DALLAS
COWBOYS
The Cowboys made the playoffs for the first time after
starting a season with a 3-5 record and won a playoff game. They have one of
the youngest teams in the league and a ton of cap space to keep their own
players and add some in free agency. The arrow is up for the future.
The Dallas
Cowboys ended their season with a 30-22 loss to
the Los Angeles
Rams in the divisional round of the playoffs to finish at 11-7.
Here’s a recap of the season and what’s next:
Season grade:
Above average. That the Cowboys made the playoffs for the first time after
starting a season with a 3-5 record and won a playoff game is a positive, which
means 2018 could have been viewed as an above-average season. They have one of
the youngest teams in the league and a ton of cap space to keep their own
players and/or add some players at key spots in free agency. The arrow is up
for the future.
Season in review: The
Cowboys’ season can be broken down into two parts: before Amari Cooper and
after Amari Cooper. The Cowboys were 3-4 when Cooper arrived in a trade from
Oakland, and they went on to win seven of their last nine game. There were
several highs. Ezekiel
Elliott returned to form and won his second rushing title in
three seasons. The defense showed it was one of the better units, as well. The
Cowboys went from inept offensively before Cooper to passable with him. It cost
them a 2019 first-round pick to get Cooper, but the trade was worth it. There
were some cracks this season, however -- such as on the offensive line, where
Pro Bowlers Tyron Smith, Travis
Frederick and Zack Martin all
missed time to injury (Frederick missed the entire season). Second-round
pick Connor
Williams struggled at times at left guard, and right
tackle La'el Collins battled
consistency issues. Considering the prices paid up front, the Cowboys need to
get more out of the group in 2019.
He said it: "I don't
recommend it to anybody, but one of the neat things is if you can dig a big
hole and dig out of the hole, that’s a better story. Like I said, I don’t
recommend it to anybody, and there was nothing deliberate about it. When we won
our championships in the '90s, no one thought anything but that we tore that
franchise up. But it made it nicer coming out of that hole." -- Cowboys
owner Jerry Jones, on starting 3-5 but making the playoffs.
KEY
OFFSEASON QUESTIONS
Will the Cowboys sign Dak Prescott to an
extension? Jones has made it clear he believes Prescott is the
quarterback of the future. Prescott enters the final year of his contract in
2019 and will make about $2 million. He has not posted a losing record in his
three years as the Cowboys’ starter. He has made key plays at key moments, but
this season, he took too many sacks, fumbled too often and showed he needed a
No. 1 receiver in Cooper to make the passing game go. Prescott got representation
with Creative Artists Agency to maximize his earning potential. CAA represents
almost all of the top quarterbacks and doesn't settle on contracts. The Cowboys
don’t have to be in a rush to do a deal with Prescott, especially with some
other spending situations they will need to resolve. It is possible they could
let Prescott play out his rookie deal and then look to use the franchise tag on
him in 2020.
Will there be coaching changes in 2019? A
playoff win seems to have secured Jason Garrett’s role for 2019, and perhaps he
could be in line for an extension before entering the final year of his
contract. At some point, a fresh start might be needed, but Garrett has brought
stability. Garrett has the second-most wins among coaches in team history, but he
has two playoff wins, and this is a franchise that judges success on Super
Bowls. Or at least it used to judge success that way. Offensive coordinator
Scott Linehan could be in trouble, although the offense performed better after
the trade for Cooper. The red zone offense was a struggle, and Prescott‘s
development has to be at the forefront of the team’s offseason thoughts.
Secondary coach/passing game coordinator Kris Richard appears to be the
favorite for the Miami
Dolphins head-coaching job; his departure would create a big
void.
How do the Cowboys keep DeMarcus
Lawrence? The Cowboys put the franchise tag on
Lawrence in 2018 after his breakout 2017 season in which he recorded 14.5
sacks. They wanted to see if he could repeat his success. At 10.5 sacks, his
numbers were down, but he was just as productive in affecting the quarterback
and playing the run. The Cowboys could put the franchise tag on him again, but
that likely will not be met with the same greeting as it was in 2018 when
Lawrence signed the tag right away. If he is tagged, he could stay away from
the offseason program and threaten to miss games. The Cowboys have a history of
getting deals done with their top talents. Without Lawrence, the Cowboys do not
have an elite pass-rusher. Signing Lawrence has to be the Cowboys’ priority.
WASHINGTON
REDSKINS
The Redskins' 6-3 start allowed them to stay in playoff
contention until late in the season. They could have helped themselves by being
far more disciplined; the Redskins committed more penalties on offense than any
other team -- and lacked the firepower to overcome the constant loss of
yards. The Washington
Redskins ended the season with a 24-0 loss to
the Philadelphia Eagles to finish at 7-9. Here's a recap of the season and
what's next:
Season grade: Average.
It’s hard to view their season in a traditional way because of the injuries.
Based on record, points scored and points allowed the Redskins were below
average. Their 6-3 start allowed them to stay in playoff contention until late
in the season. They could have helped themselves by being far more disciplined
-- the Redskins committed more penalties on offense than any other team -- and
lacked the firepower to overcome the constant loss of yards.
Season in review: It
was the second consecutive season they were decimated by injuries; 24 players
ended up on injured reserve. Is that the only reason they stumbled? After all,
the defense was far healthier, yet regressed mightily. After Week 8, the
Redskins ranked fourth in yards allowed and fifth in points. By Week 17, they
were 18th in yards and 14th in points. The Redskins started four different
quarterbacks for the first time in franchise history and there’s concern about
whether Alex Smith will
play again after his leg injury. The Redskins' final six weeks were filled with
injuries and a few stories -- claiming Reuben Foster;
Montae Nicholson’s arrest, D.J. Swearinger’s release -- that brought negative
attention. They did not come close to selling out a home game this season. The
Redskins entered the season with legitimate playoff hopes; they exit with many
questions about the future.
He said it: "You come
in on a short week; you learn there's so many moving parts. For me, I played Madden.
I was able to get on the Madden and learn my teammates. ... I learned their
names.” Redskins quarterback Josh Johnson
OFFSEASON
QUESTIONS
Will they change the power structure? Team
president Bruce Allen has been in charge for nine years; in that time the
Redskins have made the playoffs twice. He’s involved in every move and often
trades get made without consulting coaches, even when it involves quarterbacks.
But he’s tight with owner Dan Snyder and a key figure in getting a new stadium
built. Allen has become public enemy No. 1 among the fan base. The organization
is well aware of the fans' feelings toward Allen. There’s a chance he could be
moved out of the football side, but would that be for optics to placate fans or
real? Coach Jay Gruden’s job appears to be safe with little smoke about his
ouster, despite a third straight non-playoff season. The heavy injuries, plus
two more years on his contract with $10 million guaranteed, would be factors in
his return. Snyder wants to keep him; the question is will he feel compelled to
make a change? The Redskins could opt to retain Gruden but make changes to his
staff. There are mixed opinions on defensive coordinator Greg Manusky -- Swearinger’s
release came two days after he ripped him following a Week 16 loss. Regardless,
his group had issues after a strong start -- and they were relatively healthy.
There needs to be changes, whether in personnel, scheme or coaching.
What will they do at quarterback? The
good news is Smith was released from the hospital before Christmas. His health
matters above all, regardless of whether he returns to football. But the
reality is there’s uncertainty over his future in football. The Redskins need
to plan as if he won’t be back. So Washington must look at adding another
quarterback, whether in free agency or the draft. The latter makes more sense
given their financial situation. Colt McCoy is
expected to return from his broken leg and he has another year left on his
contract. The Redskins don’t have a lot of cap room (around $25 million after
Swearinger’s release) and cutting Smith would be prohibitive ($40 million in
dead money). That’s why drafting a quarterback would be the best solution. The
Redskins do have nine picks, but they won’t pick in the top 10, so it could be
hard to get one they like. And trading a lot of picks would be difficult
considering they need this capital to improve given the lack of cap room. They
could add a low-cost veteran -- at this point, some favor keeping Josh Johnson
around -- as well.
What veterans might be released? The
Redskins need to address multiple positions and need cap room.
Considering Zach Brown lost
his starting job late in the year, he’s an easy candidate and it would save the
Redskins $5.75 million in cap space. Corner Josh Norman has
played well for most of the season but has a $14.5 million cap hit in 2019.
They could save $11.5 million if he’s released post-June 1. The problem: It creates
a big hole. Other high-priced veterans -- tight end Jordan Reed ($7.9
million in savings), defensive end Stacy McGee($2.4
million if pre-June 1 release; $4 million after) and tight end Vernon Davis($5
million). There’s a chance only one or two of these players gets released.
Veteran linebacker Ryan Kerrigan is
31, would save $10.75 million if released, but he’s coming off his fifth Pro
Bowl and the coaches prize his consistency. Of course, every move creates a
hole to fill, whether with lower-priced players in free agency or the draft.
The Redskins also must decide how much they want to pay free agents such as
linebacker Preston Smith (could
be too costly) and receiver Jamison
Crowder (possibly the same, but he’s high on the priority
list).
NEW YORK
GIANTS
The Giants missed the playoffs for the sixth time in
seven years after losing seven of their first eight games. They should have at
least been competitive, especially when adding Saquon
Barkley in the draft and getting Odell Beckham
Jr. back from injury.
The New York
Giants ended the season a with a 36-35 loss to the Dallas
Cowboys to finish the season at 5-11. Here's a recap of the
season and what's next:
Season grade: Below-average
-- The Giants missed the playoffs for the sixth time in seven years after
losing seven of their first eight games. They should have at least been
competitive, especially when adding Saquon
Barkley in the draft and getting Odell Beckham Jr. back from
injury. The Giants made the decision in the draft to bypass a potential
quarterback of the future for Barkley, who capped off a record-setting season with a huge performance Sunday.
They also signed veterans and made moves as if they could compete for a playoff
spot, but it didn’t work out.
Season in review:
The Giants’ season started miserably, and they went into their bye week tied
for the worst record (1-7) in the NFL. They didn't recover. Their offense was
the primary culprit, failing to score 20 points in five of their first seven
losses, and the offense never evolved into the unit that was expected with so
many playmakers. Quarterback Eli Manning had
eight touchdown passes in the first eight games, despite having Barkley,
Beckham, Sterling
Shepard and -- when healthy -- Evan Engram.
The Giants offense struggled in season-opening losses to the Jacksonville
Jaguars and Cowboys the first two weeks, and it extended
through the first half of the season. It set the stage for another season
without playoffs, even though the Giants managed to win four out of five coming
out of the bye week.
He said it: “When you don't
get in the end zone, you can't win, so ... that's that.” -- Giants coach Pat
Shurmur, after a 17-0 loss to the Tennessee
Titans in Week 15
OFFSEASON
QUESTIONS
What will the Giants do at quarterback? They
will be looking for a quarterback of the future in the draft. In the meantime,
the Giants need to make a decision on Manning’s future. Do they want to roll it
back one more time? The Giants are aware Manning, soon to be 38, is on the
decline. They know their offense is limited with him behind center. The results
over the past three seasons say it all. They will at least assess other options
for a bridge quarterback this offseason. Teddy Bridgewarter, Nick Foles and Joe Flacco are
options.
Which big money players could be cut or
allowed to walk? Defensive tackle Damon
Harrison was already shipped out at the trade deadline. Decisions
need to be made this offseason on outside linebacker Olivier
Vernon, safety Landon
Collins (free agent) and cornerback Janoris
Jenkins. The Giants turned down offers at the trade deadline for
Collins and the most likely scenario is he returns on the franchise tag. They
can’t afford to lose 24-year-old playmakers given the current state of the
roster. Vernon is scheduled to count $19.5 million next year against the salary
cap, but his production and availability haven’t matched that price tag.
Jenkins is more likely to be back after the Giants gave him a roster bonus
before the season that added $1.5 million more to his 2019 cap number, and he’s
played well late in the year.
How will they fix their defense? It’s
considered to be a strong defensive line draft, and general manager Dave
Gettleman has always been big on taking linemen in the early rounds. His first
three picks as GM in Carolina were linemen (2 DL, 1 OL). The Giants have major
needs at outside linebacker and defensive tackle. They need to improve their
pass rush, and this is the draft to get it done. Finding interior pass-rushers
will be a priority this offseason. Returning Collins to the fold and using most
of their available funds in free agency (in the range of $40 million) on
defense should give the Giants a chance at improving.
PHILADELPHIA
EAGLES
The Philadelphia
Eagles ended the season a with a 20-14 loss to the New Orleans
Saints in the divisional round to finish the season at 10-8.
Here's a recap of the season and what's next:
Season grade: Above
average: The Eagles came into 2018 eyeing a repeat, and though they fell short
of that, the late-season surge and opening-round playoff win over the Chicago Bears showed
resolve and reinforced the fact that the Eagles remain a well-coached, talented
team.
Season in review: Nick Foles led
a late charge in in place of the injured Carson Wentz,
helping the Eagles to three straight wins to close out the regular season and
secure the sixth and final playoff spot in the NFC. They were able to edge the
Bears 16-15 in the wild-card round thanks to a partial block of Cody Parkey’s
last-second field goal try by Treyvon
Hester before falling to top-seeded New Orleans in the
divisional round.
A key to Philly’s Super Bowl run a year ago was a
first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. A slow start
cost them that luxury this season. The Eagles were sluggish out of the gate,
starting 4-6. Injuries played a big part in that. They lost three-fourths of
their starting secondary -- only safety Malcolm
Jenkins, was standing by the end of the year -- and saw 13 players
go on injured reserve. The long playoff run of a season ago took its toll.
He said it: "Last
year, it just seemed like everybody was clicking. We had guys like Brent Celek
who had been here a long time who was very accountable, Torrey Smith who
had been in the league for a long time, very accountable. Mack Hollins was
a guy that gave great effort. LeGarrette
Blount and all of these running backs that, they had their
limited amount of stuff that they had to know, but they knew what to do, and
they knew how to do those things. That's what we're missing. We're missing that
accountability." -- Eagles center Jason Kelce
said in November before the Eagles' late run
Offseason questions
Will Wentz return to full health? Wentz
heads into the offseason with health concerns for the second straight year. The
good news is there will be no rigorous rehab, as there was for the torn ACL/LCL
last year. The key for the stress fracture is rest. Back injuries can be
tricky, but there seems to be optimism from the parties involved that this
won’t be a long-term issue for the franchise quarterback. With Foles likely to
be elsewhere next season, they need Wentz to bounce back.
What will they do with DE Brandon
Graham? Graham, a free agent, has been a fixture
along the defensive front in Philadelphia for nine seasons. Despite some
conversations earlier in the year, the two sides never came to an agreement on
a new deal. It looks like the Eagles will let Graham explore the market, with
hopes that he’ll eventually be open to a hometown discount. Whether it’s Graham
returning or via some new blood, Philly needs a pass-rusher (or two).
What about Foles? Though
Foles showed off that magic once again, the organization has been committed to
Wentz being the long-term QB. Assuming that thinking doesn’t change, they’ll
likely move on from Foles, who appears to be too costly to hold onto as a
backup. There is $20 million option in Foles’ deal for next year, but the QB
can buy his way out of it and into free agency. Perhaps the Eagles place the
franchise tag on him in an attempt to trade him. However it plays out, it looks
like Foles’ run in Philly is over.
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