Team to beat in the NFC East
Philadelphia. You don’t win the with your backup quarterback and suddenly become an underdog in your own division, especially when that division includes the Giants, Redskins and Cowboys. Quarterback Carson Wentz should be back from knee surgery and ready to win the Lombardi Trophy as the starter.
New faces
Dallas. Wide receiver Michael Gallup, wide receiver , wide receiver , defensive end Kony Ealy, offensive tackle Cameron Fleming, offensive tackle Connor Williams, linebacker Leighton Vander Esch. The Cowboys, in search of a replacement for , loaded up on wide receivers.
New York. Offensive tackle Nate Solder, wide receiver , running back Saquon Barkley, running back , linebacker Alec Ogletree, linebacker Lorenzo Carter, punter . The Giants signed 10 players during free agency, none more important than Solder, the former CU star.
Philadelphia. Wide receiver , defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, tight end Dallas Goedert, cornerback Avonte Maddox. Not a lot of new faces of interest for the Eagles, but Wallace should be an instant boost to a quarterback who’s quickly blossoming into one of the NFL’s best.
Washington. Quarterback Alex Smith, wide receiver , linebacker Pernell McPhee, defensive tackle Da’Ron Payne, running back Derrius Guice. Is Smith an upgrade from ? Probably not. Is he a downgrade? If so, not significantly, but the 34-year-old’s career is winding down.
Impact rookies
Dallas. Don’t be surprised to see Gallup, the Colorado State product, as the NFL’s breakout rookie this season.
New York. Barkley could have been the No. 1 overall pick, and even though the Giants needed a quarterback in the draft, they couldn’t pass up the running back at No. 2.
Philadelphia. Tight end was one of the heroes of last season’s Super Bowl, but South Dakota State’s Goedert (No. 49 overall) will provide the Eagles with a reliable second option.
Washington. The Redskins’ first-round pick (No. 13 overall) should bring the Payne as a starter in Week 1.
On the hot seat
Dallas coach Jason Garrett. Then again, when is Garrett — or any Cowboys coach — not on the hot seat?
Predicted order of finish
1. Philadelphia. Super Bowl-or-bust for the defending world champions.
2. Dallas. Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliot had sophomore slumps. If they can bounce back, the Cowboys should be wild-card contenders.
3. Washington. Redskins have worked to solidify their defense. Likely not in the playoff picture.
4. New York. The good news? It won’t be worse than last year.
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