The NFC East could end up being one of the most interesting divisions in the NFL for the 2024 NFL Season. Let's outline one nightmare scenario for each team.
The division has seen a good bit of change this offseason. The Washington Commanders hired a new head coach in Dan Quinn. The Dallas Cowboys lost Dan Quinn to the Commanders and hired Mike Zimmer in his place, and the Philadelphia Eagles hired Kellen Moore and Vic Fangio to be their new offensive and defensive coordinators.
Given all the change that has occurred, let's outline one disaster scenario for each team in this division for the 2024 NFL Season.
1 disaster scenario for each NFC East team heading into the 2024 NFL Season
Philadelphia Eagles - Jalen Hurts doesn't regain his 2022 season form
Folks, the Philadelphia Eagles may have a quarterback problem. Jalen Hurts has played four years in the NFL and has had one season of note, back in 2022 where he was an MVP candidate and where the Eagles made a run to the Super Bowl. Why are we not talking about this more?
Outside of his 2022 season, Hurts has combined to throw 45 touchdowns against 28 interceptions. He's had just one season with a passer rating above 90, as well, and his career high in completion percentage is just 66.5%, also coming in 2022.
If Jalen Hurts cannot regain his 2022 form, that would be four of five seasons where Hurts has genuinely been a below-average passer. That is a massive, massive problem.
Dallas Cowboys - Can't get major extensions done during the season
The major extensions would be Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Micah Parsons. None of the three have been given extensions this offseason, even though that was seen as what the team was going to do in 2024. Well, they at least have the upcoming season to be able to get these deals done, and they should prioritize them for Lamb and Parsons at least.
Both are elite, foundational players, and even if the Dallas Cowboys plan on rebuilding and moving on from Dak Prescott, it's wise to keep their two best players around in Lamb and Parsons. It'd be a nightmare if these deals did not get done.
New York Giants - Team wins too many games
The New York Giants are going absolutely nowhere with Daniels Jones and Drew Lock at QB, and they also may not be going anywhere with Joe Schoen as their General Manager. Maybe the 15th-best team in the NFC, the big nightmare scenario for the G-Men is them winning too many games in 2024.
Too many games could give the team false hope that they are that much closer to competing, and it could also push them out of range for a top QB in the 2025 NFL Draft. Neither Jones or Lock have come close to proving that they can be a franchise quarterback, so the Giants should not fall into that trap if they are able to win, let's say, seven games in 2024.
Washington Commanders - Jayden Daniels does not at all look the part
With a rookie quarterback, teams aren't exactly expecting them to light it up and play like CJ Stroud did during his rookie season, but the passer must show some type of potential that warrants them being given a year two, three, etc. The Washington Commanders took Jayden Daniels with the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and I am not sure that was the right pick.
The Commanders are clearly going to start Daniels for most, if not all of the 2024 season, but the biggest disaster here for the team is if Daniels just doesn't at all look the part of a franchise quarterback. Some rookies have been so brutally bad that a year two isn't even in the question.
With Daniels being such a high pick, the odds may be that much more likely that he could play well enough to continue with the team, but there is always a chance he does not, so the nightmare for the Commanders is quite obvious.