The Washington Redskins should be the favorites to emerge from the NFC East in 2016. Coming off a 9-7 year in which the entire division seemed to regress, Washington is poised to build on its first winning season since 2012. The Josh Norman signing in free agency is just one in a series of moves that has the Skins positioned to reclaim the NFC East crown for the second year in a row.
It's not as if the Redskins will go unchallenged in the division. Each team should be better, at least on paper, but they are not without their weaknesses.
-The Dallas Cowboys will be Washington's main threat if quarterback Tony Romo can stay healthy. With Romo upright, a healthy Dez Bryant and arguably the NFL's most talented offensive line, the Cowboys can grind out victories by controlling the clock and the pace of the game, even with their shaky defense. However, with defensive ends Randy Gregory and DeMarcus Lawrence both suspended for the first month of the season, Dallas may struggle to get off to a hot start.
-The Philadelphia Eagles finished the 2015 season ranked in the top half of the NFL in yards per game, points and passing yards. The team's defense also appears to be on the upswing. However, the quarterback situation remains unclear at best. The Eagles shelled out a lot of money to re-sign Sam Bradford and add Chase Daniel this offseason. Then Philly went out and gave up a king's ransom to acquire the No. 2 overall pick in the upcoming draft. Now, Bradford is reportedly requesting a trade, and the Eagles may be forced to start either a career backup or a rookie.
-With Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Jr., the Giants will at least be respectable on offense. But every other aspect of the roster is littered with question marks. The offensive line is a mess, as is the running game, and the pass rush and secondary are no better. Yes, New York may have patched up a few key defensive holes in free agency, but we've seen big-money deals fail to work out before. How will rookie head coach Ben McAdoo handle all of this turnover?
It's not as if the Redskins are 100 percent set heading into the 2016 season either. The safety, linebacker and defensive line positions could all use upgrades, and who knows whether or not Kirk Cousins is the real deal under center. But Norman's addition helps to stabilize a secondary in flux, and the return of a healthy Junior Galette could help springboard Washington's pass rush into the top half of the league. If tight end Jordan Reed and this improving offensive line just stay the course, the Redskins could once again threaten a nine- or 10-win season.
Is calling the Redskins the favorites a bit too much praise? Perhaps. Washington has never performed well in the face of expectations. But for the first time in years, it's at least easier to see how the team could make it to the head of the pack in the NFC East.
Follow Brandon Katz at @Great_Katzby
