Dallas Cowboys Fans Get Good News in NFC East Rivalry

FRISCO - In a vacuum? The Dallas Cowboys are delighted with what they accomplished in the recent NFL Draft, and they are boasting about how much better they did in free agency this year compared to what they did a year ago.

Of course, a year ago they did virtually nothing, so the bar was - to borrow a favorite Jerry Jones pet phrase - "as low as a crippled cricket's (butt)."

All in all, after a 7-10 finish in 2024?

The Dallas roster is better.

The problem? It might not be "better'' enough.

The defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles aren't going away. Nor are their NFC Championship Game foes from last season, the Washington Commanders.

And this wouldn't be such a notable thing were it not for the fact that those two clubs are in the NFC East, and perched there above Dallas.

Truly, first things first around here.

Maybe Dallas should concern itself with avoid the New York Giants-rented basement.

The Giants won just 3 games last year; that's how you get yourself the third-overall pick in the draft, which New York just used to pick a blue-chip prospect in Abdul Carter.

Oh, and third-round defensive tackle Darius Alexander is a plug-and-play starter next to Dexter Lawrence. General manager Joe Schoen revamped the secondary with safety Jevon Holland and corner Paulson Adebo, adding potency to the unit.

And of course, the trade up into the first round to get future QB starter (they hope) Jaxson Dart is a headline-grabber.

And yet with all of that ... the Giants might be shocked by the latest ESPN power rankings, which polled over 80 analysts and placed them 32nd.

What about the Cowboys? ESPN has them at a crummy No. 19.

What about Philly and DC? Nos. 2 and 6, respectively, with the Kansas City Chiefs atop the pile.

There might be seven or 10 teams who have a chance to be awful this year. New York might be one of them. Dallas shouldn't be.

Hey, it's a start, right?