NFC East burning questions for 2025 season: Cowboys’ Dak Prescott washed up? Commanders to take step back?

The NFC East has gone 20 years without a repeat champion, the longest streak amongst any division in NFL history. That streak extended last season when the Philadelphia Eagles dethroned the Dallas Cowboys for the NFC East title, a division that had two teams reach the NFC Championship Game — the first time since 1986 during which two teams in the NFC East played in the conference championship game. 

This is the division that’s home to the Super Bowl champions, as the Eagles ended the Kansas City Chiefs‘ championship run.  While the NFC East hasn’t had a repeat winner in 20 consecutive years, the division has housed four Super Bowl champions in that stretch (New York Giants in 2007 and 2011 and Eagles in 2017 and 2024). This division also houses four of the biggest television markets and the NFL’s wealthiest franchise (Cowboys).

Essentially, the NFC East is always in the spotlight. 

That won’t be any different in 2025. Not with the Eagles vying for a championship repeat and the upsurge of the Commanders. Let’s not forget the Cowboys have Dak Prescott back and the Giants, while still in a rebuild, have a deep and talented defensive front.

These are 10 burning questions in the NFC East heading into the 2025 season, but first, here’s a look at each team’s odds to win the NFC East, NFC title and Super Bowl.

NFL odds via FanDuel Sportsbook.

Are the Eagles good enough to repeat as Super Bowl champions?

The safe answer to this question as of June 2025 would be to be determined, but the honest answer is no. The Eagles don’t have enough at pass rusher after the offseason losses of Josh Sweat and Milton Williams, and safety is a concern after trading away C.J. Gardner-Johnson. 

The offense has 10 of 11 starters from the Super Bowl team back but has a new offensive coordinator in Kevin Patullo. That unit will take the start of the season to gel while the defense will get the benefit of the doubt under Vic Fangio. The Eagles could use some veteran help on the defense in key areas.

Philadelphia is still a Super Bowl contender, but it’s hard to repeat for a reason. This team — as presently constructed — isn’t as good as last year. 

Is Brian Schottenheimer the right head coach in Dallas? 

The Cowboys moved on from Mike McCarthy after years of flirting with his future as the head coach. Out went McCarthy and in came Schottenheimer, who is a head coach for the first time after 23 years as an NFL assistant — the last two as the Cowboys offensive coordinator.

The hire certainly wasn’t a sexy one, but those are the ones that usually pay off.  The Cowboys are banking on the culture built by Schottenheimer to get them deep into the playoffs, as he knows the ins and outs of the organization after having been in a Dallas for a few seasons. 

Schottenheimer will get a few years to see if his vision pays off, but he’s taking over a team with roster issues that won’t be addressed in 2025. The end game for the Cowboys is the Super Bowl after all, a drought that stands at 29 years. 

Will Jayden Daniels have a sophomore slump with the Commanders? 

Daniels had one of the best rookie seasons for a quarterback in NFL history. He was just the second quarterback with 4,000-plus passing yards and 1,000-plus rushing yards in a season (including playoffs) in NFL history, leading the commanders to the NFC Championship Game in his first year in the league. 

Daniels had the most total touchdowns (37) and total yards (5,416) by a rookie quarterback (including playoffs), winning 14 games in that rookie campaign. Those numbers will be hard to top, no matter how Daniels performs in 2025. 

Daniels carried the Commanders last season, and he’ll be asked to do it again. The Commanders have a better roster, but defenses have an entire offseason to study Daniels. Watching Daniels adjust in year two will be one of the storylines in the NFL this season. 

Who will be the Giants starting quarterback?

The Giants certainly improved the quarterback position this offseason, even if the signings may have been underwhelming outside of the organization. Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston signed in free agency, and the franchise traded back into the first round to select Jaxson Dart, completely revamping the position.

Wilson is the frontrunner to start, but there is expected to be a competition for the job. Dart isn’t expected to be the Week 1 starter, which is good for his development a steh future franchise quarterback. Watching Wilson and Winston battle for the job will be one of the storylines of training camp. 

The Cowboys still haven’t reached a long-term extension with Parsons, who is heading into the final year of his rookie contract. The barometer for Parsons is simple: $40.25 million. That’s what Ja’Marr Chase makes as the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL in terms of average annual salary.

Parsons will set that mark whenever the Cowboys sign him, but when is that going to happen? Parsons has skipped the second week of voluntary OTAs and likely won’t return until a deal is set. 

The Cowboys know the amount, but how much will Parsons get paid when the contract is set and done? Dallas would be better off getting the deal done sooner rather than later. 

Will the Eagles add a veteran pass rusher or safety?

The Eagles are working to finalize a trade to move on from Bryce Huff, who wasn’t in the plans at edge rusher anyway. Their pass rush consists of returnees Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt, one-year free agent signings Azeez Ojulari and Josh Uche and first-round pick Jihaad Campbell. Smith and Campbell are coming off offseason surgeries, while Hunt is playing in an expanded role for the first time. The Eagles could use a more veteran presence there, whether that comes via trade or free agency. 

The starting safeties are returnee Reed Blankenship and a competition between Sydney Brown and second-round pick Andrew Mukuba. Safety isn’t a significant concern, but a veteran signing like Justin Simmons (who played under defensive coordinator Vic Fangio) could help. 

The Eagles could certainly improve both areas this summer. 

Can the Commanders repeat last season’s success?

The Commanders won a surprising 12 games in the regular season, making the NFC Championship Game for the first time in 1991. There was a catch in last season’s success, however, as they had the most wins when tied or trailing in the final 10 seconds of regulation since 2000 (six) and tied for the second-most wins by six-or-fewer points in a season all-time (including playoffs) with six. Washington won seven games on the final play last season. 

This isn’t sustainable, right? The Commanders fought all the way to the end of games, but can’t bank on late-game comebacks every week. A significantly tougher schedule (on paper) won’t help matters, either. 

Don’t be fooled: the Commanders are still a good team; they just won’t benefit from last-second success every week to make a deep playoff run again. 

When can we expect to see Jaxson Dart as the Giants quarterback? 

Dart will get every opportunity to develop with Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston ahead of him on the depth chart. The Giants would be wise not to throw the rookie into the fire anyway, not with their brutal schedule to start the season and one of the worst offensive lines in football to play behind. 

The Giants have the hardest strength of schedule in the NFL this season. The schedule lightens up a bit in December, which is when the Giants may hand over the quarterback reins to Dart. 

What the Giants need to see from Dart is to execute the offense and not turn the ball over in year one, which will be a significant win for a franchise that needs a few of them. 

What can Saquon Barkley do for an encore after his 2,000-yard campaign?

No running back has ever rushed for 2,000 yards in a season twice. The most rushing yards a running back has ever had in a  season after rushing for 2,000 yards was Derrick Henry’s 1,921 this past season. The most rushing yards a running back has ever had after a 2,000-yard season was Barry Sanders with 1,491 in 1998.

If Barkley rushed for 1,200 yards in 2025, it would be impressive given the nature of the position and the wear and tear playing running back has on the body. Barkley does get to run behind the Eagles offensive line, which is a luxury. 

Keep in mind the Eagles may also throw more to limit Barkley’s carries in 2025. Barkley has high goals and high expectations for himself, so he’ll look to rewrite history for running backs with 2,000-yard campaigns. 

Are Dak Prescott’s best days behind him? 

Prescott is coming off a season-ending hamstring injury and has just two playoff victories in his nine seasons with the Cowboys. Prescott’s age (32) and injury history warrant this question, but Prescott is only two seasons removed from leading the NFL in touchdown passes (36) and has a 100-plus passer rating in two of the past four seasons. 

The Cowboys could not have Prescott throw 35.8 attempts per game (last season’s average) and balance the offense, but the running back position isn’t anything to write home about. Prescott will have to carry the offense again, and has the pass catchers to execute the task. 

This season will be a massive one for Prescott, who should have a few good years of football left in him. But another significant injury could again raise the question if his best days are behind him.