The NFC East has had a lot of turnover at linebacker in 2026, making it a lot more difficult to grade compared to other more static positions. The Washington Commanders lost All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner and replaced him with first-round pick Sonny Styles. The Philadelphia Eagles no longer have Nakobe Dean, hoping Jihaad Campbell can step up in his role. The New York Giants added Tremaine Edmunds and top-five pick Arvell Reese, and the Dallas Cowboys drafted Jaishawn Barham in the third round after trading for Dee Winters.
So many new pieces makes ranking this position one of the most difficult. Who has the best veteran to lead their unit? Which young options will play the best in 2026? Who adapts to their new defense the quickest and with the biggest impact? Those answers will sort out the best linebacker units in the NFC East.
4: Dallas Cowboys
Dallas may have an electric group of linebackers led by DeMarvion Overshown, who has flashed high-level play when healthy. Winters had an excellent season with the SanFrancisco 49ers and second-year player Shemar James led the Cowboys in tackles as a rookie.
The key may be Barham, who has the looks and attitude of a future star. Still, as of right now, they are a very unproven group of players, and until they show something, they have to be ranked last.
3: New York Giants
The Giants’ signing a good veteran player like Edmunds put them ahead of the Cowboys. He has averaged 63 tackles, eight pass deflections, and three interceptions over the last three years. He pairs with No. 5 pick, Arvell Reese, as a high-floor, high-ceiling combo. Micah McFadden would be the third option if necessary. He had back-to-back 100-tackle seasons before being injured all of last year, but there’s very little known depth behind those three options.
2: Philadelphia Eagles
All-Pro Zack Baun leads the Philadelphia linebacker unit. He played and started in 32 of 34 games with the Eagles the last two seasons. He averaged 137 tackles, nine for a loss, 3.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, 5.5 pass deflections, and 1.5 interceptions. Campbell had a solid rookie season with 10 starts and 80 tackles. He wasn’t an impactful playmaker with only a single pressure, no sacks, and two tackles for a loss.
Jeremiah Trotter Jr. has been a backup for two seasons and hasn’t made many significant plays. Still, he has experience now that he is likely moving up to the third linebacker option. Smael Mondon was a special-teams linebacker, and Chance Campbell hasn’t played since 2023.
1: Washington Commanders
Frankie Luvu has been one of the top linebackers in the league for the last four seasons. He has averaged over 100 tackles, 11.5 for a loss, six sacks, and five pass defenses. He is an All-Pro linebacker and a terrific playmaker for the team. Leo Chenal started and played a significant role in the Kansas City Chiefs’ multiple Super Bowl wins. He brings a solid starting option to Washington in case Styles can’t fill the loss of Wagner immediately as a rookie. He averaged over 60 tackles, two sacks, and nearly five tackles for a loss over the past three years.
Styles should be a no-doubt stud at the linebacker position, but he needs to show it. Jordan Magee started eight games in 2025 and accumulated over 50 tackles with three for a loss—no impact beyond that, but a solid fourth option most don’t have at that spot.
You can find Mike Crum on Twitter @cdpiglet or on YouTube at Across the Cowboys podcast
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Offseason additions shoot surprise team to top of NFC East LB rankings
Reporting by Mike Crum, Cowboys Wire / Cowboys Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Mike Crum, Cowboys Wire | USA TODAY Network
