
Washington could be number two here if they hadn’t just created a big hole by releasing Tyler Biadasz. If they land a solid center this offseason, they could make a jump up based on potential alone.
* Eagles
* Giants
* Commanders
* Cowboys
The Eagles absolutely DESTROY the rest of the division here, despite the Giants boasting Dexter Lawrence.
* Giants
* Eagles
* Cowboys
* Commanders
The Giants are absolutely stacked at the EDGE position and it’s really not a close race when you look at both production and potential. Philly may lose some guys to free agency, but they still have talent and youth waiting in the wings. This is arguably Washington’s weakest current position, and it will take significant resources to bump this group up.
* Eagles
* Cowboys
* Giants
* Commanders
This is another area where Washington is pretty lacking in young, producing talent. That said, a few strategic offseason moves can significantly see them rise on this list. The Eagles may lose one of their top young backers, but they have guys on the roster who can still keep them on top in the division.
* Eagles
* Cowboys
* Giants
* Commanders
Yet another positional group where the Eagles are the clear-cut winners. Having two All-Pros will tend to do that. Washington has some young guys who need to prove it to help them raise their position here.
* Giants
* Cowboys
* Eagles
* Commanders
There are not a lot of stand-out safeties in the NFC East, however the Giants have the best combination of talent within the division. As things currently stand, Washington doesn’t have a player on their current roster who would start for any other team in the division’s back end. Hopefully that can change this offseason.
1. Eagles
2. Cowboys
3. Giants
4. Commanders
The Eagles are the runaway favorites for most talented team in the NFC East, and I believe there is a significant gap between them and Dallas. The Commanders have the edge over the Giants in some key areas (most noticeably quarterback and offensive line); however, they fall significantly behind on defense. Although New York is a bit younger at the skill positions, they are a team on the rise who could potentially challenge Dallas for second best overall talent in the division with a good offseason.
Thankfully, Washington has the most salary cap space in the division and also boasts the second-highest first-round draft pick (No. 7 overall). There is plenty of time for improvement, and it will be up to Adam Peters to make some roster additions that move the needle this offseason to get Washington back to a competitive position within the NFC East.
Although the current outlook looks grim, this article is TO BE CONTINUED…
See More:
* [Washington Commanders Analysis](/washington-commanders-analysis)