It has been a busy free agency period in the NFL and the NFC East was right in the thick of things. A couple of these teams were not only tied to the biggest names on the market but they also made some solid pickups as well. I really like the moves most of these teams made and that will make the the race for the division championship will be very entertaining next year.
New York Giants
The Giants have had one of the best off seasons in the league as they’ve filled in some of the holes in their roster. One of the biggest issues last season was running back as the David Wilson struggled all season. The team signed Rashad Jennings who has been waiting to get his shot as the go to guy for a while. He’s been a great backup for several teams like Jacksonville and Oakland but he’ll definitely be the number one guy in New York. The defense also has improved with the additions of Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Quintin Demps, Walter Thurmond and Jameel McClain. And finally with the addition of Trindon Holliday the special teams improves drastically as well.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles had one of the busiest free agency periods in the NFL. They resigned two of their top receivers Jeremy Maclin and Riley Cooper. Cooper had a good season filling in for Maclin last season so bringing him back was a good move. Maclin was an awesome playmaker in the past before his injury. The offense also added the top offensive weapon in the league in Darren Sproles from the Saints. Add in the acquisition of cornerback Nolan Carroll the Eagles should stay at the top of the division following their division championshipwith a great off season.
Washinton Redskins
The Washington Redskins won their first division title since 1999 in 2012 but were the divisions worst team last year. The team will need fill several holes and add depth across the board to be competitive again. The Redskins started off the free agency period strong bringing back two of their starting linebackers Brian Orakpo and Perry Riley. If new coach Jay Gruden can get Robert Griffin III back on track to his 2012 self the Redskins can once again be a competitive team. The team also brought in Tracey Porter and Jason Hatcher to help solidify their defense. If the team can fill the holes at safety they will no doubt improve after the terrible 3-13 2013 season.
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys have had a tough off season as they lost a couple stars on the defensive line Jason Hatcher and Demarcus Ware. They were able to sign Terrell McClain, Jeremy Mincey, and Brandon Weeden. The Cowboys have finish 8-8 in the last couple seasons and without making any big moves in free agency it looks like they’ll rely on the draft. The Cowboys were easily one of the most talented teams if not the most talented last year but if they don’t find a way to upgrade their defensive line and safeties they’ll have a tough time keeping up with the other three teams.
Right now I really like the moves the Eagles and Giants have made. The Eagles have done really well bringing in talent after surprising the division and winning the championship. They should be able to build on that success with the weapons they will get back on offense. But the NFC East free agent champions 2014 is the New York Giants with all the key moves they’ve made. Holliday is one of the best special teams guys in the league and we saw how bad special teams could drag a team down last year, cough cough Redskins cough. They Giants were the only team to improve all three phases of their game and will no doubt be a top contender for the NFC East crown.