At a Glance
- Nakobe Dean may have played his final game for Philadelphia after Sunday’s wild-card loss to the 49ers.
- The linebacker, 25, is set for free agency with Zack Baun locked in at $51 million over three years and rookie Jihaad Campbell on a first-round deal.
- Dean returned from a torn ACL to post four sacks, two forced fumbles, and seven tackles for loss in only 10 games.
- Why it matters: A popular locker-room leader, Dean’s departure would mark the second straight offseason the Eagles lose a home-grown starter they can’t afford to keep.
The moment Brock Purdy knelt to seal Philadelphia’s 23-17 wild-card defeat, the uncertainty Nakobe Dean had managed to ignore all season crashed in.
“It kind of hit me when they started kneeling the ball,” Dean said afterward. “I didn’t think we were going to lose that game until we didn’t get the fourth down. That’s when it started hitting me. You just don’t know. You just don’t know.”
A Contract Year Cut Short
Dean, a 2022 third-round pick, entered 2024 rehabbing the torn ACL he suffered in last January’s playoffs. The injury cost him the first five games; a hamstring tweak sidelined him again in Week 14 against Buffalo. Even so, the 25-year-old produced:
- 4 sacks
- 2 forced fumbles
- 1 fumble recovery
- 7 tackles for loss
- 6 quarterback hits
Those numbers came after a 2023 Pro Bowl-caliber campaign in which Dean logged 128 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, 2 recoveries, and 9 tackles for loss.
“I can say I’m proud of myself a little bit,” Dean said. “Coming back from the injury and feeling like I’m a better player than I was before, not just the same.”
Numbers Game at Linebacker
The front office has already committed long-term money elsewhere. Zack Baun signed a three-year, $51 million extension in December, and 2024 first-rounder Jihaad Campbell is under cost-controlled contract through 2027. With the salary cap tightening, general manager Howie Roseman must decide whether a third off-ball linebacker is financially viable.
Dean’s sporadic 2024 tape could suppress his market, yet multiple teams needing speed and instincts are expected to bid higher than the Eagles can match. The franchise also faces extensions for wide receiver DeVonta Smith, tackle Jordan Mailata, and edge rusher Josh Sweat-whom they could not retain last offseason.
Emotional Good-byes
Cornerstones Jordan Davis and Nakobe Dean arrived together from national-champion Georgia in 2022, forming the heart of the locker room’s Bulldogs contingent. Davis grew emotional when asked about the prospect of Dean leaving.
“Y’all know better than anybody how much I love Nakobe,” Davis said. “We came in here together. It’s uncertain. We’d love to have everybody come back-his face, his leadership, his poise, his effort, everything about him. But it’s the NFL. You can be here today and gone tomorrow. I love that man like a brother.”
Next Steps for Dean
Dean’s first unrestricted free-agency window opens in March. He will weigh offers that could feature more guaranteed money and a clearer path to starting than Philadelphia can promise. The Eagles, meanwhile, must restructure contracts and trim veterans simply to get under a projected $275 million cap ceiling.
For now, Dean is left replaying what might have been.
“For me, I don’t know what’s gonna happen in the next couple months,” he said. “I don’t know if I’m gonna play with the guys I’ve played with for four years or the guys I went to school with at Georgia. I’m going through all these emotions.”
Key Takeaways
- Dean’s exit appears increasingly likely after Philadelphia prioritized Baun and invested a first-round pick in Campbell.
- His 2024 production in limited snaps should still command mid-tier starter money on the open market.
- The Eagles have now lost at least one drafted starter to cap constraints in consecutive offseasons, complicating their effort to keep a Super Bowl core intact.
