The NFC East’s tackle picture is starting to come into focus, and the top of the division is exactly where you’d expect it to be: Philadelphia. The Eagles sit alone at the top of this grading exercise with 23 points, while the Giants are right behind at 22. Dallas checks in at 19, and Washington sits at 16.
At tackle, the Eagles still have the kind of pair that makes the rest of the division chase. Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson are arguably the best tandem in football, and the group gets an added layer of intrigue with the arrival of Chris Kuper, who is stepping in after Jeff Stoutland.
Kuper did an adequate job with the Vikings, and Philadelphia’s personnel remains strong. Markel Bell, a hulking tackle out of Miami, could end up shaping the future of the position, while Fred Johnson has been around the league since 2019 and was solid in his role last season.
Even with an aging line, the starters and the young talent make Philadelphia the easy four-point team.
New York isn’t far behind, and the Giants have built a tackle room that looks sturdy for now and flexible for later. The team re-signed Jermaine Eluemunor to a three-year, $39 million extension that included $ 26 million in guaranteed money, and he has already proven to be a competent, reliable starter over the last two seasons. Keeping him gives the Giants options across the offensive line, and he also brings value beyond the field as a quality locker room presence.
Andrew Thomas remains the headliner. When he’s healthy, he’s one of the best tackles in football, and last season he allowed 13 pressures and a sack in 448 pass-blocking snaps.
He also got back to 800 total snaps for the first time since 2022. At 27, Thomas is still one of New York’s most important players.
Behind those two, Marcus Mbow and rookie J.C. Davis give the Giants developmental swing-tackle options, and the overall setup suggests New York is in good shape at the position for the foreseeable future.
Washington lands next in the pecking order, and Laremy Tunsil is the reason why. He turned in another elite season last year despite the Commanders’ struggles, giving up just 15 pressures and two sacks while cutting his penalties in half, though he still had eight. Tunsil remains one of the most technically sound pass blockers in the league and a dependable run blocker, and he may be the best tackle in the division.
Josh Conerly Jr., though, had a rough rookie year at right tackle. He allowed 43 pressures and eight sacks, and a leap from him would go a long way toward settling that side of the line. Brandon Coleman gives Washington a solid third-string option with inside experience, and the room as a whole is solid because of Tunsil’s presence.
Dallas comes in last in this group, even if the Cowboys are not short on talent. Tyler Guyton has had a tough two seasons, with inconsistent pass protection and issues with hand discipline, but the 24-year-old is still a project with real upside.
Terrance Steele remains a starter, even if Dallas will likely look to upgrade there soon. The Cowboys also added Drew Shelton in the fourth round.
There’s promise here, and their interior offensive line is strong, but at tackle they are the clear one-point team.
Overall, the division is loaded at the position. Philadelphia has the best combination, New York has a strong one-two punch with upside behind it, Washington has a star in Tunsil and a young tackle who needs to take a step, and Dallas is still trying to turn talent into stability. That’s how the NFC East stacks up at offensive tackle.
In Other News...
Giants Suddenly Have A Training Camp Battle Nobody Expected In The Secondary
The Giants went into training camp expecting the safety picture to be fairly straightforward, with Jevon Holland and Tyler Nubin penciled in as the top two options. Instead, the early competition has opened the door for Jason Pinnock and ArDarius Washington, turning a spot that looked settled into one of the more interesting battles on the roster. Holland and Nubin have not separated themselves the way the team hoped, and that has created real uncertainty behind a secondary that needs stability.
Pinnocks case is easy to see after his best work came in an ultra-aggressive setup in 2023, and that kind of background matters with defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson leaning into a similarly assertive approach. Washington adds another layer because he can move between slot and safety and already knows the coaching staff from his time in Baltimore. For the Giants, the question now is less about who was supposed to start and more about which combination actually fits the scheme best. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Trade Idea Could Change Everything For Jaxson Dart
A hypothetical running back swap has surfaced as one of those ideas that makes sense on paper for a Giants offense still trying to sort out its identity around Jaxson Dart. The proposal from Lee Vowell of Horseshoe Heroes would send a second-round pick and Tyrone Tracy Jr. out of New York, with the appeal being obvious: add a proven back and give Dart a more stable supporting cast while the offense waits for its young quarterback to settle in.
The timing is what makes the exercise interesting, especially with Cam Skattebos injury in 2025 leaving his health uncertain and the Giants still looking for answers in the backfield. Even so, this is the kind of trade that lives more in the realm of debate than expectation, because the team on the other side is not exactly looking to move on from its top runner, which leaves New York fans to wonder whether the right move is a bold swing or simply patience. [Read more 🡒]
D.J. Reader Just Revealed What Sold Him On The Giants
D.J. Readers move to New York came together in May, when the Giants brought in the veteran defensive tackle on a two-year, $12.5 million deal after the 2026 NFL Draft. For a team looking to add more heft and experience up front, it was the kind of signing that made immediate sense on paper, and Readers explanation for why he chose the Giants only adds to the appeal.
He said the people around the building mattered just as much as the contract, with head coach John Harbaugh helping make the case to come to New York. Reader also pointed to a familiar face on the defensive side as part of what drew him in, which makes the Giants pitch feel less like a one-off free-agent visit and more like a reunion that had been waiting for the right moment. [Read more 🡒]