While powerhouse Philadelphia is starting to show signs of decline and Dallas treads water in the division, the Giants and Commanders are emerging in the NFC East behind two talented young quarterbacks
By Matthew Serocki | June 15, 2026
Despite the Philadelphia Eagles winning the Super Bowl after the 2024 season and winning the division in each of the last two seasons, the NFC East is up for grabs in 2026. Nick Sirianni may have guided his team to an 11-6 record, but the season was not without controversy.
Ongoing issues with wide receiver AJ Brown and Jalen Hurts dominated conversations. Getting back to the Super Bowl was also looming over the defending champions. The once unstoppable offensive attack put forth by the team seemingly struggled to find an identity from week to week.
The San Francisco 49ers finished third in the NFC West and dispatched the Eagles in the Wildcard Round. Coming off a season full of so much tumult, coupled with varying issues with the other teams in the division, means that the NFC East could truly be up for grabs in the 2026 season.
The Eagles were the first back-to-back NFC East Champions since they achieved the feat dating back to 2001-2004. Doing so for a third straight year will be tougher than ever, especially after every other team in the division looks different heading into 2026. Except for a pathetic 7-9 division win for Washington in 2020, Dallas and Philadelphia have traded the division crown every year since 2016.
Dallas was second in the league in 2025 in both total offense (391.9 yards/game) and passing yards per game (266.3), trailing only the Rams in both categories. The offense clearly wasn’t the issue as CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, and Javonte Williams had strong seasons with Dak Prescott directing the offense.
The defense, however, was comically bad, allowing over 377 yards per game to opposing defenses, ranking 30th in the league. While two teams were worse (Washington and Cincinnati), the Cowboys allowed the most points (511) in 2025.
The Jets (503) were the only other team to surrender more than 500 points. That was even after a mid-season trade of Micah Parsons to the Packers and the addition of Quinnen Williams. Drafting safety Caleb Downs looks good on paper, but will it translate onto the field?
The New York Giants have a renewed sense of optimism after seeing potential from quarterback Jaxson Dart and running back Cam Skattebo in 2025. Adding a proven head coach like John Harbaugh should help shore up inefficiencies across the roster, but that doesn’t mean the team is without controversy.
Harbaugh had to address a political choice made by his young quarterback, and probably wasn’t expecting to have to defend a player in that way. The offense should get all-world receiver Malik Nabers back at some point. Adding tight end TE Isaiah Likely to Theo Johnson should give Dart a good one-two punch at the position.
The defense was laden with talent in the front eight- Brian Burns, Abdul Carter, and Kayvon Thibideaux. Dexter Lawrence was traded to the Bengals. New York added Arvell Reese in the draft and defensive back Greg Newsome, Shelby Harris, and DJ Reader in free agency.
The key is getting them all to play together within the scheme. Doing better than allowing 25.8 points per game is paramount if the Giants want their optimism and hype to match up with success in the standings.
Washington is the wildcard of the division. Can quarterback Jayden Daniels stay healthy, and if so, which version shows up – the rookie who took the league by storm in 2024 and guided the commanders to the NFC Title game or the middling team that was inconsistent from week to week?
Potential is great, but some stars flame out after a dazzling season. Should Daniels maintain even half of what he accomplished in 2024, the Commanders could make a lot of noise in 2026. If not, Washington may have to have the one-hit wonder conversation.
Most of what happens also comes down to Philadelphia. Is the alleged infighting over now that Brown was traded to New England? Was that just the first domino to fall before the team is broken up?
The defense still had some kick, allowing 19.1 points per game. The wheels will either get back on track or completely deflate in 2026. For all the changes each team made in the off-season, the NFC East could be one of the most competitive – or disappointing – divisions in the NFL in 2026.
Matt Serocki is a freelance journalist based outside of Boston, Massachusetts. He’s been an avid NFL and MLB fan for over 35 years, and his favorite teams are the New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers, Boston Red Sox, Boston Celtics, and Washington Commanders. Matt also writes about professional wrestling for Sportskeeda.
