Ranking NFC East teams entering the 2023 season

1. Dallas Cowboys

For years, the Cowboys have lived in mediocrity. They haven't made the NFC Championship since the mid-90s, and the team is just 4-11 in playoff games since 1998.

Jerry Jones knows this. Stephen Jones knows this. So, they went out and had one of the best offseasons of any team in the NFL. Dallas traded for wide receiver Brandin Cooks and cornerback Stephon Gilmore.

The two biggest areas of need for the Cowboys last year were wideout and cornerback. So they immediately fixed that by signing two veterans, who will be huge contributors this season.

Cooks has produced in every place he has played in. In nine NFL seasons, the former 2014 first-round pick has six 1,000-yard years, including one with every team he has played with (New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, Los Angeles Rams, and Houston Texans).

On the other hand, Gilmore is a five-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro corner who also won Defensive Player of the Year in 2019. With Trevon Diggs on the other side, the veteran comes in to form one of the best cornerback duos in the league.

Yes, the departures of Dalton Schultz and Ezekiel Elliott could hurt. But that just means more run for Tony Pollard and Jake Ferguson on offense.

Quarterback Dak Prescott wasn't sharp last year, throwing a career-high 15 interceptions. But even in a down year with limited weapons in the passing game, he led Dallas to a 12-5 record. Prescott will be better this year, especially with Cooks, CeeDee Lamb, and a healthy Michael Gallup.

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