The NFC East never fails to bring chaos in free agency. While some teams went all-in on big-ticket moves, others managed to trip over themselves in spectacular fashion. And, unfortunately for the New York Giants, they’ve been front and center in the most frustrating storyline of all.
General manager Joe Schoen’s quarterback plan—or lack thereof—has left Big Blue hanging in limbo while Aaron Rodgers plays puppet master and Russell Wilson waits in the wings. Meanwhile, the Washington Commanders pulled off one of the most baffling free agency moves imaginable, the Dallas Cowboys continue to make life miserable for Micah Parsons, and the Philadelphia Eagles might have just fumbled their greatest strength.
With all that said, here are the five worst moves of NFC East free agency so far.
5. Eagles forgot winning in the trenches won them the Super Bowl
For all of general manager Howie Roseman’s wizardry, this one is a head-scratcher. The Eagles built their championship run on trench dominance, only to watch it get ripped apart in free agency. Defensive linemen Milton Williams and Josh Sweat are gone, signing with the New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals, respectively. On the offensive side, they let Mekhi Becton walk to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Now, the Eagles are betting on their depth and draft capital to make up for these losses. Maybe that works. Maybe it doesn’t. But when your entire identity is built on bullying teams up front, gutting your trenches is a bold strategy. Let’s see if it pays off.
4. Kaiir Elam convinces Cowboys to give up draft assets to acquire him
Jerry Jones just can’t help himself. Instead of making a sensible move to reinforce the secondary, he went out and traded for Kaiir Elam—a guy who was basically boxed out of Buffalo’s rotation. The Cowboys gave up a 2025 fifth-round pick and a 2026 seventh-rounder for a cornerback who barely saw the field and ranked 127th out of 129 CBs in pass breakups.
Maybe Dallas thinks a change of scenery will revive Elam’s career. But it’s not like this was a free lottery ticket. They gave up assets for a guy the Bills were practically begging someone to take. Considering how many holes the Cowboys have, this was an incredibly unnecessary risk.
3. Cowboys break Micah Parsons
This isn’t about letting DeMarcus Lawrence and Chauncey Golston walk in free agency. It’s about how Dallas’ inaction completely sent Micah Parsons into a spiral.
Parsons has never been shy online, but after watching his defensive line get gutted, he had a full-blown meltdown. He publicly aired his frustrations, got into a social media spat with Lawrence, and made it painfully clear he’s fed up with the Cowboys’ front office. The guy just wants some help, and Jerry Jones is leaving him out to dry.
Maybe Parsons will use this as motivation, or maybe we’re watching the early stages of an eventual trade request. Either way, the Cowboys managed to take their best defensive player and completely alienate him in one offseason. Impressive.
2. Commanders cut Jonathan Allen to save money... only to sign Javon Kinlaw
If you’re going to let go of a two-time Pro Bowler to save money, at least make sure you don’t immediately spend that same money on someone significantly worse. But nope. Washington let Allen walk, then turned around and handed Javon Kinlaw a three-year, $45 million deal.
Kinlaw, to put it nicely, has been underwhelming. His best season as a pro still wasn’t great, and Washington somehow saw enough to justify giving him $30 million guaranteed. This is a special kind of mismanagement.
1. Joe Schoen hitching the Giants' QB wagon to Aaron Rodgers
Joe Schoen had a plan. It just turns out that plan didn’t actually involve landing a quarterback.
First, Matthew Stafford used the Giants’ interest to squeeze more money out of the Los Angeles Rams. Then, Justin Fields and Sam Darnold went to the New York Jets and Seattle Seahawks, respectively. Now, the Giants are just sitting around waiting for Rodgers to make up his mind while Russell Wilson (who, for the record, is right there) is ready to sign a deal.
Rodgers has all but made it clear that his first choice is the Vikings. And if that doesn’t work out? He might just retire instead of signing with the Giants. That is how little interest he has in playing here. And yet, Schoen is still waiting.
If the Giants don’t pivot soon, they might end up with nothing. Or, even worse, they’ll end up giving in and overpaying Wilson out of desperation. Either way, this is a disaster that should've been avoided.
