NFC East Or NFC Beast?

While you have been busy making plans for your first visit to the new Cowboys Stadium, or keeping up with the banishment of "bad locker room guys" by Jerry Jones, or even getting ready for what you just know is a Cowboy Super Bowl run, you may have missed the fact that every Cowboy division opponent has got stronger over the off-season.

The NFC East, with a long tradition of being tough is again the toughest division in the NFL. With the Giants just a year removed from being atop the football world, the Eagles falling just one game short of the big game last year, and the Redskins again big spenders in the free agent market the Cowboys may find themselves looking up at the division. One thing for sure if the Cowboys can survive this division they will be playoff ready, because everyone got better.

The Giants finishing 2008 with a NFC best 12-4 record did not stand pat. With the return of injured Osi Umenyiora from a season ending knee injury you would expect the Giants D to be better, but then add to that the acquisitions of veteran starters DE Chris Canty, LB Michael Boley and tackle Rocky Benard, this defense ranked in the top 10 against the run and in sacks is not only better but one of the deepest in the league. 

Most people thought the Giants biggest hole was wide receiver due to the release of troubled Plaxico Burress. This was addressed on draft day. The Giants drafted wide receivers Hakeem Nicks in the first round and  Ramses Barden in the third. Nicks was ranked as the most NFL ready coming into the draft and should be able to make a quick impact for the Giants. Barden who stands 6-6 will be used to replace Buress's physical presence down near the endzone.

The Eagles coming off the deep run in the playoffs also have taken steps to improve. First, knowing they play in a division with elite pass rushers like Demarcus Ware and Umenyiora, they went and got Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Williams from the Buffalo Bills. After getting Williams to protect Donavan McNabb, the Eagles set out to give him more weapons. They did this by drafting lightning quick WR/returner Jeremy Maclin in the first, running back LeSean McCoy in the second and TE Cornelius Ingram in the fifth.

With Maclin to pair with DeSean Jackson the Eagles will have one of the leagues best downfield passing attacks. McCoy is a bit of a Brian Westbrook clone, so will easily fill the back up role, and even be able to start for the often injured eagle star. Ingram is set to step in and fill the void left by the departed free-agent L.J. Smith.

Maybe the biggest question the Eagles face this season is not on the field but off, where it still unknown whether or not they will have the leader of their defense, defensive coordinator Jim Johnson. Johnson is currently on an indefinite leave of absence while he is under going a second round of chemotherapy to fight cancer which has spread to his lower spine.

Even the bottom dwellers of the division, the 8-8 Washington Redskins have made improvements this off-season. The Redskin defense that ranked in the top 10 last season will be even better in 2009. Adding $100 million free agent tackle Albert Haynesworth and drafting DE Brian Orakpo in the first round of the draft should make the Redskins line one of the best in the NFL. There is also rumor that the Redskins maybe the landing place of the recently released Mike Vick, which would not be surprising considering the Skins interest earlier in Jay Cutler.

So the Cowboys hope to improve by subtraction. By releasing Pacman Jones, Terrell Owens, Roy "from Oklahoma" Williams and soon Greg Ellis. Trading starter Anthony Henry, and letting Tank Williams, Chris Canty, Kevin Burnett, and Keith Davis walk in free agency. The Cowboys think that letting what they believed to be Bad locker room guys go, and trading away age for youth will be the answer to finally ending the 11 year playoff win drought. Are they right about that? We will soon see because the Beast in the NFC East is waiting.