Analyzing Our NFC East Position Rankings
The results are in and the NFC East’s best team in 2020 is …
If you have paid attention for the past 10 days and followed along you would already know the answer.
In case you didn’t, I’m here to break it down for you, starting from the beginning.
Every day for the past 10 days, my colleague at SI.com's Eagle Maven, John McMullen, received opinions from former league executives and scouts to help rank each position group of all four teams in the East.
It began on defense, with the defensive line and was followed by linebackers, cornerbacks then safeties.
The page then turned to the offensive side of the ball, going from offensive line to tight ends to receivers to running backs and, finally earlier this week, quarterbacks and head coaches.
Every story breaking down each position group can be found at:
https://www.si.com/nfl/eagles/
The important thing to remember as I go through this is that these rankings are subjective, not scientific.
The Eagles and Dallas Cowboys both finished atop the rankings in four of those categories.
Philly was at the top of the heap in tight ends, offensive line, cornerback (yes, cornerback), and head coach.
The addition of Darius Slay as CB1, coupled with the Cowboys' loss of Byron Jones in free agency, helped vault Philly to No. 1.
The Cowboys were No. 1 at running back, receiver, linebacker, and quarterback.
Yes, Dak Prescott got the nod over Carson Wentz, but the reasoning also factored in the backup position, and that was where Dallas came out ahead with Andy Dalton edging out Nate Sudfeld and Jalen Hurts.
The New York Giants failed to earn a No. 1 ranking in any of the 10 categories while the Washington Redskins picked up the top spots at defensive line and safety.
If you do the math, assigning one point for first place, two for second place, three for third and four for fourth, the team with the lowest total, and the one who appears the better positioned to win the NFC East, are the Cowboys with a total of 19 points.
The Eagles are second with 22 points. Philly was hampered a bit by placing last in the rankings at safety and receiver. That dead-last positioning accounted for eight of their 23 points.
Dallas did not finish fourth in any of the categories, which would seem to indicate that they may be slightly more rounded than the Eagles.
The New York Giants came in third with 28 points and the Redskins were last with 31 points.
The running back position was a difficult one to rank.
Washington’s Adrian Peterson is a potential Hall of Fame candidate but wasn’t helped by Derrius Guice, who has played just five games two years into an injury-filled career.
The Miles Sanders and Boston Scott duo in Philly is solid, but the depth behind them led to a third-place ranking at this spot.
That could change should a third RB rise up, like Corey Clement or Elijah Holyfield, or even the undrafted likes of Michael Warren or Adrian Killins.
Another position that could alter the outcome of the race to win the East is the receiver group.
Right now, the Eagles are lodged in fourth because of the great unknown.
For example, will DeSean Jackson and/or Marquise Goodwin have the rare injury-free season?
What role sort of contribution will the rehabbing Alshon Jeffery make?
How quickly can draft picks Jalen Reagor, John Hightower, and Quez Watkins develop without the benefit of spring drills?
The ceiling would appear to be high for the revamped WR position, but can it be reached?
All good questions that could make these rankings obsolete by the end of the season, and maybe the Cowboys won’t end up being the NFC East’s best.
