The 5 O'Clock Club: Ranking the NFC East Edge Rushers

It’s July. Free Agency is finished. The draft is in the books. Training Camp is 2 weeks away, and it seems like a good time to consider how the Redskins stack up against their division rivals.

Today, I’d like to think about Edge Rushers in the NFC East. The Redskins have spent a lot of draft capital — and some money in free agency — in recent seasons trying to improve the pass rush. There’s a lot we don’t know about the ‘Skins rush, though.

• We’ve got a new defensive coordinator in Greg Manusky
• Junior Galette still hasn’t played a regular season down for the Redskins
• Ryan Anderson is a rookie
• Preston Smith seemed to suffer a sophomore slump last season
• Trent Murphy... Suspended first 4 games, and is he a DE or an OLB?
• Can Ryan Kerrigan achieve more if he gets more help from the D-coordinator or the Strong-side LB?

How does the Redskins group of edge rushers stack up against the other rushers in the NFC East?

1. Which NFC East team will have the best pass rush this season?
2. Which NFC East pass rusher is the scariest for opposing offenses?
3. How many times will Kirk Cousins get sacked in 2017?

Here are a few key names from the other three teams to help you form your thoughts:

Giants

Jason Pierre-Paul, Olivier Vernon, Owamagbe Odighizuwa

Eagles

Chris Long, Vinny Curry, Derek Barnett, Brandon Graham

Cowboys

Demarcus Lawrence, Taco Charlton, Tyrone Crawford, Damontre Moore

Suspended Cowboys: Randy Gregory, David Irving