We’re one week into the NFL’s free agency period, so it’s time to take a step back and look at the division.
There’s still a lot of time left for teams to add players in free agency, but here’s an early look at how all four teams in the NFC East have done so far:
Cowboys
Staying: QB Dak Prescott, WR Amari Cooper, LB Sean Lee, CB Anthony Brown, CB C.J. Goodwin, K Kai Forbath, TE Blake Jarwin, LB Joe Thomas, LB Justin March-Lillard
Coming: DT Gerald McCoy, S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, CB Maurice Canaday
Leaving: CB Byron Jones, DE Robert Quinn, DT Maliek Collins, WR Randall Cobb, OG Xavier Su’a-Filo, S Jeff Heath, OT Cameron Fleming, TE Jason Witten
Analysis: The Cowboys did what they needed to by slapping a franchise tag on Dak Prescott and then signing Amari Cooper, but they’re losing some other key players because of it. I still think they were right to prioritize those two, though. They bought themselves some time to sign their QB to a long-term deal and losing Cooper should have never even been an option. But because of the money going to those guys, they lost Jones, Quinn, Collins, Cobb and others. We’re talking about losing several key starters from last year’s team and their defense will suffer because of it. But I do like the addition of McCoy even at age 32.
NFL
Giants
Staying: DT Leonard Williams, K Aldrick Rosas, LB David Mayo, WR Cody Core, WR Corey Coleman
Coming: CB James Bradberry, LB Blake Martinez, LB Kyler Fackrell, TE Levine Toilolo, S Nate Ebner, OT Cameron Fleming, QB Colt McCoy
Leaving: OT Mike Remmers, CB Antonio Hamilton
Analysis: The Giants spent big on defense by first franchise-tagging Williams and then by signing Bradberry and Blake Martinez. But they also didn’t really address edge rusher and I think they overpaid for linebackers, a very different philosophy than the one the Eagles use. They still have a need at OL, which they will presumably address with the No. 4 overall pick in the upcoming draft.
Redskins
Staying: OG Brandon Scherff, LB Jon Bostic, DT Caleb Brantley
Coming: CB Kendall Fuller, LB Thomas Davis, S Sean Davis, LB Kevin Pierre-Louis, QB Kyle Allen, RB J.D. McKissic, OG Wes Schweitzer, TE Logan Thomas, OT Cornelius Lucas, DE Nate Orchard
Leaving: OG Ereck Flowers, QB Case Keenum, CB Josh Norman
Analysis: The Skins started off their free agency period by tagging Scherff, which they needed to do. I think Scherff is their best player and even though he’s a guard, they couldn’t let him get away. Then they added Fuller, Davis, Davis and Pierre-Louis, all moves that should bolster the defense — a defense that wasn’t very good in 2019 — under Ron Rivera in his first year at the helm in Washington. The move to replace Flowers with Schweitzer seemed like a solid one after seeing what Flowers got paid on the open market. But the whole Trent Williams situation is looming and that’s a big one to figure out.
Eagles
Staying: S Rodney McLeod, DB Jalen Mills, DT Hassan Ridgeway, QB Nate Sudfeld
Coming: CB Darius Slay, DT Javon Hargrave, S Will Parks, LB Jatavis Brown
Leaving: S Malcolm Jenkins, RB Jordan Howard, WR Nelson Agholor, OT Halapoulivaati Vaitai, LB Kamu Grugier-Hill
Analysis: The Eagles made their big splash by trading for Slay but the move to sign Hargrave shouldn’t be overlooked either. He’ll be a big part of the defense in 2020. They also made a decision to move on from Malcolm Jenkins, which is a questionable one based on how much he meant to the team. But they brought back McLeod for a very reasonable price. They still need to find receivers, but might wait for the draft to do it.
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