Where Dak Prescott Ranks Among NFC East Quarterbacks
Since being named started by the Dallas Cowboys in 2016, Dak Prescott has proven time and time again why is the best quarterback in the NFC East.
In his first season starting for the Cowboys, Prescott was named Offensive Rookie of the Year. According to Bleacher Report, Prescott was the first quarterback in NFL history to win Offensive Rookie of the Year after being drafted outside of the first two rounds of the NFL Draft.
If the Dallas Cowboys want to have a successful year on the gridiron, they need a healthy Prescott at the helm. Prescott is undoubtedly one of the most elite quarterbacks in the NFL and will look to lead his team to the top of the division once again.
Here's a look into where Prescott and the rest of division's quarterbacks stand:
1. Dak Prescott (Dallas Cowboys)
It's no secret that Prescott is the most elite quarterback in the NFC East. Prescott leads in all categories among active NFC East quarterbacks. With a healthy Prescott at the helm, the Cowboys have a real chance to make it to the post season again in 2022.
Prescott is a huge key to this Dallas Cowboys team. According to CBS Sports, the Cowboys are 31-3 when Prescott has a 100+ passer rating. Although the Cowboys traded away wide out Amari Cooper, Dallas still has talented targets surrounding Prescott including CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup.
Prescott is a huge locker room leader for the Cowboys and is one of the most versatile quarterbacks in the NFL. Along with his 22,000 passing yards during his career, Prescott also has recorded over 1,000 rushing yards. Prescott is not only the best quarterback in the NFC East but is also one of the top-10 quarterbacks in the NFL.
2. Jalen Hurts (Philadelphia Eagles)
Coming in behind Prescott is a young prospect with a lot of talent and a high ceiling. Hurts led the Eagles to the wild card round against Tampa Bay during the 2021 season. During the 2021 regular season, Hurts recorded 3,144 passing yards and 16 touchdowns with only nine interceptions.
Philadelphia added some major pieces in the offseason including former Tennessee Titans wide out A.J. Brown. This season Hurts will be surrounded by an impressive and explosive wide receiving corps including DeVonta Smith, Quez Watkins, Jalen Reagor, and Brown. With such outstanding targets surrounding him, Hurts is primed to have a successful 2022 season.
3. Carson Wentz (Washington Commanders)
The Washington Commanders have had major changes during the offseason. Washington found a new name and also found a new quarterback in Carson Wentz. The Indianapolis Colts traded Wentz to the Commanders back in March and in exchange the Commanders gave the Colts a second and third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft as well as a second-round pick in 2023.
Wentz has the opportunity to turn his career completely around at Washington. He has the talent and the capability of giving the Commanders a chance at sucess in 2022. Even though Wentz can be inconsistent at times, he threw for over 3,500 yards during 2021 in a primarily run-heavy offense with the Colts. If he fails to get the job done with the Commanders in his sixth season as a NFL quarterback, Wentz will likely no longer be a starter in the league.
4. Daniel Jones (New York Giants)
There are too many questions and not enough answers surrounding Jones. The signal-caller has elite talent on offense surrounding him, but the health of this Giants team has seen major decline over the past couple of seasons. Jones suffered a concerning neck injury last season, and you have to wonder how much this will affect him moving forward. In 2021, New York finished with a record of 4-13 and last in the NFC East, but Jones has the talent to turn the Giants around.
Even though he dealt with the neck injury in 2021, Jones still managed to record 2,428 passing yards and 10 passing touchdowns. Jones, like Wentz, does not have much time left to prove himself. If Jones wants to remain the starter in New York, he needs to prove he can stay healthy.