The last division we have to cover in the “Breakout Player” series is the NFC East. This division is loaded with stars and talent, making it hard to pick players for each team. Still, there are some clear young players who could take a leap in the 2026 season, and these four are worth paying attention to.

Philadelphis Eagles – Breakout Player: Jihaad Campbell, LB

Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has always done a good job of anticipating the team’s needs. In the 2025 NFL draft, he did exactly that. The team traded up one spot from pick 32 to 31 to secure Jihaad Campbell in the first round. A year ago, a linebacker wasn’t a need for Philadelphia, as the team had Zack Baun and Nakobe Dean, but Roseman took Campbell anyway. Fast-forward to this past offseason, and Dean was a free agent. The Eagles don’t have the cap space to keep everyone around, so they let Dean walk to the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency.

Now, Campbell can step into the starting role opposite Baun, and he has the luxury of having a full season under his belt, learning from two of the game’s best. He saw significant playing time early in the year with Dean recovering from an injury, but around Week 10, his snaps started to take a dip. Campbell still saw 702 snaps of action, having 62 tackles, 21 run stops and allowing 24 receptions.

It’ll be year two in the Vic Fangio defense, and Campbell is all but capable of operating just as effectively as Dean did. He has the range, athleticism, and versatility to thrive in the role. Expect to hear his name pop up more and more in 2026.

Dallas Cowboys – Breakout Player: Donovan Ezeiruaku, EDGE

During the 2025 draft process, Donovan Ezeiruaku was one of my favorites to watch. He’s an undersized edge rusher at 6-foot-2 and 247 pounds, but in the new defensive scheme of Christian Parker for the Dallas Cowboys, he should fit in just fine off the edge. Ezeiruaku underwent surgery this offseason to repair a torn labrum in his hip as he played through the injury late in his rookie season. He’s expected to be fully ready to participate in training camp at some point.

Ezeiruaku played 603 snaps and had 36 pressures with two total sacks in his rookie season. His win percentage on the true pass set was 12.6 percent, a number that can easily go up next season. He possesses the ability to win with speed around the edge, but lacks the natural strength to be a capable run defender. The injury doesn’t allow him to improve on those marks, but he still showed signs in year one.

The Cowobys have a couple of options on who they could play on the edge in Rashan Gary, Malachi Lawrence, Jaishawn Barham and James Houston. They all will have roles in this edge room, but Ezeiruaku has the talent to stand out among the bunch.

Washington Commanders – Breakout Player: Trey Amos, DB

Just like Ezeiruaku above, Trey Amos is coming into his second season recovering from an injury. Amos suffered a fractured fibula in Week 10 of the 2025 season and has currently been participating in the Washington Commanders’ offseason programs, a good sign for the 2026 season. Amos was taken in the second round of the 2025 NFL draft and started nine games for the Commanders before his injury.

Throughout those games, Amos gave up 325 yards and had four pass breakups. There’s room for improvement, no doubt, but there were flaws in Amos’ game throughout the season. The Commanders are looking for solid starters in the back-end, and Amos is still projected to start for them in the 2026 season.

With head coach Dan Quinn having a restructured front seven, the hope is that Amos won’t have to cover for long on passing plays. The added pass rush should allow him to be more aggressive and make more plays. Expect Amos to make strides in year two.

New York Giants – Breakout Player: Tyler Nubin, DB

During the draft process for the 2026 draft, a lot of people were convinced, including me, that the New York Giants would take Caleb Downs with one of their two top 10 picks. They ended up going Arvell Reese and Francis Mauigoa in the first round, but it makes sense not to go safety with Tyler Nubin on the roster.

Nubin has faced injuries early in his career, with an ankle injury in Week 14 of his rookie season leading to “tightrope” surgery in January of 2025. Then, in 2025, he suffered a season-ending neck injury, but he is slated to be fully healthy entering this season. With a new system in place and new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson taking over, the hope is for Nubin to take a step forward this 2026 season.

In the first two years of Nubin’s career, he hasn’t fully flourished into the player that the Giants hoped for coming out of Minnesota, but he’s shown to be a reliable tackler and has a good IQ for the game. Nubin has the chance to really take a leap and solidify himself in the Giants’ secondary in 2026.