A team-by-team look of the NFC ahead of the 2019 NFL season
NFC EAST
DALLAS COWBOYS
Coach: Jason Garrett (10th season).
Last season: 11-7 (first in NFC East, lost in the NFC Divisional Round to the Rams, 30-22).
Key additions: TE Jason Witten, DE Robert Quinn.
Key subtractions: WR Cole Beasley.
Looking ahead: Defending division champ Dallas is a chic Super Bowl pick for some, but no NFC East winner has repeated since the 2004 Eagles… who went to the Super Bowl. Presumably, running back Ezekiel Elliott will end his holdout just before or just after the season starts. Or, maybe he will be this year’s Le’Veon Bell. Dallas’ defense doesn’t get as much love in this fantasy football-obsessed world, but the Cowboys were seventh in overall defense and sixth in points allowed.
NEW YORK GIANTS
Coach: Pat Shurmur (second season).
Last season: 5-11 (fourth in NFC East).
Key additions: QB Daniel Jones, DT Dexter Lawrence, CB Deandre Baker, WR Golden Tate.
Key subtractions: WR Odell Beckham, Jr., LB Brandon Marshall, DE/LB Olivier Vernon, OL Ereck Flowers, S Landon Collins.
Looking ahead: Running back Saquon Barkley’s a fantastic player. Right now, he looks like O.J. Simpson used to in Buffalo — a blue-jerseyed Hope Diamond in a Sears jewelry department case. Eli Manning’s looks about as finished as Sears. Manning’s lookalike replacement Daniel Jones is a rookie. Odell Beckham Jr. is in Cleveland, and the remaining Giants wide receivers keep getting badly injured. An overworked defense ranked 24th before it jettisoned talent in the offseason.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Coach: Doug Pederson (fourth season).
Last season: 10-8 (second in the NFC East, lost in the NFC Divisional Round to New Orleans, 20-14)
Key additions: LB Zach Brown, DT Malik Jackson, S Johnathan Cyprien, OT Andre Dillard, DeSean Jackson, RB Jordan Howard.
Key subtractions: QB Nick Foles, DE Michael Bennett, WR Golden Tate, LB Jordan Hicks.
Looking ahead: Can quarterback Carson Wentz stay healthy? He has had a problem with that in 2017 and 2018. His backups have had such a problem doing so in training camp that the team went to the McCown Backup Store’s clearance aisle and signed Josh McCown out of retirement. McCown’s no Nick Foles, so Wentz has to stay healthy. And the defense, ranking 23rd overall and in yards per play allowed, must be better.
WASHINGTON REDSKINS
Coach: Jay Gruden (sixth season).
Last season: 7-9 (third in the NFC East).
Key additions: QB Case Keenum, QB Dwayne Haskins, LB Montez Sweat, OL Ereck Flowers.
Key subtractions: QB Alex Smith, LB Preston Smith, WR Jamison Crowder, S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S D.J. Swearinger, LB Zach Brown.
Looking ahead: We know where we can find Carmen Sandiego. Where in The World is Case Keenum? Washington becomes the quarterback’s fifth team in his past six seasons. Nomad Keenum’s a needed bridge again from Alex Smith’s probable career-ending injury to when first round pick Dwayne Haskins is ready. Maybe by then, they will have some receivers again. Washington’s defense defined mediocrity last season and, for all the changes players lost, signed and drafted, appears to be the same in 2019.
NFC NORTH
CHICAGO BEARS
Coach: Matt Nagy (second season).
Last season: 12-4 (first in the NFC North, lost in the NFC Wild Card round to Philadelphia, 16-15).
Key additions: S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, WR Cordarrelle Petterson, RB David Montgomery.
Key subtractions: RB Jordan Howard, S Adrian Amos, S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, CB Bryce Callahan
Looking ahead: Defense still wins, but it has to be your pass defense, as Chicago showed in 2018. Opposing passers managed only a 72.9 rating against the Bears (second best — Baltimore’s 80.6). And that’s when they got the ball off against a Khalil Mack-led defense with 50 sacks, tied for third. Can they repeat that production? Can third-year quarterback Mitch Trubisky continue improvement leading an offense without an A list running back or wide receiver, but with a lot of Bs that get the job done.
DETROIT LIONS
Coach: Matt Patricia (second season).
Last season: 6-10 (4th in the NFC North).
Key additions: WR Danny Amendola, WR Jermaine Kearse, TE T.J. Hockenson, RB, C.J. Anderson, LB Jahlani Tavai, CB Rashaan Melvin, CB Justin Coleman.
Key subtractions: WR Golden Tate, S Glover Quin.
Looking ahead: Quarterback Matt Stafford spent much of the 2018 season playing with broken back. Stafford has spent most of his career trying to overcome a broken running game. A healthy Kerryon Johnson — 641 yards, 5.4 yards per carry when injured after 10 games — and C.J. Anderson should fix that. There’s nothing wrong with the receiving corps, other than Kearse’s broken leg. Defensively, the Lions were 27th in yards per pass play allowed. Thus addressing the defensive back end in free agency and the draft.
GREEN BAY PACKERS
Coach: Matt LaFleur (first season).
Last season: 6-9-1 (third in the NFC North).
Key additions: DE/LB Za’Darius Smith, LB Rashan Gary, LB Preston Smith, S Darnell Savage, C Elgton Jenkins, S Adrian Amos.
Key subtractions: LB Clay Matthews, LB Nick Perry.
Looking ahead: Brand new coach. New offense. Improved defense? Well, they hope so, after spending both first-round picks (Rashan Gary, Darnell Savage) and a chunk of free agent money on it. No question, the same great quarterback. But Aaron Rodgers is nine years older than when he carried the Packers to a Super Bowl title. LaFleur will ask running back Aaron Jones (5.5 yards per carry) to carry more of an offense without a terribly exciting receiving group.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Coach: Mike Zimmer (sixth year).
Last season: 8-7-1 (third in the NFC North).
Key additions: C Garrett Bradbury, TE Irv Smith, Dru Samia, K Kaare Vedvik.
Key subtractions: DL Sheldon Richardson.
Looking ahead: Two 1,000-yard receivers in Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen and a defense that ranked No. 4 overall, in yards per play and was the league’s best on third down… exactly how did they finish 8-7-1? A Kirk Cousins-quarterbacked offense that couldn’t stay on the field (27th on third down). Cousins took 40 sacks, a year after taking 41 his last year in Washington. That points to either a quarterback holding the ball too long or having bad luck with offensive lines.
NFC WEST
ARIZONA CARDINALS
Coach: Kliff Kingsbury (first season).
Last season: 3-13 (fourth in the NFC WeKey additions: QB Kyler Murray, TE Charles Clay, OG J.R. Sweezy, OT Marcus Gilbert, CB Robert Alford, CB Byron Murphy, LB Jordan Hicks, OLB Terrell Suggs, WR Andy Isabella.
Key subtractions: QB Josh Rosen, OL/OG Earl Watford, DE Robert Nkemdiche, S Tre Boston.
Looking ahead: Forever rebuilding, the Cardinals decided they could improve at coach, quarterback and daggone near everywhere on their roster not occupied by running back David Johnson, outside linebacker Chandler Jones or cornerback Patrick Peterson. But the offensive line still looks like the kind that can get a young quarterback Josh Rosen-ed (or David Carr-ed or Jim Plunkett-ed for those from previous generations) out of town, so it’s a good thing Kyler Murray can move.
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LOS ANGELES RAMS
Coach: Sean McVay (third season).
Last season: 15-4 (first in the NFC West, lost the Super Bowl to New England, 13-3).
Key additions: S Eric Weddle.
Key subtractions: DT Ndamukong Suh, RB C.J. Anderson, OG Rodger Saffold, C John Sullivan.
Looking ahead: As expected, the Rams’ offense exploded weekly until the knees of wide receiver Cooper Kupp and running back Todd Gurley exploded. Now, the middle of the Rams’ line got blown up in the offseason, so let’s see how Jared Goff deals with more bodies in his workspace. Giving defensive coordinator Wade Phillips’ talent such as defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and cornerback Aqib Talib to go with defensive tackle Aaron Donald was giving the Rams a Super Bowl defense.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Coach: Kyle Shanahan (third season).
Last season: 4-12 (third in the NFC West)
Key additions: DE Nick Bosa, DE Dee Ford, WR Deebo Samuel, RB Tevin Coleman, LB Kwon Alexander, CB Jason Verrett
Key subtractions: DE Cassius Marsh.
Looking ahead: Nobody knows how much the post-ACL tear quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will resemble the pre-tear Garoppolo. But it was 49ers coaching legend Bill Walsh who said the key to winning in the NFL is a pass rush late in the game. And the 49ers drafted Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas and Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa and traded for Dee Ford, giving them an instant pass rush.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Coach: Pete Carroll (10th season).
Last season: 10-6 (second in the NFC West, lost in the NFC Wild Card round to Dallas, 24-22.).
Key additions: DE L.J. Collier, S Marquise Blair, WR D.K. Metcalf.
Key subtractions: S Earl Thomas, WR Doug Baldwin, OG J.R. Sweezy.
Looking ahead: Not a bad transition year as the Seahawks shed the last of the Legion of Boom secondary and might be ready to shed their tag as the most ground-bound team in the league. Big and “Beep Beep” fast, second-round pick wide receiver Metcalf gives the Seahawks an instant deep threat and offense-expander. But the defense gave up 4.9 yards per carry, and that shouldn’t continue under Pete Carroll, a defensive guy at heart.
AFC SOUTH
ATLANTA FALCONS
Coach: Dan Quinn (fifth season).
Last season: 7-9 (second in the NFC South).
Key additions: OG Chris Lindstrom, offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter, OT Kaleb McGrary (has undergone surgery).
Key subtractions: RB Tevin Coleman, CB Robert Alford, J.J. Wilcox (injury).
Looking ahead: Healthy, the Falcons clearly are at least a playoff team. Drafting offensive linemen in the first two rounds says they were a tad annoyed by finishing 27th in the league in rushing. Maybe they should’ve gone for defensive linemen. The defense couldn’t get off the field, finishing 31st in third-down percentage, a fact that turned into being 28th overall in defense. Quarterbacks are playing longer these days, but the Falcons window to bringing home a Lombardi Trophy on Matt Ryan’s watch is closing.
CAROLINA PANTHERS
Coach: Ron Rivera (eighth season).
Last season: 7-9 (third in the NFC South).
Key additions: DE/LB Brian Burns, OT Greg Little, DE Bruce Irvin, DT Gerald McCoy, S Tre Boston.
Key subtractions: WR Devin Funchess, C Ryan Kalil.
Looking ahead: When you’re a run-the-ball-play-defense kind of team, you cannot afford to throw the eighth-most interceptions. That’s why the Panthers averaged a much smaller time of possession advantage, 30:44 to 29:16, than you would expect for a team of their style. Quarterback Cam Newton, in his eighth year, had his second-highest passer rating and second-lowest number of rushing yards. And he’s still tough to sack (second fewest in the NFL).
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Coach: Sean Payton (14th season).
Last season: 14-4 (1st in the NFC South, lost in the NFC Championship Game to the Rams 26-23).
Key additions: C Erik McCoy, CB Kayvon Webster, RB Latavius Murray.
Key subtractions: RB Mark Ingram.
Looking ahead: Unless quarterback Drew Brees gets a sudden attack of age, the Saints offense will continue to be the blender that can chop, crush and puree a defense. Can Latavius Murray replace Mark Ingram in sharing the running back spot with Alvin Kamara? The defense did a solid job to contribute to the league-high plus-151 point differential and had the second-best yards per rush allowed. But only three teams gave up more yards per pass play.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
Coach: Bruce Arians (first season).
Last season: 5-11 (4th in the NFC South).
Key additions: DT Ndamukong Suh, OG/OT Earl Watford, LB Shaquil Barrett, LB Devin White.
Key subtractions: DT Gerald McCoy, WR DeSean Jackson, QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, LB Kwon Alexander.
Looking ahead: Who were these guys? Even in their worst years, the Buccaneers defense garnered respect. Last year? No. 24 against the rush, No. 26 against the pass and 27th overall. That explains signing Suh, Barrett and drafting Devin White Even in their best years, Tampa Bay’s offense didn’t provide fling-it-around entertainment. But between Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jameis Winston and an excellent group catching the ball like by Mike Evans, Tampa Bay had the NFL’s top passing offense and No. 3 offense overall.
David J. Neal