The NFC East features some of the best quarterbacks in the NFL and the expectations for them are certainly high. There are a few quarterback battles taking place within the division, but we’ll keep our focus on who we believe will be the week one starting quarterback for each team.
Dak Prescott is back with a new contract for the Dallas Cowboys and will be looking to prove a point coming off of a gruesome ankle injury that ended his 2020 season prematurely. Jalen Hurts is set to begin his first season as the franchise quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, while Ryan Fitzpatrick will play his first season with the Washington Football Team. Daniel Jones is facing a lot of pressure this season as well and will look to prove that he is the quarterback of the future for the New York Giants.
Let’s dive into the early outlooks for each starting quarterback in the NFC East for the upcoming 2021 season.
Philadelphia Eagles: Jalen Hurts
Jalen Hurts balled out for the Eagles in a limited role last season as a rookie, and now that he’s entering his second season with the team under a brand new coaching staff, the sky is the limit for the former Heisman Trophy Finalist.
Hurts has always had an outstanding work ethic and it has propelled him to be in great shape to guide the Eagles to success. I think Hurts will make great strides in his sophomore season in the NFL.
He could have a stat line that looks like this: 8-9 record, 57.7 completion percentage, 3,489 passing yards, 24 passing touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. I also think Hurts could make a difference on the ground and rush for about 450 yards and score three times.
New York Giants: Daniel Jones
Daniel Jones is about to enter a boom or bust season that could 100 percent determine the outcome of the rest of his NFL career.
The Giants have officially given Jones everything he could need to be a successful starting quarterback and all eyes will be on him to prove he can get the job done. I think Jones will actually have a vastly improved season, which is contrary to popular belief, but the weapons the Giants have given him are top tier.
My projected stat line for Jones are a 10-7 record, 59.9 completion percentage, 4,227 passing yards, 29 passing touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.
Washington Football Team: Ryan Fitzpatrick
Who knows who the Week 1 starting quarterback will be in Washington, but I’d place my bets on Ryan Fitzpatrick to be the primary man under center.
Fitzpatrick, 38, is going to be bringing his high energy and big bearded play style to the nation’s capitol in hopes of guiding the team to the playoffs for the second consecutive season. Fitzpatrick could be replaced at some point, but I think he could play well enough to be the starter for the entirety of the season.
My projected stat line for Ryan Fitzpatrick is a 9-7 record, 67.1 completion percentage, 3,297 passing yards, 25 passing touchdowns, and 14 interceptions.
Dallas Cowboys: Dak Prescott
Dak Prescott suffered one of the most gruesome injuries one could suffer as a starting quarterback, but he is poised and ready to bounce back in 2021.
Prescott is my hands down favorite candidate to win the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year Award in 2021, and I think he’ll put together a great season that could help guide Dallas back to the playoffs. Prescott, in my opinion, could realistically flex a stat line that sees the Cowboys winning 13 games while he tosses 4,322 passing yards, completes 65.3 percent of his passes, and logs a touchdown to interception ratio of 33 to 8.
