Which offseason additions within the NFC East represent dangerous newcomers that the Washington Commanders must worry about in 2023?
It’s been an interesting offseason for the Washington Commanders and around the NFC East in general. Some significant coaching and player turnover has taken place across all four teams within the division, which adds an extra layer of intrigue regarding how things might shake out when the 2023 season begins.
Three teams from the NFC East managed to make the postseason last time around. Had it not been for a couple of losses that could have gone the other way, the Commanders would have joined them as the division turned from a laughing stock into the league’s most competitive.
This doesn’t look like altering when competitive games begin once again. Something that raises the stakes for head coach Ron Rivera with the promise of new ownership coming into the fold.
On this topic, we picked out three dangerous newcomers to the NFC East that the Commanders must worry about in 2023.
Newcomer No. 1
Commanders must worry about Rashaad Penny
The Philadelphia Eagles have lost some big names as expected in free agency. Their offensive and defensive coordinators also managed to secure head coaching gigs, so it remains to be seen whether they can defend their NFC Conference championship next season.
One key loss was Miles Sanders, who joined the Carolina Panthers. He was replaced by Rashaad Penny – a player with undoubted talent who should slot into their starting running back role seamlessly.
Penny turned out just five times for the Seattle Seahawks in 2022 and played second-fiddle to Kenneth Walker III when available. He’ll get an opportunity to be the lead back in Philadelphia, but remaining healthy is the key.
Commanders must worry about Brandin Cooks
The Dallas Cowboys have never been big spenders in free agency. Team owner and general manager Jerry Jones likes to draft, develop, and reward, which is a method being implemented by Ron Rivera with the Washington Commanders since he joined the team in 2020.
However, the Cowboys did make a couple of notable moves in the trade market. All-Pro cornerback Stephon Gilmore was acquired from the Indianapolis Colts and quarterback Dak Prescott now has another weapon to call upon after Dallas secured the services of Brandin Cooks from the Houston Texans.
This is something Cooks has wanted for some time. Dallas was able to acquire the productive wide receiver for fifth and sixth-round picks, which also saw the Texans agree to pay $6 million of the player’s salary in 2023 for good measure.
The former first-round pick might be heading into the twilight of his career, but he remains a dangerous weapon with six 1,000-yard receiving seasons under his belt. Cooks looks set to form a productive wide receiver trio alongside CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup, which heightens the urgency for Washington to add another cornerback via the 2023 NFL Draft.
These trades indicate that the Cowboys are once again all-in on mounting a Super Bowl challenge in 2023. This has been a difficult task for a team that hasn’t enjoyed much playoff success over the last three decades.
Commanders must worry about Darren Waller
The New York Giants had some questions to answer this offseason after far exceeding expectations during the previous campaign. Fortunately for the organization, they managed to tie down quarterback Daniel Jones long-term and also retained Saquon Barkey for next season at least to further enhance their chances.
Brian Daboll also has yet another dynamic weapon to utilize next season after the Giants traded for Darren Waller. The tight end has endured injury problems in recent years, but there’s no doubting his credentials as one of the NFL’s most explosive pass-catchers at the position when in the mood.
Waller brings a different element to this offense. He creates mismatches at will and is a significant threat both across the middle and in the red zone, which could be enough for Jones to reach new heights under center after getting a lucrative contract extension.
This is a problem the Washington Commanders must take extremely seriously. When someone like Waller is fit, there’s not a lot any defense can do to stop him, so Jack Del Rio has his work cut out given the team’s lack of coverage capabilities at the linebacker spot.
Again, expect reinforcements to arrive via the 2023 NFL Draft. But if the Commanders want to acquire another veteran or two, then those in power must move some money around with just $2.95 million in available salary-cap space currently.