How does the Washington Commanders' offense fare against the rest of the NFC East?
By Hunter Noll
NFC East Wide Receivers
Wow, is the wide receiver competition stacked in the NFC East, or what?
The Washington Commanders have constantly underrated superstar Terry McLaurin, paired with Jahan Dotson and rookie Luke McCaffrey. Jamison Crowder brings value as a backup and veteran mentor in the slot for McCaffrey. Dyami Brown has struggled but is a home run hitter who can open up the offense every once in a while.
That's a good enough group that you would imagine Washington is at least in consideration for the top spot, right? Good luck getting even close to what Philadelphia and Dallas have cooking, though.
The Philadelphia Eagles have a frankly disgusting duo of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Who cares who their third receiver is (maybe Parris Campbell?).
The Dallas Cowboys feature superstar CeeDee Lamb paired with the often underrated receiver Brandin Cooks. Dallas did lose Michael Gallup this offseason, so they don't have a clearcut number three. That top two should carry, though.
The New York Giants have had an abysmal wide receiver corps for a few years, but there are things to like. They added Malik Nabers in the draft (sixth overall), and he's almost certainly going to be a stud. Darius Slayton is solid, and Wan'Dale Robinson is promising.
It's unfair to say this because we're supposed to be grading off the receivers alone. However, New York's quarterback situation hasn't helped. Maybe any form of NFL-caliber QB play would make the receiver unit look better.
That being said, Washington's quarterbacks haven't been good either, and McLaurin always managed to stand out. The Commanders do have a new quarterback (and new coaches) this season. McLaurin is set up nicely to prove he's one of the best receivers in the world. Meanwhile, Dotson could enjoy a breakout campaign, and McCaffrey should put up numbers in the slot. Still, this is a tough division for receivers.
NFC East WR rankings:
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Dallas Cowboys
- Washington Commanders
- New York Giants