The Eagles have owned the NFC East in recent memory, winning two straight division titles and five in the last 10 years.
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There’s no reason to think 2026 will be any different, right? The Eagles are the favorite at +135 via FanDuel to win the division, after all.
But things feel a little different this time. The Eagles had a transformative offseason, tinkering with their offensive strategy and adding on defense, but dealing away their No. 1 weapon in wide receiver A.J. Brown. All the while, almost all of their NFC East foes took steps forward, at least on paper.
Let’s take a look at those steps. Are the Eagles destined to three-peat? Or will the revamped Giants, Cowboys or Commanders steal their crown?
Dallas Cowboys (7-9-1 in 2025)
NFC East title odds (FanDuel): +200
Last year’s results vs. Eagles: The Cowboys split their series with the Birds in 2025 in two heated installments that began with Jalen Carter spitting on quarterback Dak Prescott in the Eagles’ season-opening 24-20 win. Dallas won the return matchup, rallying for a 24-21 victory in Week 12.
Scheduled 2026 meetings vs. Eagles:
Oct. 26 (Monday Night Football) at the Linc
Nov. 26 (Thanksgiving) at Dallas
Biggest changes: The Cowboys can actually thank the Eagles for their biggest offseason change. In January, Dallas named lauded defensive mind — and former Eagles DBs coach/defensive pass game coordinator — Christian Parker its new coordinator for 2026. He’ll coach a promising defense that now has stud Ohio State safety Caleb Downs in the mix.
Why the Cowboys are optimistic: Offense never seems to be a concern for the Cowboys, who ranked second in yards per game last season (391.9). Defense has been their Achilles’ heel in recent years. But with a promising mind like Parker’s in the building and some exciting new faces (plus the first full season of defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, who was obtained at the 2025 trade deadline), there’s reason to believe their defense could carry them in 2026.
Why they shouldn’t be: The Cowboys just can’t help themselves when it comes to off-field distractions. The team still doesn’t have a contract resolution with wide receiver George Pickens, who ranked third in receiving yards last season (1,429).
Washington Commanders (5-12 in 2025)
NFC East title odds (FanDuel): +450
Last year’s results vs. Eagles: The Commanders faced the Eagles twice in the final three weeks of 2025, with Washington already out of the playoff race. The Eagles took the first game on the road, 29-18, while Washington came to the Linc and won 24-17 in a regular season finale where the Eagles rested most of their starters.
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Scheduled 2026 meetings vs. Eagles:
Sept. 13 at the Linc
Nov. 1 (Sunday Night Football) at Washington
Biggest changes: The Commanders front office somehow managed to underwhelm its fans more this offseason than in last year’s 5-12 campaign. The biggest change came in the coaching room, with the team firing defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. and parting ways with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. First-time coordinators Daronte Jones and David Blough will take over as DC and OC, respectively.
Why the Commanders are optimistic: Jayden Daniels is the only reason to be optimistic about the 2026 Commanders. He willed them to the NFC title game in 2024, so you can’t rule out the possibility of him doing it again. At the very least, if he can stay healthy, they’ll be competitive.
Why they shouldn’t be: GM Adam Peters’ splashiest move of the spring was adding running back Rachaad White, who’s not exactly a headline grabber. They’re reportedly in on 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, which might lead to more problems than solutions. Daniels might need another miracle season like his rookie campaign to help lift this group.
New York Giants (4-13 in 2025)
NFC East title odds (FanDuel): +550
Last year’s results vs. Eagles: The Giants split their 2025 series against the Eagles, securing a stunning 34-17 victory in a Week 6 coming out party for rookies Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo on Thursday Night Football. The Eagles rolled the Giants in the second matchup held 17 days later, 38-20.
Scheduled 2026 meetings vs. Eagles:
Nov. 8 at the Linc
Jan. 10, 2027 at New York
Biggest changes: It feels like everything changed for the Giants this offseason. The team made its splashiest head coaching hire since Tom Coughlin, bringing in John Harbaugh from the Ravens. They also had a headline-worthy draft, picking up Ohio State edge rusher Arvell Reese and Miami tackle Francis Mauigoa in the top 10, then bringing in linebacker Tremaine Edmunds in free agency.
Why the Giants are optimistic: Harbaugh is the main reason for optimism in East Rutherford. The Giants have had talented rosters, but lackluster coaching has helped hold them back. If Dart progresses and wide receiver Malik Nabers returns to form, they should be one of the most improved teams in the NFL.
Why they shouldn’t be: The Giants were a bad run defense with stalwart defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, allowing a league-worst 5.3 yards per rush last season (the worst such mark in team history). How much worse will things get with Lawrence now traded to the Bengals? Let’s just say new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson has his work cut out for him.
Jeffrey Lurie has owned the Philadelphia Eagles, which he purchased in 1994, longer than his son, Julian, has been alive. But in recent years, the younger Lurie, heir to the franchise and now 31, has assumed a more pervasive and influential role in the organization. While the Eagles have made no secret about Julian’s increased involvement with the team, specifics about his role have been scant. In recent months, The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane spoke to nearly two dozen sources on and off the record to gain a better understanding of not just who Julian Lurie is and what he does, but – most important of all – whether he’ll be ready to assume the reins as Eagles Chairman and CEO, whenever the time comes. Jeff shares the biggest takeaways from his reporting with Inquirer columnist Mike Sielski in this companion episode to Jeff’s feature article about the Eagles’ succession plan. Listen here.
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