The Dallas Cowboys are coming for the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East in the 2026 season.
And you can't forget about the Giants and Commanders, either.
The NFC East is always going to draw a lot of eyes, but this could be one of the most fascinating years for the division that we've had in some time. The Eagles have been title contenders for a while now, and the Cowboys might enter the conversation if their defense can take a big leap this season.
John Harbaugh is at the helm of the Giants, and what if he can change the culture of that team in a hurry? The Commanders were just in the NFC Championship Game two seasons ago, and with a healthy Jayden Daniels, could be a threat to bounce back. Now that roster cuts are over, how do each of these teams stack up for the 2026 season?
NFL Power Rankings: Eagles still on top of NFC East in 2026...for now
4. Washington Commanders
If nobody else has been talking about it this offseason, at least we've been talking about it. The Cowboys get the majority of negative publicity for the way they played defense last year, but it was actually the Commanders who ranked 32nd in the NFL in total yards allowed.
The question we still need answered as the season goes along is a simple one: Did they make the right changes on that side of the ball?
And that's just for the defense. The Commanders' offensive line has also come into question with the way they have looked in training camp and preseason play after the Laremy Tunsil injury. Jayden Daniels has to answer questions about his durability after what we saw last season.
I wouldn't say I'm pessimistic for the Commanders, but skeptical at the very least.
3. New York Giants
With a new head coach, a young quarterback, and a bunch of key players coming off of injuries, what I'm about to say regarding the Giants is going to sound hypocritical.
I tihnk this is one of the best sleeper teams in the NFL in 2026.
Giants fans should have a genuine level of optimism for the future with John Harbaugh taking over as head coach. Even though there was an apparent ceiling with where the Ravens were at in recent years, he can be a floor-raiser for a team like the Giants.
I'm all in on Jaxson Dart for the 2026 season. He can be one of the biggest up-and-coming stars in the league, especially if his weapons around him can stay healthy.
2. Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys were a distant second behind the Philadelphia Eagles last season, but they have absolutely closed the gap.
This Cowboys team has one of the best offenses in the NFL right now. Dak Prescott is capable of being in the MVP conversation, and the Cowboys have some of the best skill position talent of any team in the league.
Nobody is really questioning Dallas on that side of the ball. Defensively, it's another discussion entirely. We're almost a year removed from the Micah Parsons trade, which was obviously a stunner before the 2025 season. The Cowboys have reloaded on the defensive front, and they have Vic Fangio disciple Christian Parker calling the shots for that unit.
It's a big "if", but if the Cowboys can take the next step on that side of the ball, they can legitimately challenge for the division title.
1. Philadelphia Eagles
As good as the Eagles have been in recent years, it's strange to see them be one of the teams to keep a whopping four quarterbacks on the 53-man roster.
Is that a sign that this roster isn't as good as we've seen in recent years? Maybe, but we already knew the Eagles were taking a couple of hits this offseason, including a big one on offense with the loss of wide receiver AJ Brown.
Dontayvion Wicks impressed throughout the offseason, and the Eagles won't likely waste any time getting Makai Lemon involved in the offense. If Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley can each have bounce-back seasons, nobody's going to be wondering about the loss of Brown.
The Eagles' defense should once again be one of the best in the league, and they have proven they can carry this team pretty far.
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