May 21, 2022
Kevin Jairaj/USA TODAY Sports
The Cowboys still have a better quarterback than the Eagles, but not many advantages otherwise.
The Philadelphia Eagles have had an impressive offseason, adding potential difference makers on both sides of the ball and plugging obvious holes with solid starters. As they continue to build toward Super Bowl contention, one of the teams in their way is the Dallas Cowboys, who the Birds have struggled against since they won the Super Bowl after the 2017 season.
While the Eagles have made a slew of additions to their roster, the Cowboys have lost more than their share of key contributors. Have the Eagles caught up to the Cowboys? Let's take a position-by-position look, and compare the two teams.
Dak Prescott is a borderline top 10-12 type of quarterback, as he has pretty much been since he entered the league. He's better than most of the quarterbacks the Cowboys will face on their schedule this year, but he has not been able to make the leap into the next tier, and other younger quarterbacks have passed him by.
Still, Prescott is the best quarterback in the NFC East, and it's really not all that close. He is very clearly better than Jalen Hurts at this stage of their respective careers. Prescott is not the threat with his legs that he once was (we'll see if that changes being another year removed from his gruesome injury), so Hurts has the advantage on that front. Both quarterbacks are mentally tough, and thought of as leaders in the locker room. But the difference lies in Prescott's ability to lead the Cowboys' offense through the air, while the Eagles' passing game under Hurts has not even looked functional, at times.
Gardner Minshew is significantly better than any of the Cowboys' backups.
Edge: Cowboys
We begrudgingly gave Elliott the nod in our first-team All-NFC East team, on the premise that Antonio Gibson took a step back in 2021, Saquon Barkley is a shell of his former self, and Miles Sanders, while explosive, hasn't been able to put it all together and become a complete three-down back.
Some argued that Elliott isn't even the best running back on his own team. While I agree that Tony Pollard has been productive when he has gotten his opportunities, he only has 399 touches in three seasons. That's like one season for Zeke when the Cowboys were busy running him into the ground.
But certainly, the duo of Elliott and Pollard is better at the moment than Miles Sanders, Kenny Gainwell and Boston Scott.
Edge: Cowboys
At WR1, I think there's a good debate whether CeeDee Lamb is better than either A.J. Brown or DeVonta Smith, whoever you want to call the Birds' top receiver. I would probably take Lamb, but wouldn't put up much of a fight defending that. However, Brown and Smith both have a significant edge over Michael Gallup, who was a great third option in the Cowboys' offense, but is coming off an ACL tear.
Who is the Cowboys' No. 3? They traded Amari Cooper and lost Cedric Wilson in free agency. Is it rookie third-round pick Jalen Tolbert? Free agent acquisition James Washington? Quez Watkins has a clear advantage over either player. He had a productive season in 2021, catching 43 passes for 647 yards (15.0 YPC), a lofty 10.1 yards per target, and 1 TD, playing in the most run-heavy offense in the NFL, with a QB who sometimes didn't take advantage of opportunities he created down the field. His numbers would have been better in a different offense, in my opinion.
Edge: Eagles
Dalton Schultz had a productive 2021 season, quietly catching 78 passes for 808 yards and 8 TDs. The Cowboys franchise tagged him this offseason, which wasn't a crazy decision.
Goedert caught 56 passes for 830 yards and 4 TDs, so the numbers are close, but there's no reasonable argument that Schultz is the better player. Goedert is a complete tight end with no obvious flaws in his game, and 2022 will be the first time he enters a season not having to share snaps with Zach Ertz.
Edge: Eagles
At LT, Tyron Smith is still a good player, but he missed six games in 2021, 14 games in 2020, and three games each in 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016. His most recent injuries have involved his neck, back and ankle. He made the Pro Bowl on lifetime achievement last season. Smith will only turn 32 in December, but because he was super young when he entered the league, he is entering his 12th season. He reminds me of a late-career Jason Peters, in that he can still play at a high level when healthy, but at this stage of his career you know he's going to miss games.
Meanwhile, Mailata was a Pro Bowl snub who had a great season in his first year as a Week 1 starter, earning a contract extension along the way. He was arguably every bit as good as Smith last season, but with an upward trajectory going forward, while Smith's career is well in decline.
At RT, the Cowboys released La'el Collins. There was never any comparison between 2021 All-Pro Lane Johnson and Collins, and there certainly isn't one between Johnson and Collins' projected replacement, Terence Steele.
Edge: Eagles
The Cowboys' starting interior OL is projected to be Tyler Smith at LG, Tyler Biadasz at center, and Zack Martin at RG. Martin is obviously still a great player, and was a deserving first-team All-Pro in 2021. Biadasz is just a guy. Tyler Smith was drafted to be Tyron Smith's eventual replacement at LT, but for now he'll probably play LG. While Tyler Smith has a lot of raw ability, he is also a work in progress, as he had 16 penalties at Tulsa in 2021, playing against mostly lower level competition. He is also making a move to a different position to start his career, which doesn't always go smoothly.
The Eagles have the best center in the NFL in Jason Kelce. It is still to be determined which side Landon Dickerson will play on, but he and Mailata were a 700-pound bulldozing duo on the left side in 2021. Dickerson had a good rookie season after struggling early, when he was thrown to the wolves Week 2 after Brandon Brooks went down. And then the other guard spot will likely be occupied by Isaac Seumalo, a perfectly cromulent starting guard, but one who has not been able to stay healthy.
Here is where we'll also note that the Eagles have outstanding offensive line depth, and the Cowboys do not. The Birds' depth players include guys like Andre Dillard, Jack Driscoll, Le'Raven Clark, and Sua Opeta, who have all played reasonably well in backup roles in the past.
The Cowboys have two projected backups who have starting experience. Connor McGovern has started 14 games, and Aviante Collins has started one. That's it. The only other backup offensive lineman on the roster who has played in the regular offense at all is Matt Farniok, who played 23 snaps last season for Dallas, all of which came in mop-up duty in blowout wins.
Edge: Eagles
The Cowboys have the better quarterback, and that's kind of a big deal. But the Eagles have the edge at LT, LG, C, RT, WR, and TE, as well as overall depth. In some cases, Philly has a huge edge over Dallas, particularly along the offensive line.
Edge: Eagles
We also discussed the Eagles' and Cowboys' rosters in podcast form. Listen below (BGN Radio #249). And here's the iTunes link. Review, subscribe, etc.
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