Top 5 NFC East pass rushers ranked in 2023
For years the NFC East was a bad division in football. In 2020, not a single team finished above .500.
The Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants went 6-10. The Washington Commanders won the division at a 7-9 record, while the Philadelphia Eagles finished last with a brutal 4-11-1 record. After that, though, things started to trend up for the NFC Least.
The Cowboys, Eagles, and Giants all made the playoffs last year, and the Commanders finished with a solid .500 record (8-8-1). It was just two seasons earlier when all four teams couldn't reach the .500 mark.
A large success for these teams in the NFC East is because of their incredible pass rush. The Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, and Commanders all have plenty of players on defense who can get to the quarterback.
But who are the five best in the division?
5. Josh Sweat, Philadelphia Eagles
Josh Sweat might not be the biggest name on the Eagles' defense, given their all-around talent. But Sweat is one of the best at getting to the quarterback in the division.
The Eagles defensive end has gone under the radar since he was drafted in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He played just 68 snaps in his rookie season before ending the year on the injured list with an ankle injury.
Since then, though, Sweat has upped his sack total every season. He finished with four sacks in 2019 and added six more in 2020.
It wasn't until the 2021 season that fans saw the type of player Sweat really was. The former Florida State alum tallied 7 1/2 sacks with 45 tackles, four passes deflected, seven tackles for loss, and 13 quarterback hits. That earned him his first Pro Bowl selection.
Somehow, Sweat had a better 2022 season and wasn't named to his second consecutive Pro Bowl. He logged career-highs in sacks (11), tackles (48), tackles for loss (15), and quarterback hits (23). The 26-year-old edge rusher also helped Philadelphia finish the year with the most sacks in the league.
The fifth spot was tough to decide because there are so many players deserving of it. Leonard Williams of the Giants or Daron Payne of the Commanders-- both players who didn't make this list -- could have been here.
Ultimately, Sweat felt like the better choice with his strong play over the past two seasons.