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Let’s see how the Giants fare in our unscientific ranking
The
New York Giants are in the midst of their offseason program now that the draft — which was viewed optimistically by many — has concluded. After a second consecutive dismal season, New York is ready to put up or shut up in a talented and deep NFC East that featured two teams in last year’s
NFC Championship game.
With that, I want to dissect the landscape of the NFC East and surmise how the Giants stack up against their opponents. We’re going to rank each position group in the division. The team that I believe is the strongest in any given position group will receive four points, the second-strongest three, the third two, and the fourth one.
Understand that this is a wildly scientific exercise with NO FAULTS! Nah, it’s a fun way to see how the teams rank in the NFC East. This process doesn’t necessarily account for the totality of success but rather just the talent on the roster, albeit contractual issues will be a factor.
This is the third year of this specific piece. Every year, it’s met with no criticism, and people love it. With that blatant lie, let’s start with the quarterback position.
Quarterback
4 points: Commanders
3 points: Eagles
2 points: Giants
1 point: Cowboys
I get it. Jayden Daniels could regress in his second season as
Texans’ quarterback C.J. Stroud did in the previous year. There is a possibility that NFL defensive coordinators adapt to Daniels and make the young man’s life more difficult in his sophomore campaign. It would be very impressive if Daniels doesn’t regress at all; the young man had a 5.2% touchdown rate with a 25 to nine touchdown to interceptions ratio. In the regular season alone, he threw for more than 3,500 yards with 891 yards on the ground and six rushing touchdowns.
Daniels was better than advertised and then some. He would still be elite in some areas, even with a mild regression. Daniels is on a rookie contract for the next four years — he and the
Washington Commanders are an easy four-pointer in this category.
Jalen Hurts is maligned for living in a mansion. It’s not Hurts' fault that the Eagles are (
I hate to say this) a well-oiled machine of functional football led by Howie Roseman. Hurts has two of the best receivers, the best offensive line, a top-three running back, and one of the best defensive coordinators in football behind his back, and what did he do with it — he won a
Super Bowl!
Is Jalen Hurts Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen — no — but he doesn’t have to be. He’s a Super Bowl champion and he’s been to two in the last three years. We should put some respect on his name.
The No. 3 spot is controversial, but should it be? Let me preface this by saying no Giants quarterback is as talented as Dak Prescott. I have praised Prescott for years. He’s underrated, cerebrally gifted, and he has above-average arm talent. Still, he is the highest-paid player in NFL history, with a $50.5 million cap hit in 2025 and $ 231 million guaranteed. That’s a lot of cash, and his contract has a no-trade clause.
He’s also 31 years old and missed most of last season with a torn hamstring that required surgery. I’m a big fan of Prescott, but there’s plenty of reason to pause when one looks at his contractual situation.
That brings us to the Giants and why they are ahead of Dallas. It’s simple; the Giants have two veteran quarterbacks signed to relatively inexpensive short-term deals and a rookie first-round pick whom Brian Daboll gushes over. If Dart strikes bullseye, the Giants have a 22-year-old cost-effective quarterback contract on the books. Plus, New York has a plan to allow Dart time to develop, while also possibly playing competitive football with either Russell Wilson or Jameis Winston. Dallas takes the one, New York snags the two.
Running back
4 points: Eagles
3 points: Giants
2 points: Commanders
1 point: Cowboys
Saquon Barkley is the best running back in the division — if not — in the entire NFL. Philadelphia lost Kenneth Gainwell in free agency but signed former
Green Bay Packers RB A.J. Dillon to complement Barkley (
talk about a pair of quads!). Second-year back Will Shipley is more exciting than Dillon, but the Eagles earn four points on Barkley alone.
I vacillated between the Giants and Commanders with the three-point spot. I’m a massive fan of Brian Robinson’s rushing style, physicality, and intelligence as a runner. Austin Ekeler is still an asset with the football in his hands, despite his less-than-desirable NFC Championship game last season. Jeremy McNichols is a solid depth piece, and Jacory Croskey-Merritt is an exciting seventh-round pick with a unique path into the NFL. Croskey-Merrit missed all but one game of his final college season due to eligibility concerns; he rushed for 8.2 yards per carry with a touchdown against his former college team (
New Mexico) in his lone game as an Arizona Wildcat.
Despite my respect for Washington’s rushing attack — which is improved with the threat of Jayden Daniels — I decided to give Tyrone Tracy Jr., Cam Skattebo, and Devin Singletary, as well as Eric Gray and Dante “
Turbo” Miller the nod over the Commanders. A
thunder and lightning approach of Tracy Jr. and Skattebo, with the veteran presence of Devin Singletary, is a respectable room with upside, especially if Tracy Jr. improves on his solid rookie campaign. I like the depth of the Giants more than the Commanders, where the backs have more defined roles.
Dallas is well behind the Giants and Commanders, who — again — are very comparable. The Cowboys will look to establish the run with Brian Schottenheimer. They signed Javonte Williams from the Broncos and lost Rico Dowdle in free agency. Rookie fifth-rounder out of Texas Jaydon Blue will be the lightning rod of a room with Williams, Miles Sanders, Deuce Vaughn, and seventh-round pick Phil Mafah. Dallas has one of the most questionable running back rooms in the NFL.
Wide receiver
4 points: Eagles
3 points: Cowboys
2 points: Giants
1 point: Commanders
The Eagles duo of Devonta Smith and A.J. Brown secure Philadelphia another four points. Jahan Dotson, Terrace Marshall, Johnny Wilson, and Ainias Smith are all different types of receivers with varying styles, but the top two are arguably the best pairing in the NFL.
Dallas edges the Giants out for three points with a better top-two in CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. The 11 personnel package of Malik Nabers, Darius Slayton, and Wan’Dale Robinson is better than Dallas’ options behind Lamb and Pickens: Jalen Tolbert, Jalen Brooks, Ryan Flournoy, or Jonathan Mingo. I respect KaVontae Turpin’s explosiveness, but he’s now more of a gadget wide receiver and a special teams player.
We have yet to see Jalin Hyatt’s difference-making ability at a consistent rate, albeit he flashed in his rookie season. The Giants have several professional options behind their 11 personnel package, but none are exciting — other than Hyatt, if he puts it all together. Dallas doesn’t have excitement behind Lamb and Pickens, but they’re both arguably top-15 wide receivers, and Slayton falls short of that. Dallas narrows out the Giants at wide receiver.
The Commanders are also in the same conversation with Dallas and New York after they acquired Deebo Samuel, who is coming off a down year and has battled injuries throughout his career. Terry McLaurin is one of the more underrated wide receivers in the NFL. McLaurin is great, but he’s not in the same conversation of A.J. Brown, Malik Nabers, or CeeDee Lamb. Noah Brown is a solid third option who has earned his keep in the NFL. K.J. Osborn, Luke McCaffrey, and Michael Gallup are good depth pieces at different stages of their careers. It’s close, but Washington comes in last here.
Tight end
4 points: Eagles
3 points: Cowboys
2 points: Commanders
1 point: Giants
It’s a tiny margin of difference between the four-point Eagles and the one-point Giants at tight end. Dallas Goedert is the best tight end in the division, and Grant Calcaterra is a solid 12-personnel tight end who played well when Goedert was injured. Kylen Granson is an athletic option who had limited success with the Colts. The duo of Goedert and Calcaterra earn the four-point spot.
Jake Ferguson and Luke Schoonmaker are a young, cheap duo with receiving upside, and Ferguson is a solid blocker upfront. Brevyn Spann-Ford is a quality blocking option. They narrowly “
won” over the Giants and Commanders.
New York has Theo Johnson, who must display consistent play as a starter; the Giants seem to love Johnson, who played the majority of snaps despite plenty of mental mistakes early last season. I’m optimistic about Johnson and he is WAY MORE exciting than Zach Ertz, but the latter is a professional who understands the nuances of tight end, which was invaluable for his rookie quarterback last year.
I am a massive Chris Manhertz fan and I appreciate Daniel Bellinger’s game. Manhertz is a stud blocker, as is John Bates of Washington, who just signed an extension. I was high on Ben Sinnott and think he could be in for a bigger role. As of right now, the two teams are comparable.
Still, the Giants have Thomas Fidone II and Greg Dulcich behind the aforementioned three. Washington has more options and two former Giants: Lawrence Cager and Tyree Jackson. Washington also has Cole Turner and Colson Yankoff. Cager, Jackson, and Turner are all quality receiving type of tight ends, and Yankoff is a former running back who can be creatively deployed. New York could easily surpass Washington early this season, but Theo Johnson needs to prove his reliability. Basically, I choose Washington for the right now due to more options, but I envision New York taking that over quickly if Johnson develops as planned.
Offensive tackles
4 points: Eagles
3 points: Giants
2 points: Commanders
1 point: Cowboys
Philadelphia still has Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata anchoring their offensive line. Even though I love Andrew Thomas and Jermaine Eluemunor, I must go with the Eagles, even with Johnson’s advanced age. Washington has a respectable duo with an excellent young third option in first-round pick Josh Conerly Jr.
The Commanders traded for Laremy Tunsil and have last year’s third-round pick, Brandon Coleman, set to start at right tackle. Respectable, yes, but I would take a healthy Andrew Thomas and Eluemunor over Tunsil and Coleman, albeit Conerly Jr. is better than James Hudson III and Stone Forsythe.
Dallas has a solid pair at tackle, but it comes in last for this exercise. Tyler Guyton enters his second year after a so-so first season. Terrence Steel is a respectable veteran but not enough to push Dallas over the Commanders or Giants.
Interior offensive line
4 points: Eagles
3 points: Cowboys
2 points: Giants
1 point: Commanders
I despise the Eagles, but they’re a well-oiled machine with an interior offensive line of Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, and Tyler Steen, while also having former Texans’ first-round pick Kenyon Green, who is about to receive a master’s class at Stoutland University. Jeff Stoutland gets the most out of his players and it shows on the football field.
The Cowboys have a quality interior with Tyler Smith, Cooper Beebe, and Tyler Booker. Dallas keeps expending capital on their offensive line and it’s one reason why their team is always respectable.
New York and Washington are comparable on the interior, especially if Washington had a healthy Sam Cosmi, who is recovering from a torn ACL. Washington has Nick Allegretti, Tyler Biadasz, and Andrew Wylie set to start until Cosmi comes back. It’s not terrible, but it falls just short of Jon Runyan Jr., John Michael Schmitz, and Greg Van Roten. New York also has the wildcard of Evan Neal inside, Aaron Stinnie as depth, and rookie Marcus Mbow.
Final thoughts
Here are the final results for the NFC East offense:
23 points: Eagles
13 points: Giants
12 points: Cowboys
12 points: Commanders
The Eagles missed a clean sweep thanks to Jayden Daniels, and the
NEW YORK GIANTS are second! What kind of homer stuff is this!? Trust me, the Giants have a lot of work to do to overcome the
Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Commanders on Sunday. For starters, defeating Dallas would be nice, and not being swept by the division would be just an EXCELLENT start. Still, for this silly exercise, the Giants roster — on paper — isn’t deep in the dumpster and is at least in the conversation to compete, offensively, with the other teams in the division.
However, can the Giants find ways to seize the day and win some football games? That remains to be seen. Let us know what you think of the exercise in the comments below!
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