NFC East tracker: [Updated] Assessing the free agency moves made around the NFC East

Keeping up with moves made by the Cowboys rivals.

By Terence Watson@Watson703 Mar 19, 2021, 8:00am CDT

The Dallas Cowboys are now jumping into free agency instead of just dipping their toe in the water, the rest of the NFC East has been doing work in free agency to sign players or working on possible trades. Here's a list of moves made by these teams and how they affect the Cowboys this season.

The team’s moves will be updated while the free agency offseason continues and for moves made by the Cowboys, you can find them here courtesy of our very own Cowboys tracker.

New York Giants

Free-agent losses: Kevin Zeitler (G), Dalvin Tomlinson (DT), David Mayo (LB)

Free-agent signings: Kyle Rudolph (TE), Devontae Booker (RB), Ifeadi Odenigbo (DE), John Ross (WR), Mike Glennon (QB), Cullen Gillaspia (FB), Reggie Ragland (LB), Kenny Golladay (WR), Adoree Jackson (CB)

Scheduled Meetings:

The Giants have been very busy this offseason adding pieces on both sides of the football at positions that need depth and talent. While the players they’ve signed aren’t really household names, they are role players that when used correctly can be very effective. Rudolph and Booker give the Giants two new weapons that could give the Cowboys problems in short-yardage coverage against linebackers who aren’t the best in coverage. They also have added Ross who’s speed will give the Giants the ability to attack the Cowboys secondary deep which they also had trouble defending. Gillaspia looks like a depth signing while Glennon is a backup for Daniel Jones.

So far on defense, the Giants have added an underrated pass rusher in Odenigbo from the Vikings. They already re-signed Leonard Williams to a massive deal, adding more juice to attack a Cowboys offense that is coming back from an injury-riddled season.

*Update*

The Giants have made two more aggressive moves that will have an impact on both the Cowboys offense and defense. First the big acquisition, Golladay coming over from the Lions. Golladay now gives the Giants a strong physical receiver who can make plays downfield thanks to his ability to go up and get jump balls. He, along with their already established weapons, will be a tough team to cover going forward. On to the defense they’ve added inside linebacker Ragland who will help them try to stop Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard in the running game. Another strong signing for the Giants.

*Update*

The Giants land another impact player on defense in Adoree’ Jackson. Jackson is also a good signing due to his playmaking ability in the return game. His signing now gives the Giants potentially the best secondary in the division with Jackson joining James Bradberry, Jabrill Peppers, Logan Ryan, and Xavier McKinney.

Philadelphia Eagles

Free-agent losses: Jalen Mills (S), Johnathan Ford (S), Cameron Johnston (P), Duke Riley (OLB), Malik Jackson (DT), DeSean Jackson (WR)

Free-agent signings: Andrew Adams (S), Anthony Harris (S)

Scheduled Meetings:

The Eagles are up against the salary cap and that has resulted in them not being able to make many moves at this time. They are looking for a trade that works for them to move Zack Ertz which is a good thing for the Cowboys. The other rumor going around is that the Eagles are looking at ways to trade for Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson according to CBS’s Jason La Canfora, which isn’t good for the Cowboys if they are able to pull it off.

On the defensive side of the football, the Eagles have lost two safeties but their secondary was already pretty bad so losing Mills and Ford isn’t going to be a big blow as they will look to draft replacements. They also signed Adams for depth who could become a potential starter.

*Update*

While the Eagles are still dealing with their own internally they did make a move bringing in one of the best free safeties in the NFL in Harris. A favored target of Cowboy fans, Harris will now man the middle of the field for the Eagles and be a key player in stopping the Cowboys passing attack thanks to his experience and play-making ability when the ball is in the air.

Washington Football Team

Free-agent losses: Ronald Darby (CB), Kevin Pierre-Louis (OLB), Robert Foster (WR),

Free-agent signings: William Jackson III (CB), Curtis Samuel (WR), Ryan Fitzpatrick (QB), David Sharpe (T), Lamar Miller (RB), Tyler Larsen (C), Danny Johnson (CB), David Mayo (LB)

The team that has been making the biggest moves would be the WFT who were in need of a quarterback and were able to sign Fitzmagic as a stopgap until they are able to find their quarterback of the future. And if that wasn’t enough, they gave him Samuel as another weapon to use against the Cowboys. You add Fitzpatrick's gunslinging mentality with Samuel’s utility knife ability and the WFT have reloaded an offense that already has Terry McClaurin and Antonio Gibson, who destroyed the Cowboys in two games last season.

Miller and Sharpe are role players that could be cut later on down the road.

On defense, they lost Darby in free agency but were able to get an upgrade in Jackson III whose size and speed will help them against the Cowboys receivers.

*Update*

The WFT continues to make solid roster moves in an effort to strengthen their team, this time signing center Larsen to give them offensive line depth. They also signed Johnson for cornerback depth and Mayo as a potential starter at the linebacker position.