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Eagles Open as Slight Favorites Over Cowboys to Win NFC East

Eric Rosales

by Eric Rosales in NFL Football

Updated Mar 9, 2021 · 5:02 PM PST

Philadelphia Eagles' Carson Wentz
Philadelphia Eagles' Carson Wentz (11), Jalen Hurts (2) and head coach Doug Pederson during an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Monday, Nov. 30, 2020, in Philadelphia. The Seahawks defeated the Eagles (AP Photo/Rich Schultz)
  • Sportsbooks list Eagles as early +125 favorites to win NFC East
  • Cowboys have a busy offseason, including signing QB Dak Prescott
  • Get the odds and our prediction on how the NFC East will play out

It’s extremely early, but even sportsbooks opening odds for the next NFL season predict quite a battle at the top of the NFC East.

The NFC East odds is projected as a two-team race, with the Philadelphia Eagles getting the early nod over the Dallas Cowboys. This was similar to a season ago, when the Eagles pegged as +100 division winners to open, with the Cowboys close behind at +125.

The oddsmakers were on to something, as Philly gutted their way to the NFC East crown, taking the lone playoff spot available to end Dallas’ season.

NFC East Odds

Team Odds
Philadelphia Eagles +125
Dallas Cowboys +140
New York Giants +650
Washington Redskins +800

Odds from March 3

With the NFL Draft and Free Agency still to shake out, let’s look at how you should be handling your early-on wagers.

Cowboys Have a Busy Summer

On paper, Dallas has a ton of high-end talent, but a ton of them are also unrestricted free agents. Most notably, starting quarterback Dak Prescott is going to get paid. Yet, Dak is just one of 30 in-house free agents.

Not being able to lock up Prescott a year ago is going to cost Dallas millions of dollars — literally, and if they do intend to franchise him, it will only cost more. Prescott enjoyed the best season of his career, completing 65.1% of his passes, reaching personal bests in passing yards (4,902) and TD tosses (30).

He was at the helm of the top ranked offense in terms of yardage, fifth in offensive DVOA, and sixth in scoring, despite finishing at 8-8 and out of the playoffs. The current highest QB salary by yearly average is Russell Wilson at $35 million, and Dak’s people will surely be seeking something north of that. It appears as though this has to get done, as no franchise QB in the fold is a fast path to mediocrity in the NFL.

Also a priority is wideout Amari Cooper, who Dallas acquired by giving up a first round pick. That alone makes him a virtual must-keep, but that big deal will likely cost them stellar corner Byron Jones, as everyone in the NFL is willing to pay a premium for legit cover skills.

Dallas, with some wheeling, could have over $100 million in cap space, but Robert Quinn, Maliek Collins, Jason Witten, Randall Cobb, Blake Jarwin, Darian Thompson, Jeff Heath, and Michael Bennett — all starters last season — will also need to be fed (or let go).

And that doesn’t even begin to cover the deficiencies that plagued them a season ago, which, depending on how it pans out, they might not even be able to address. Here’s hoping they hit the draft jackpot, or it could be a similar top-heavy roster.

Eagles’ Roseman Needs to Hit a Homerun

The defending NFC East champs were a patchwork mess by the end of the year. Zach Ertz was their only reliable skill man standing — as we’re not counting the wildly inconsistent Nelson Agholor — complemented with a roster of dudes off the practice roster and street punching up a level in a divisional playoff loss to Seattle.

The injury bug derailed DeSean Jackson’s return season and severely limited Alshon Jeffery, while running back Jordan Howard only played nine games. Defensively, a stout front four was not enough to make up for a poor secondary.  And for a third season in a row, starting QB Carson Wentz was not able to finish the season.

But there’s a calming sense that Eagles’ GM Howie Roseman can turn this around, with the same shrewd moves that turned Philly into World Champions just two seasons ago.

Bringing back Malcolm Jenkins at safety might be the only familiar face in what needs to be a revamped secondary, and finding skill players at running back, receiver and tight end will also be a priority.

Perhaps the most important move will be finding a suitable backup for Wentz. Nick Foles did the job admirably, en route to a title in 2017 but Josh McCown was overmatched against the Seahawks when Wentz suffered a concussion.

What’s the Best Bet?

The Eagles made low-cost, calculated decisions in their defensive secondary that were thought out but didn’t work out. This happens, as do injuries. The blueprint is still there to be successful, and with cornerstones Wentz, Ertz, o-lineman Lane Johnson and defensive beast Fletcher Cox all locked up long term, Roseman can go fishing to build the roster.

That should be enough to give them the nod for now, as we see how Dallas’ offseason unfolds.

The pick: Eagles (+125)

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