NFC East: Each team’s biggest need heading into the NFL draft 

By Rhys Knott

The NFC East teams combined to win just 27 games in 2025 while losing 40! As a result of that dumpster fire of a year, there are now three new offensive coordinators! Klayton Adams in now the longest tenured OC in the division, and he only joined the Cowboys in 2025! 

To balance out that relative stability, the Cowboys have hired a new defensive coordinator (and Christian Parker used to work for the Eagles)! Not to be outdone, the Commanders and Giants also hired new DCs. 

What all four teams need after such a busy off-season is a rest. But the real work starts now. It’s draft time! 

Washington Commanders

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Everyone and anyone will tell you that the Commanders are going to take Jeremiyah Love. That may well be true, although Love shouldn’t fall to the seventh pick. Even if Love does land in Washington, running back is not their biggest issue.  

Adam Peters has already signed Rachaad White and Jerome Ford in free agency. They join Jacory Croskey-Merritt who had a very promising rookie season in ’25.

Croskey-Merrit averaged 4.7 yards per touch, scoring eight touchdowns; even Jeremy McNichols averaged 6 yards per carry. 

The problem for Dan Quinn’s Commanders in 2025 was the defense.

They ranked 30th for rushing yards allowed and 28th for passing yards in 2025. Quinn and Peters need to fix that in the draft. 

Peters has added 11 new faces on the defensive side of the ball in free agency. But they could still use a sprinkling of stardust. 

New defensive coordinator Daronte Jones is a former defensive backs coach with the Vikings. That makes Caleb Downs the best option for the Commanders in the first round.  

Josh’s younger brother, Downs, is the most talented player in the class, but that doesn’t mean he will be gone before the Commanders pick. PFF expect Downs to land in D.C. after the Cowboys trade up to 3.

Teams rarely trade into the top three, but when the 2026 class is believed to be one of the weakest in recent history, anything could happen. 

Dallas Cowboys

Jerry Jones has two picks in the first round of the 2026, but none in the second round. The smart move would be to trade one of those picks for extra, future picks. Since when are the Cowboys ever smart though? 

Anyone who has followed the Cowboys for more than four years knows that their off-seasons alternate from fixing the offense when the year ends in an even number to fixing the defense when the year ends in an odd number. 

The Cowboys 2020 picked CeeDee Lamb in 2020, Micah Parsons in 2021, offensive tackle Tyler Smith in 2022, defensive tackle Mazi Smith in 2023, another offensive tackle, Tyler Guyton in 2024, but they broke the cycle in 2025. Jerry decided to pick an offensive guard last year, maybe because he was also named Tyler. Tyler Booker landed in Arlington in 2025. 

It must be time to draft a defensive player, or two, in the first round this year, then.  

The Cowboys have acquired Rashad Gary as they look to plug the Micah Parsons-shaped hole in their defense, but he’s 28, and that defensive front desperately needs an injection of youth.  

Any number of EDGE rushers will be available when the Cowboys’ first pick rolls around at 12. Auburn EDGE defender Keldrick Faulk would be a perfect fit, but don’t be surprised if Jerry plumps for Cashius Howell from Texas A&M. 

Fortunately for Jerry, there are plenty of talented cornerbacks and safeties in the 2026 class. The Cowboys’ second first-round pick is the 20th overall.

Avieon Terrell (A.J.’s younger brother) should still be on the board. Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren is a possible pick for the Cowboys, but if Jerry wants to go a bit left field, Keionte Scott and Treydan Stukes, who can line up anywhere, will be available too. 

Philadelphia Eagles

Howie Roseman has eight picks in the 2026 draft, but the first one doesn’t come until the 23rd overall pick. If the Eagles are desperate to pick one of the standout prospects in the class (like Sonny Styles), they will need to trade up. While eight picks give them some opportunity to do that, it seems unlikely they will. 

With a new offensive coordinator who spent the last two seasons as an offensive assistant in Green Bay, it’s safe to say Roseman will be looking to invigorate a stagnant offense in the draft, too. 

Dontayvion Wicks has followed Sean Mannion to Philly from Green Bay, and Hollywood Brown has arrived too, so they don’t need any more receivers. The Eagles will be tempted to take Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq if he falls to 23, but rookie tight ends often become long-term projects. 

With such a late first pick, it will be difficult for the Eagles to find a star in the first round, but the chance to add extra depth is too good to miss. There are at least three offensive tackles who would all be an improvement on the Eagles’ current “swing tackle”, Fred Johnson, who ranked 69th out of the 89 tackles PFF ranked in 2025. Caleb Lomu, Blake Miller and Max Iheanachor, even Gennings Dunker, all have massive upside.

New York Giants

The drab appointments of John Harbaugh and Matt Nagy will be nightmare fuel for Giants fans who were looking forward to an exciting Jaxon Dart offense in 2026. The good news for Big Blue fans is that Dart rarely listened to Brian Daboll in 2025, preferring to play what he saw in front of him. 

It’s easy to see why Dexter Lawrence is demanding a trade away from the Big Apple. The defense has a strong “decent, but not Championship standard” vibe to it, and if Lawrence leaves, it will have more of a “it’s fine” vibe. 

It will be impossible to replace Lawrence’s production in this draft, but his departure could see the Giants land an extra first-round pick. 

What they really need to do is ensure Dart stays upright and avoids the concussion issues he suffered in 2025. The Giants’ pass protection ranked 30th in the PFF standings last season; they should definitely fix that in this draft. 

If they could somehow land Francis Mauigoa and Vega Ioane in the first round, Jaxon Dart will sleep a lot easier this year. But, ironically for someone who hired Matt Nagy, John Mara loves to make a splash. It wouldn’t be a shock if Carnell Tate or Jeremiyah Love land in NYC and the Giants struggle to protect Dart all over again. 

RHYS KNOTT

NFL/FANTASY FOOTBALL ANALYST

Rhys has been watching the NFL for 30 something years and still hasn’t managed to pick a team to support. When he’s not fixatED on pass rushers you can find him blithering on about most sports on Twitter @wrhys_writes

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