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Sticking true to form, the Cowboys have mostly flown under-the-radar during the first wave of free agency. These are trying times for many fans, as seemingly the rest of the league rushes to stockpile assets for the 2019 season, but Dallas refuses to participate.
While the impact from an active free agency varies from team-to-team, the decisions each one makes at this early point in the offseason says a lot about the intentions for 2019 and beyond. As the Cowboys look to break the curse and become back-to-back NFC East champs, what has the rest of the division done so far in prep for this season?
New York Giants
Signed/Acquired:
Left/Traded:
Where they stand now:
Philadelphia Eagles
Signed/Acquired:
Left/Traded:
Where they stand now:
Washington Commanders
Signed/Acquired:
Left/Traded:
Where they stand now:
From the outside, Cowboys haven’t done much to add to last year’s a playoff team. But with the landscape largely unchanged within their division, Dallas still figures to fight for the top with the Eagles, in hopes of taking the next step and forge its place among the best teams in the NFL.
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While the impact from an active free agency varies from team-to-team, the decisions each one makes at this early point in the offseason says a lot about the intentions for 2019 and beyond. As the Cowboys look to break the curse and become back-to-back NFC East champs, what has the rest of the division done so far in prep for this season?
New York Giants
Signed/Acquired:
-signed DB Antoine Bethea: three-years, $12.75 million
-signed DE Markus Golden: one-year, $3.75 million ($2.225M guaranteed)
-signed WR Golden Tate: four-years, $37.5 million ($22.95M guaranteed)
-acquired RG Kevin Zeitler via trade with Cleveland
-acquired DB Jabrill Peppers via trade with Cleveland
Left/Traded:
-WR Odell Beckham Jr.: traded to Cleveland
-OLB Olivier Vernon: traded to Cleveland
-DB Landon Collins: signed by Washington
-CB B.W. Webb: signed by Cincinnati
Where they stand now:
Nice move to bring in DE Markus Golden, offsetting some of the loss of production vacated by Olivier Vernon at a literal fraction of the price (Golden’s 12.5 sacks in 2016 are more than any Vernon has recorded in a single season).
But the big theme of the Giants’ offseason thus far is their full-on rebuild, after they jettisoned one of the NFL’s best players and ate a bevy of dead money for future draft picks and a near-blank slate. It’s tough to imagine New York being contenders anytime soon, considering the current state of their roster.
Philadelphia Eagles
Signed/Acquired:
-signed DT Malik Jackson: three-years, $30 million ($17M guaranteed)
-signed LB L.J. Fort: three-years, $5.5 million ($1.9M guaranteed)
-acquired WR DeSean Jackson via trade with Tampa Bay
-re-signed DE Brandon Graham: three-years, $40 million ($27M guaranteed)
Left/Traded:
-DE Michael Bennett: traded to New England
-OLB Jordan Hicks: signed by Arizona
-WR Golden Tate: signed by New York Giants
-QB Nick Foles: signed by Jacksonville
Where they stand now:
As usual, the Eagles have been very active this offseason, continuing their strategy of building a Super Bowl contender by lease. They swapped out last year’s offseason splash Michael Bennett for DT Malik Jackson, and also orchestrated a reunion to bring back WR DeSean Jackson.
Philadelphia also restructured and re-negotiated contracts for players like LT Jason Peters, C Travis Kelce, LB Nigel Bradham, and DB Rodney McLeod, all in efforts to maintain the contender that won them the 2017 Super Bowl. Will they continue to juggle cap space and contracts as the offseason wears on?
Washington Commanders
Signed/Acquired:
-DB Landon Collins: six years, $84 million ($44.5M guaranteed)
-re-signed RB Adrian Peterson: two-years, $5 million ($1.5M guaranteed)
-acquired QB Case Keenum via trade with Denver
Left/Traded:
-OLB Preston Smith: signed by Green Bay
-WR Jamison Crowder: signed by New York Jets
-OL Ty Nsekhe: signed by Buffalo
Where they stand now:
Washington curiously made the plunge for DB Landon Collins, shelling out big money to pluck the safety from the division-rival Giants. But they also let longtime veterans Jamison Crowder and Preston Smith walk in free agency.
Even with their shrewd Case Keenum acquisition, giving them at least something to offer at QB in wake of the long-term ramifications of the Alex Smith injury, Washington seems to just be treading water within the NFC East. But in such a turbulent division, some years that’s all it takes to come out on top.
From the outside, Cowboys haven’t done much to add to last year’s a playoff team. But with the landscape largely unchanged within their division, Dallas still figures to fight for the top with the Eagles, in hopes of taking the next step and forge its place among the best teams in the NFL.
Continue reading...
