National Football League

NFL trade deadline fallout: Where Eagles, other NFC East squads stand

Updated Nov. 1, 2022 6:48 p.m. ET

The NFL trade deadline day was surprisingly quiet for the best division in football, though the top three teams at least tried to get stronger for the playoff chase. In the end, though, they all came up empty in their search for offensive weapons, mostly it seemed because the prices were too high.

Still, all four teams made one trade over the last week and all four are in a pretty good position heading into the "second half" of the season. Here's a look at what each team did and didn't do before the deadline on Tuesday, and where they all stand now:

Philadelphia Eagles (7-0)

What they did: They traded a fourth-round pick to the Chicago Bears for DE Robert Quinn last week in an effort to bolster their pass rush. That's been the Achilles heel of their defense the last two years, and the Eagles believe if they add a consistent rush to what might be the best secondary in football they'll have one of the best defenses in the league. Quinn is 32 and not having a very good year, so it's unclear how much of a boost he'll actually be. The Eagles are hoping that as a rotational player he'll show at least some of the explosiveness that led him to have 18.5 sacks last year.

What they didn't do: They didn't acquire a running back, but it wasn't for a lack of trying. They called about Cleveland's Kareem Hunt (who wasn't traded), according to a source, and they were believed to be in on Nyheim Hines — a favorite of coach Nick Sirianni — who was traded from Indianapolis to the Buffalo Bills. It wasn't immediately clear if they were close to acquiring either player, but they were clearly interested in adding more depth to their running game and, in particular, a running back who could be a force as a receiver out of the backfield.

Where they stand: Before they did anything, they were undefeated, favorites to reach the Super Bowl and maybe the only NFC team capable of playing with the powers in the AFC. So they certainly didn't need to do anything. It would've just been a case of the rich getting richer. If Quinn provides a spark to their pass rush they could be really hard to beat down the stretch. But they're probably going to be really tough to beat anyway.

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Dallas Cowboys (6-2)

What they did: They traded a sixth-round pick to Las Vegas for DT Johnathan Hankins (and a seventh-round pick in 2024) last week. He is a huge, veteran presence in the middle of a defensive line that was young and inconsistent on the interior. The Cowboys have a very good defense that includes a strong secondary and fierce pass rush, but they weren't good at all at stopping the run. That's a problem in a division with the Eagles and the Giants. Hankins plugs that hole.

What they didn't do: Despite nosing around the available wide receivers — particularly Houston's Brandin Cooks, according to an NFL source — they didn't get one. Maybe that wasn't a surprise — Cowboys owner Jerry Jones basically said he didn't expect any deadline deals — but it's a bit odd for an aggressive team on the verge of being a contender to ignore its biggest need. They clearly haven't replaced WR Amari Cooper, who was traded to the Browns during the offseason, and Michael Gallup doesn't look the same as he comes back from a torn ACL. It was clear CeeDee Lamb needs help, but he didn't get it. Cooks could've been that guy, but he's due $18 million guaranteed next season, which made it hard for any team to meet the Texans' asking price.

Where they stand: They are probably the team best positioned to make a run at the Eagles, but their ability to do it may come down to whether Dak Prescott's return is enough to kick the offense into gear. They've got the defense and the running game to be a dangerous team in the playoffs, but an explosive passing game really would've put them over the top. Lamb can be that kind of player, but only if Gallup or even Noah Brown step up to take some of the pressure and coverage off of him.

New York Giants (6-2)

What they did: They traded WR Kadarius Toney, their problematic former first-round pick, to Kansas City for a third- and sixth-round draft picks last week. That might look like an odd move for a team that desperately needs help at receiver, but Toney had been constantly injured and never seemed to click with the new regime. So basically, GM Joe Schoen got two picks for a player he didn't draft and didn't want, and who had barely played this year anyway. Of course, Toney's balky hamstring is feeling much better now, just as he heads to the Chiefs.

What they didn't do: Despite making calls about Denver's Jerry Jeudy, Cooks, and probably a few others, they did not add a receiver — something they desperately needed. It's not that Schoen didn't want to fill that big hole on his roster. He said "the price point just didn't work out" and "you can't be reckless" with draft capital. In other words, he was very protective of his future draft picks and salary cap space, per team sources, since he knows that rebuilding the Giants is going to take more than just one year.

Where they stand: They are 6-2 and poised for their first playoff berth since 2016, but they still have the same gaping hole in their offense. They have no semblance of a passing attack at all and have to find a way to make do with a receiving corps led by Darius Slayton, rookie Wan'Dale Robinson and Marcus Johnson. That's hardly ideal. Their best hope for help in the passing game now is veteran Kenny Golladay, who has just two catches this season and hasn't played since Week 4 due to a sprained knee. Schoen said "fingers crossed" Golladay will be back after the bye. Still, he likely will never live up to his $72 million contract. Would the Giants consider signing old friend Odell Beckham at some point? "Obviously he's a guy we would consider and talk to when he's healthy," Schoen said. Hmmm ….

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Washington Commanders (4-4)

What they did: They traded unhappy CB William Jackson, who reportedly had asked to be dealt after being benched in Week 5, to the Pittsburgh Steelers — quite a fall for a player who got a three-year, $40.5 million contract in 2021. He was just a bad fit in Washington's defense, as Ron Rivera admitted Tuesday in an interview with NBC Washington. "We looked at what we tried to do with William and it didn't work," Rivera said. "We were wrong." So they sent Jackson and a conditional seventh-rounder in 2025 to Pittsburgh for a conditional sixth-rounder in 2025. It's remarkable they were able to find a trading partner at all considering the 30-year-old is still due $2.64 million in salary this season and everyone expected the Commanders to cut him if they couldn't make a deal. Jackson will leave $9 million in "dead money" behind on Washington's 2023 cap, though that's $6.75 million less than if was still on the team.

What they didn't do: They didn't have the fire sale that seemed so likely before they won their last three games. They were thinking about that a few weeks ago, according to a league source, and teams had expressed interest in players like TE Logan Thomas, DT Darron Payne and RB Antonio Gibson. Several teams were looking for running back help, and a source said there was "significant interest" in Gibson, but Ron Rivera was adamantly against trading him.

Where they stand: They are currently a tie-breaker away from the last playoff spot in the NFC, despite being buried in last place in the NFC East, two games behind the third-place Giants. And the Commanders like their team. They seem to believe injuries have hurt them more than anything, but they have the players — particularly on offense — to compete. They also feel they've got something special with QB Taylor Heinicke, who has won two straight and has at least two more starts coming. The most interesting part of that, of course, is what happens if Heinicke keeps playing well and the Commanders are in contention when Carson Wentz (finger) is healthy again. That could be a real wild quarterback controversy down the stretch.

Ralph Vacchiano is the NFC East reporter for FOX Sports, covering the Washington Commanders, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants. He spent the previous six years covering the Giants and Jets for SNY TV in New York, and before that, 16 years covering the Giants and the NFL for the New York Daily News. Follow him Twitter at @RalphVacchiano.