NFL Free Agency is Officially Underway: How Will it Affect the NFC?

With NFL combines already in session and the NFL Draft just weeks away, the NFL season feels like it's in full-swing.

And as free agency kicked off on Friday at midnight Eastern Standard Time, it's time to let the real fun begin. Former Pro-Bowlers Jevon Kearse and Isaac Bruce are already on the market, and signing season will soon be underway.

The question on every NFC fan's mind is: What do last year's NFC division winners need to do this offseason to remain at the top in 2008? Do the Dallas Cowboys need another wide receiver, or do the Tampa Bay Buccaneers need another running back? Could your team use Isaac Bruce, or Jevon Kearse, or Brandon Lloyd?

What follows is a team-by-team analysis of the moves each NFC division winner needs to make in order to retain their division title this coming season.

NFC East - 2007 Winner: Dallas Cowboys, 13-3

For the Dallas Cowboys, the formula for staying atop their division is simple: remain unified and keep key players healthy. Wide receiver Terry Glenn didn't play a down in last year's regular season, Terrell Owens is approaching his twilight years, and the only backup to Tony Romo is the aging veteran Brad Johnson. Any injury to a key player could result in disaster for this team. Resigning Pro-Bowler Flozell Adams is a great start to the offseason, and if the core roster from last season returns in 2008, the Dallas Cowboys will be a force to be reckoned with in the NFC East. Dallas could use another cornerback in the draft, as they're not very deep at that position and tend to give up a lot of big plays. But other than that the team has no glaring weaknesses except underachieving when it counts most.

But with the Super Bowl champion New York Giants in the same division-not to mention the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles, who were both .500 or better-nothing is for certain. And with two straight exits from the playoffs without a win, though, Head Coach Wade Phillips has his work cut out for him keeping this team motivated and together.

NFC North - 2007 Winner: Green Bay Packers, 13-3