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Mailbag: Which NFC East Team Improved Most?

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Which NFC East team do you think improved themselves the most in free agency? - JOHN BRADLEY / GREELEY, CO

Bryan: If you talk about just strictly pre-draft moves it's the Cowboys. They've managed to fill the majority of needs without overspending and adding quality talent in those needs, especially along the defensive line.

Rob: I'll take Dallas after the Robert Quinn move, with the assumption that the DeMarcus Lawrence deal gets eventually gets done. Cole Beasley was the team's biggest free-agent loss, and Randall Cobb is a nice replacement. You can argue the other East clubs dealt with more significant subtractions, including quarterback Alex Smith's injury in Washington that's apparently without a clear return timetable. Philly added Desean Jackson and Malik Jackson but said good-bye to several defenders and two of its top receivers, Jordan Matthews (49ers) and Golden Tate (Giants).

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The Cowboys traded a first-round pick to the Raiders for Amari Cooper based on the assumption that there was no rookie wide receiver worth taking in the first round (which we now know is No. 27). Is that assumption still accurate? If the Cowboys kept the pick, would there not have been a wide receiver available to help? - ANTHONY COLEMAN / LINDENWOLD, NJ

Bryan: I studied over 40 college receivers for this draft and I can report with certainty that there is none in the class of Cooper. Where you might have a got a player at that spot was one of those tight ends.

Rob: There are receivers who might get selected by a team late in the first round (Deebo Samuel?) or early second round. Like Bryan said, there's no prospect on Cooper's level at this point. But I think you have to take this discussion a step further. The Cooper trade was a 'win-now' move as much as it was a long-term decision. The team was stumbling at midseason and he unquestionably helped them get to the playoffs. He also helped them evaluate what Dak Prescott could do with a true No. 1 receiver.

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