As NFL teams gear up for the start of their rookie mini camps and OTA’s coaches and their players are gearing up for the roster battles and potential lineup changes that will come from the new players arriving from the draft and undrafted free agency. The coaches will be excited to see how their new players look once they can get their hands on them, while the players welcome the competition but want to show they belong in this league and on their team’s roster.
In the NFC East, the majority of the positions have established players leading the way and players that aren’t in any danger of not making the final roster, but there are a few areas on each team that will have some intriguing position battles to determine possible starters and immediate backups on their rosters. Here are three of those potential battles for each NFC East team.
Dallas Cowboys Intriguing Position Battles for 2023 NFL season
Linebacker: Jabril Cox vs Devin Harper
The Cowboys front office and coaching staff had high hopes for Jabril Cox when they drafted him, unfortunately, injuries had stalled his development so much so that the Cowboys continued to draft linebackers. One of those linebackers Devin Harper is another player this coaching staff is high on and a player that has a similar game to Cox. The loss of Luke Gifford in free agency has now opened up a very important backup role in this linebacker group and with Micah Parsons, Leighton Vander Esch, and Damone Clark having clear roles on this team Cox and Harper are going to be battling it out for that last spot. Harper’s inexperience might hurt him, but Cox’s injury history isn’t going to help him either. Whichever player is able to stay healthy and carve out a clear role for themselves on special teams and have a firm understanding of defensive coordinator Dan Quinn’s scheme will take this position battle.
Kicker: Tristan Vizcaino vs Player to be signed
Arguably the biggest hole left on this roster has to be at kicker for the Cowboys and going into camp with just one is something that most teams aren’t willing to do at the start of camp. Whether it be to protect their main kicker or to create competition in order to field the best kicker on their roster. The Cowboys at this point haven’t made a decision on who their kicker is going to be but Vizcaino who has briefly kicked for other teams around the league shouldn’t be the only player basically trying out for them. Expect the Cowboys to sign another kicker once John Fassell gets his hands on Vizcaino and wants to see what else is out there. They could even trade for a kicker but this position battle will ultimately be settled in training camp and during the preseason.
Left Guard: Chuma Edoga vs Matt Farniok vs Asim Richards vs T.J. Bass vs Earl Bostick, Jr.
If the Cowboys truly want to field the best five offensive linemen this season then Tyler Smith at left tackle is the best option over Tyron Smith but that leaves the left guard spot open once again. The team did make moves to try and address the position signing Edoga and drafting Richards but they aren’t the only options for Dallas in this position battle. They have Farniok who’s another true guard/center and undrafted free agents Bass and Bostick Jr. While Farniok was drafted by the former offensive line coach he still has an experience edge over the rest of this group but one this the others have on him would be their athletic ability, meaning the ability to cut off pass rushers and get to the second level. This is going to be the most important position battle for the Cowboys this offseason, if they can figure out which of the players from this group best fits what they want at left guard they need to get them in there immediately in order to build a rapport with center Tyler Biadasz and left tackle, Tyler Smith.
New York Giants Intriguing Position Battles
Running Back: Matt Breida vs Eric Gray
The Giants are working towards a new deal with running back Saquon Barkley but what about the running backs fighting for the role behind him? Breida is a seasoned vet with experience in the offense but the team drafted a running back this year in Eric Gray. Gray much like Breida is a good pass-catching running back out of the backfield and a productive runner between and outside of the tackles. Breida is going to have a real battle on his hands with this possibly coming down to which of the two is the better pass blocker for quarterback Daniel Jones. Whoever is able to do that will get the upper hand on the other, but with the team drafting Gray, Breida could be a cap casualty if he can’t show he’s the better back.
Left Guard: Ben Bredeson vs Joshua Ezeudu
The Giants really like Ezeudu and there were many who thought that he would be their starting left guard last season until his neck injury. Now Ezeudu is back but he won’t just to thrust into the starting role, he’s going to have to beat out Bredeson played well for the team last season but there is one area of his game that could hurt him and that’s in the power department. If Bredeson hasn’t improved in that area of his game then it will open the door for Ezeudu to step in early on and take over as their starting left guard. Much like to Cowboys’ this left guard position battle could make or break their offensive line this season.
Free Safety: Bobby McCain vs Jason Pinnock
The classic veteran vs rookie battle, we’ve seen it so many times, and yet you can’t help but root for the young rookie to come in and beat out the wily veteran. McCain is a smart safety with a knack for making plays on the football, Pinnock coming in is going to have to show that the speed of the game isn’t too fast for him because the knock on him is that if he gets caught peeking in the backfield his recovery time suffers and that can shake his confidence. It’s going to be very important that Pinnock to get ahead of that and be the player that the team liked on tape. McCain is going to have to show that he hasn’t lost a step and can handle the speedy receivers that are more prevalent in the league now.
Philadelphia Eagles Intriguing Position Battles
Defensive Tackle: Jordan Davis vs Fletcher Cox
When the Eagles took Davis in the first round last season many assumed he would come in and become the immediate starter as the run-stuffing defensive tackle that also can run the passer if needed. That plan didn’t come to fruition after an injury-riddled season, luckily the Eagles had lifelong Eagle Fletcher Cox on the roster to pick up the slack. This time around Davis is coming back healthy but it seems the Eagles aren’t sure about him yet as they decided to bring back Cox on a one-year deal. When training camp comes around this will literally be the biggest position battle on the roster. Can the young and talented Davis get over his injury issues or will the Eagles once again rely on Cox to come in and start next to Davis’s old college teammate Jalen Carter?
Running Back: Rashaad Penny vs Kenneth Gainwell vs Boston Scott
Going into the NFL draft the Eagles still had not really addressed the hole left by Miles Sanders who departed in free agency. Sure they signed Penny but with his injury issues, they couldn’t just go with that, in comes D’Andre Swift in a trade with the Lions. He’s penciled in to be their day-one starter but who will back him up? Penny, Gainwell, and Scott are all going into this with something to prove. Penny that his injury issues are behind him and that will allow his talent to shine, Gainwell is out to show that he can be a reliable number two just like he was behind Sanders, and Scott will be looking to show he can handle the workload and outshine Penny and Gainwell. This one may honestly come down to the last man standing with the one coming in last place out on the street.
Free Safety: Reed Blankenship vs Sydney Brown
Last season when C. J. Gardner-Johnson went down Blankenship came in and played very well in his absence, now with Gardner-Johnson gone they have a hole to fill at free safety and it will come down to Blankenship and Brown as to who will take over the role. Brown who was drafted in the third round of this year’s draft comes in with a lot to prove but also a lot to work on. His main issue is missed tackles and if he can’t get a handle on that problem then the starting position is as good as Blankenship’s. If he can then his physical abilities will show and he will be able to beat out Blankenship for that position.
Washington Commanders Intriguing Position Battles
Quarterback: Sam Howell vs Jacoby Brissett
I’m not sure why but the Commanders seem dead set on giving Howell a shot at the starting job in Washington DC, an idea that boggles the mind. They did however bring in Brissett who’s bounced around the league with various teams in a backup quarterback role, and at times thrust into the starting lineup. Howell is obviously the more athletic of the two but Brissett has more experience setting this up to be a very interesting battle for the Commanders. Do you take the young quarterback with one start under his belt or the veteran with more experience but also tape that allows teams to figure out what he can and can’t do on the field? I still have a feeling the Commanders aren’t done at quarterback and may look to sign or trade for someone before training camp.
Right Guard: Sam Cosmi vs Chris Paul vs Saahdiq Charles
This offensive line was decimated by injuries last season so the Commanders brought in a few players to throw up against a wall and see what sticks. Cosmi, Paul, and Charles are all average guards but if you had to choose one with the upper hand it might be Charles. His size and strength are seemingly better than the others and they’re going to need that against the retooled defensive lines around the NFC East. With as long as it’s taking for the Commanders to pick a quarterback, it might take even longer before they are able to figure out who they want to start at right guard. Whoever it is they better be solid in the running game and able to hold their own in the passing game or it won’t really matter who the quarterback is.
Tight End: Logan Thomas vs Armani Rogers vs Cole Turner
The Commanders did add speed at the tight end position with Rodgers and Turner giving them the ability to stretch the field and attack linebackers and safeties down the seam. The problem is Thomas who last season started off slow as he was coming back from a knee injury from the year prior, though he did come on at the end of the season. If Thomas can continue to produce then Rodgers and Turner aren’t going to get a chance to showcase their talents. If Thomas gets off to another slow start then that could be their chance to step in and take over the starting tight end role. Though the Commanders could see Thomas’s blocking as more of an asset if their offensive line doesn’t shape up the way they’d like for it to.