What NFL Teams Need/Want In The Offseason: NFC East
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Cowboys: So, Derrick Henry? Or Josh Jacobs? Or Austin Ekeler? The Cowboys need to address their red zone issues and one of those guys might help. The club also needs to make a decision on a Dak Prescott extension. Well, they don't need to, but should because he's in the final year of his contract and an extension is one way to lower his $59.45 million cap charge for 2024. Other business includes re-signing left tackle Tyron Smith or finding a replacement. Then there's the defense … cornerback Stephon Gilmore seems likely to leave in free agency, and safety Jayron Kearse is also unrestricted. The Cowboys aren't flush with draft picks or cap space (currently $3 million over the cap) so there's little room for error.
Eagles: They need a cornerback. Then, perhaps, another one. They could use two new starters because Darius Slay is 32 and coming off an injury and James Bradberry was a liability much of 2023. Give new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio two solid corners, and he'll make it work somehow. The club will need a new center if Jason Kelce retires, as expected. The Eagles have three of the draft's first 53 selections, so they should come away with some help there. And they manage the cap well enough and have flexibility enough to continue as contenders. That is good because coach Nick Sirianni and general manager Howie Roseman are kind of on notice that 2024 must be successful.
Giants: They have three picks in the draft's first 47 selections and they need each of those, including two in the second round, to become starting players almost immediately. Why that sort of urgency? Because this team has multiple areas of need and only middle of the pack cap space at around $39 million. With that space and the draft picks, the G-Men have to resolve their Saquon Barkley issue – to re-sign or let him walk – find a veteran backup QB that can be more than just functional, fortify the offensive line and address the secondary, particularly at cornerback. The club is also sorely lacking an outside receiver with consistency. One bright spot is the team can add about $26 million in cap space by restructuring the contracts of both left tackle Andrew Thomas and nose tackle Dexter Lawrence.
Commanders: The facts that stand out are quite compelling in that the Commanders lead the NFL with $96 million in cap space, have a super rich owner who seems willing to spend based on his commitment to improving the club's stadium situation, and they own the No. 2 overall selection in the upcoming draft. That high pick could net the Commanders either Caleb Williams or Drake Maye. That's a lot of wonderful opportunities coming in one offseason. Good management could turn this into a solid foundation-laying offseason the franchise has lacked for decades. This is the offseason to find a franchise quarterback, solidify the interior of the offensive line for that QB, and find edge rushers (plural) the team no longer has after trading away Montez Sweat and Chase Young.
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