Training camp battles heat up in NFC East
What are some of the interesting position battles in the NFC East?
The NFC East is maybe the most competitive division in the NFL. It houses the reigning NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles, two others — the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants — that made the playoffs in 2022 and a Washington Commanders team that went 8-8-1. 2023 could bring just as much excitement and intrigue within the division. Let’s take a look at one training camp battle for each team in the division, starting with the current kings of the NFC.
Philadelphia Eagles - Starting safeties
The Eagles will have two new starting safeties this season. C.J. Gardner-Johnson is now in Detroit (and hurt), and Marcus Epps went to Las Vegas. The top contenders are one of last year’s key rookies, Reed Blankenship, free-agent signing Terrell Edmunds and rookie Sydney Brown.
After his strong play in place of the injured Gardner-Johnson last year, Reed Blankenship has stood out, particularly in joint training camp practice with the Cleveland Browns. He has the inside track to one of the spots, leaving Edmunds and Brown to compete for the other. There could also be times we see all three safeties on the field together. Brown is one to watch. He was a good hybrid player in what was a talented group of Illinois defensive backs that included No. 5 overall pick Devon Witherspoon.
Dallas Cowboys - No. 1 tight end
Dalton Schultz is now in Houston, so the Cowboys need to fill his shoes. They have three young options that will battle for the spot. First, there’s Jake Ferguson, Dallas’ fourth-round pick from 2022 out of Wisconsin. He’s staking his claim for TE1 in Dallas. Next, there’s Peyton Hendershot, a 2022 rookie free agent out of Indiana. Finally, there’s Luke Schoonmaker, the second-round rookie out of Michigan. A lot of Big Ten flavor there.
The Cowboys clearly see something in Schoonmaker to take him in the second round. They could easily give him every opportunity to be the man. But all three look to have a shot. At the very least, the Cowboys could have one of the deepest tight end rooms in the NFL.
New York Giants - Wide receiver rotation
The Giants have what feels like a ton of wide receivers. Maybe more specifically, a ton of slot wide receivers. The wide receiver room currently includes Isaiah Hodgins, Darius Slayton, Parris Campbell, Jalin Hyatt, Sterling Shepard, Wan’Dale Robinson and Jamison Crowder. Who gets the first crack? How will the Giants utilize all these receivers? Who even makes the cut?
Daniel Jones certainly won’t have a shortage of options on offense. We’ll see if this summer shows if he or Brian Daboll have a preference among the group.
Washington Commanders - Quarterback
This one is probably the most obvious battle to watch, and an interesting one at that. The Commanders have pushed the narrative that they are fully behind 2022 fifth-round pick Sam Howell, who started Week 18 last season. He has started the preseason with some shine.
Washington has a strong roster, especially on defense. Quarterback is the biggest question mark. Can Howell prove he is the guy? Can he hold off Jacoby Brissett, who always seems to rise from the ashes? If Washington can figure things out at the position, don’t count them out in the wild card discussion.