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The preseason used to be about getting prepared for the regular season, but now it’s about keeping players healthy so that they can get injured in the regular season. With the meaningful part of the meaningless preseason behind us, let’s take a look around the NFC East and see who’s healthy, who hasn’t played, who isn’t going to play, and who has an inflated sense of worth.
Philadelphia Eagles
Did they make it through the preseason without any key injuries?
Maybe? Lane Johnson should be good to go for the season opener, but he probably won’t be 100%, and lingering knee injuries are just what you want to deal with throughout the season. Fletcher Cox is also a question mark for Week 1. Still, nobody the Eagles are leaning on suffered a major injury in the preseason. Injuries to Nate Sudfeld and Kamu Grugier-Hill alter the depth for the beginning of the season, and Jalen Mills and Cre’von LeBlanc will hopefully be back at some point, but they’re not make or break players. It could be worse.
Did anyone get suspended?
Nope!
What’s going on with their best player?
The Eagles wisely didn’t let Carson Wentz play in the preseason, so he didn’t suffer any injuries unlike some of his peers. (He’s pictured above so that you remember what he looks like.) But that also means that we don’t have a strong idea how the Eagles franchise player will look this season as he returns from injury. Hope that works out well!
Who has unrealistically raised expectations?
Nobody? I’m not trying to be biased here, but the starters and key contributors that we thought would make up the Eagles roster when camp began… are the same starters and key contributors that make up the Eagles roster today. The only changes, some reshuffling at secondary and a new face at backup QB, are the result of injuries. For a team trying to win another Super Bowl, that seems like a good omen. It means none of the expected contributors are having a worrying bad training camp and preseason.
Dallas Cowboys
Did they make it through the preseason without any key injuries?
Zach Martin, Amari Cooper, and Byron Jones are varying levels of questionable for the season opener, but the Cowboys made it through the preseason without losing any starters long term.
Did anyone get suspended?
No. Randy Gregory was already suspended.
What’s going on with their best player?
Ezekiel Elliott is still enjoying Cabo. Lucky him.
Who has unrealistically raised expectations?
Stephen Jones. It must be great being an agent for a player on the Cowboys. Dallas has a lot of leverage but Jones seems intent on blowing it:
”I don’t think we’re close because there’s not a lot of activity” said Jones in his weekly show with The Fan’s GBag Nation.
When asked if the deal would be done soon, prior to Week 1 of the regular season, Jones said anything is possible.
”We feel confident things will get done” said Jones. “Things happen real quick, sometime within hours.”
Translation: we’re going to cave to their demands. What the Cowboys should be doing is saying they’re completely prepared to enter the season without Elliott, regardless if it’s true (it’s not). Instead they’re publically broadcasting that they’ll get something done. I’m sure Elliott’s agent won’t use that against them. Good job!
New York Giants
Did they make it through the preseason without any key injuries?
The Giants are pretty healthy, no major injuries to key players. It helps to not have many key players.
Did anyone get suspended?
Golden Tate will miss the first four games of the season due to dick pills.
What’s going on with their best player?
The Giants, one of the dumbest teams in the league, did a pretty smart thing: they didn’t dress Saquon Barkley for the preseason. It’s the right move. There’s no reason to play him, so good job by the Giants for realizing that. A broken clock is right twice a day.
Who has unrealistically raised expectations?
Dave Gettleman was widely mocked for taking Daniel Jones 6th overall in the draft, a massive reach. But then Jones played, and he looked… good. While it’s better than looking bad, looking good in the preseason means little. But for Jones, and the Giants, it’s potentially changed the narrative around the rookie QB, and if so has raised the pressure. Jones had a shield of criticism in that it wasn’t his fault Gettleman took him so high. But now that he’s had a solid preseason, the stakes for Jones have been raised.
WASTEAM
Did they make it through the preseason without any key injuries?
Nope. Alex Smith and Reuben Foster were already lost for the season before camp began, and then Jordan Reed suffered a concussion last week.
Did anyone get suspended?
Nope!
What’s going on with their best player?
Trent Williams hasn’t returned to the Redskins and there’s no indication he ever will.
Who has unrealistically raised expectations?
A little over a year after tearing his ACL, it would be a small feel good story to see Derrius Guice return to the form that made him a 2nd round pick in the 2018 Draft. But running backs have an expiration date, and major injuries only accelerate it. It also doesn’t help that the state of the Redskins offensive line is “Ereck Flowers is a starter.” Good luck Derrius.