Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has made his 2026 season sound really simple. Back in June, he told reporters that reaching the playoffs was “the minimum.” He then went a step further, revealing that he’d promised the playoffs to veteran DT Quinnen Williams, who has never taken a single postseason snap. Former NFL wide receiver Cris Carter heard all of that and went straight to the one part Dallas cannot control – the rest of the NFC East.

“Dak saying that he’s going to get Quinnen into the playoffs, I could understand that being the elder statesman,” Carter said on the Fully Loaded podcast. “Quinnen’s never been in the playoffs coming from the Jets – I think they’re going to surprise a lot of people.

“But the whole division’s improved. The Giants are improved. Washington will be back with Jayden Daniels, and the Eagles will be improved based on the team that they faced last year a couple times. So, you can still be improved, but your own division’s improved.”

Now, if we break down the NFC East’s offseason development, Carter’s argument stands on its own.

New York Giants
Big Blue is perhaps the biggest part of that squeeze. They are still unproven under new head coach John Harbaugh, but he brings an 18-season legacy from Baltimore, and a whole lot of optimism. He has built heavily around quarterback Jaxson Dart this offseason – more help at tight end, more blocking, and more speed around the 23-year-old.

Tight end Isiah Likely – hopping from Baltimore to New York with Harbaugh – is the clearest piece in that plan. He can give Dart a clean target and stay useful as a blocker when the play demands it. Fullback Patrick Ricard offers more blocking options that could help RB Cam Skattebo make even better plays than last year. The Giants are leaning into a 12-personnel offense and a stronger run game instead of asking Dart to risk himself and win in a vacuum like 2025.

Malik Nabers is still the star if he’s healthy at training camp, but the offseason work was all about making the offense less dependent on one target. This stability and versatility will make it harder for teams to game plan against NY. Moreover, the wild, untamed energy Dart and Skattebo showed last season on the field can also tilt the momentum in their favor if they can get on a hot streak.

Washington Commanders
Washington looks different for similar reasons. New defensive coordinator Daronte Jones and assistant QB coach David Blough have already impressed head coach Dan Quinn. ESPN’s minicamp report said the Commanders came out of the spring feeling better about the energy, the defense, and most importantly, a healthy Jayden Daniels. Last season, Daniels got injured in almost every single game he played, missing time and throwing Washington out of rhythm. After going 2-5 in seven starts, his offseason progress has made him more vocal when leading the huddle.

The playmakers are easy to spot. Terry McLaurin is healthy and in the building. The new additions of TE Chig Okonkwo, RBs Jerome Ford and Rachaad White, and this year’s draft addition, WR Antonio Williams, offer Quinn plenty to work with.

Analysts hint at a need for a wide receiver, but they might have a solution ready in Brandon Aiyuk. The 49ers star WR has said he’d sign with the Commanders “tomorrow” if the Niners let him go, giving his old college QB a true downfield separator behind McLaurin if a trade or move actually happens.

Philadelphia Eagles
Philly has always made the NFC East look tough. But this Spring, they’ve walked away with the only A grade ESPN’s Seth Walder gave out in his offseason assessment for all the franchises. They stayed active in free agency and the draft, while also locking up CB Tariq Woolen and DT Jordan Davis. Edge rusher Jalyx Hunt is projected to have a monster season, adding to a defense that already had real teeth. The roster looks deeper, nastier, and harder to chase.

On offense, the Eagles flew up the draft board – with a little help from Dallas – to land USC wide receiver Makai Lemon 20th overall. Whether he gets a chance to shine in a team that relies on short-yardage plays is an ongoing debate, but the biggest upside for Philly would be the lack of distractions.

Locker room disquiet and media narratives follow the Eagles throughout the season, with AJ Brown’s public complaints about his lack of targets. Philly shipped him off to New England this offseason, granting his long-standing wish to play for the Patriots. Without all the locker room tension, the Eagles now get a sort of quiet that they haven’t had since they won Super Bowl LIX, and that’s very hard to quantify.

Now, none of this takes anything away from all that the Cowboys have achieved this offseason. Owner/general manager Jerry Jones promised to “bust the budget,” and that’s what he did. The Cowboys had already brought in Quinnen Williams midseason in 2025 to fix the interior pass rush alongside Kenny Clark. Ohio State safety Caleb Downs has been the biggest draft addition for Dallas, who has responded by dominating in Spring workouts.

New defensive coordinator Christian Parker’s trash talk and competitive edge have already rubbed off on the entire roster, and Dak Prescott is all in for the energy that has been brought out for the Cowboys. Dallas also locked George Pickens on a franchise tag for this season, keeping Dak’s championship-caliber offense intact. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer has promised to take care of the ball better this year and finally win the turnover battles.

Add all of this up, and Dallas has made it crystal clear it’s not trying to sneak up on anyone in 2026. This squad is amped, hungry, and ready for the quest to be the most dangerous NFC contenders from Week 1. But this is also where Cris Carter’s warning lands again.

Dak Prescott can talk about the playoffs as a floor, but he has missed the postseason two years in a row already. The Giants have a cleaner offensive plan, Washington has a healthy roster again, and Philadelphia still has the muscle. Regardless of the optimism, the Cowboys do not get a free lane through their divisional rivals at any cost.