Dean (knee) was placed on injured reserve Tuesday.
This was an expected move, as Dean tore the patellar tendon in his left knee in Sunday's wild-card win over the Packers and is set for season-ending surgery. He had been a starter at inside linebacker for the Eagles throughout the campaign, and that role will now likely go to Oren Burks. With Dean moved to IR, wide receiver Parris Campbell was signed to fill the Eagles' open roster spot, and the team also inked linebacker Nicholas Morrow to a practice-squad contract.
Dean suffered a torn patellar tendon in his left knee during Sunday's 22-10 wild-card win over the Packers and will miss the remainder of the postseason, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Dean sustained the injury in the second quarter while bringing down Packers tight end Tucker Kraft for a three-yard loss after a reception. A 2022 third-round draft pick, Dean primarily was a special-teams contributor and reserve linebacker over his first two seasons in the NFL before moving into a full-time starting role in 2024. He finished the regular season with a trio of sacks among his 128 tackles to go with an interception, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery over 15 games. Oren Burks came on to replace Dean in Sunday's game and presumably will take over as a starter in the Eagles' divisional-round game against either the Vikings or Rams.
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Eagles' Nakobe Dean: Full participant in walkthrough
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Dean (abdomen) was estimated as a full practice participant during Wednesday's walkthrough.
Dean was sidelined for the Eagles' Week 17 win over the Cowboys due to an abdominal injury. His full participation in Wednesday's walkthrough indicates that the 2022 third-round pick could be healthy enough to play in the Eagles' regular-season finale against the Giants on Sunday. However, he could be held out of the contest due to Philadelphia being locked in as the NFC's No. 2 seed for the playoffs.
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Eagles' Nakobe Dean: Not playing Week 17
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Dean (abdomen) is inactive for Sunday's matchup against the Cowboys.
Dean's absence became expected Friday when he was deemed doubtful to suit up. The third-year linebacker will miss his first game of the campaign despite being able to log a limited practice session both Thursday and Friday. Jeremiah Trotter or Oren Burks will likely start Sunday in Dean's stead.
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Eagles' Nakobe Dean: Unlikely to play Week 17
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Dean (abdomen) is doubtful to suit up against the Cowboys on Sunday.
Dean logged his usual hefty snap count last Sunday against the Commanders and tied a season high with 12 tackles, but he appeared on Philadelphia's estimated injury report as a non-participant with an abdominal issue Wednesday. The third-year linebacker upgraded to limited sessions both Thursday and Friday, but it appears he'll nonetheless miss his first game of the campaign. Either Jeremiah Trotter or Oren Burks could be asked to start if Dean is indeed unable to play against Dallas.
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Eagles' Nakobe Dean: Upgrades to LP on Thursday
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Dean (abdomen) was a limited participant in practice Thursday.
Dean was estimated as a non-participant Wednesday, though the Eagles didn't actually hold a practice that day. His LP status Thursday therefore represents an upgrade, but his likelihood of playing Sunday against Dallas remains in question. Dean has been a tackle machine of late, recording double-digit stops in each of his past four contests.
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Eagles' Nakobe Dean: Leads Eagles in tackles again
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Dean finished this past Sunday's 27-13 win over the Steelers with 10 tackles (seven solo) and one forced fumble.
Dean has reached double-digit combined tackles six times, four of which have come over the past five regular-season games. He's now up to 116 tackles (74 solo), including 3.0 sacks, four pass defenses (including one interception), one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries across 14 games. The 2022 third-round pick will look to add to his total during Sunday's NFC East clash against the Commanders.
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Eagles' Nakobe Dean: Leading tackler in win
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Dean recorded 12 tackles (nine solo) during Sunday's 22-16 win versus the Panthers.
Dean managed double-digit tackles for the second straight game in Week 14, and he has now posted 10-plus tackles in five contests this season. He also eclipsed 100 tackles on the year with Sunday's performance. He'll be looking to keep adding to his career-best campaign in Week 15 versus the Steelers.
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Eagles' Nakobe Dean: All over field in win
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Dean recorded eight tackles (five solo), including 1.0 sacks and an additional tackle for a loss, and a fumble recovery in Sunday's 37-20 win over the Rams.
The starting inside linebacker dealt with a groin injury during the practice week leading up to the game but was a full participant by Thursday's session. Dean, a 2022 third-round pick, continued his career-best season with his big night. He now has 84 tackles (53 solo), including 3.0 sacks, four pass breakups, including an interception, and two fumble recoveries in 2024.
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Eagles' Nakobe Dean: Still working through groin injury
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Dean (groin) was listed as a limited participant on Wednesday's practice report.
Dean played through a groin injury during the Eagles' Week 11 win over the Commanders, during which he tallied 10 tackles (eight solo) and a pass defensed. The 2022 third-round pick will have two more chances this week to increase his practice participation ahead of Sunday's game against the Rams.
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Eagles' Nakobe Dean: Cleared for Week 11
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Dean (groin) was a full participant in Wednesday's practice.
After being listed as a non-participant on the Eagles' initial Week 11 injury report released Monday, Dean upgraded to limited participation Tuesday before taking every rep Wednesday. He seems to have moved past the groin issue and should be ready to play a full allotment of snaps Thursday against the Commanders. The Georgia product has recorded 66 tackles, two sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery through the Eagles' first nine games this season.
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Eagles' Nakobe Dean: Posts another solid line
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Dean recorded nine tackles (seven solo) and a fumble recovery during Sunday's 37-17 win at Cincinnati.
Dean has now posted at least seven tackles in all of his last six games, putting him on pace for well over 100 over the course of an entire season. He'll profile as a solid IDP play in Week 9 when Philadelphia hosts the Jaguars.
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Eagles' Nakobe Dean: Another double-digit tackle outing
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Dean recorded 11 total tackles (six solo), including 2.0 sacks, in Sunday's 28-3 win over the Giants.
The 23-year-old has now racked up 23 total tackles across Philadelphia's last two games, bringing his season total to 49 tackles. Dean had also never recorded a full sack before taking down Daniel Jones in the second and third quarters during Sunday's win. The third-year pro from Georgia appears to be settling into the Eagles' top inside-linebacker role and is expected to continue making plays in Week 8's matchup against the Bengals.
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Eagles' Nakobe Dean: Starting season opener
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Dean is expected to serve as a starter at inside linebacker in the Eagles' season opener Friday versus the Packers in Brazil, Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Though Devin White signed a one-year deal with the Eagles over the offseason and is an experienced option at MIKE linebacker spot, McLane relays that Dean beat White out for the starting role during the preseason. White will end up missing the Eagles' season opener Friday due to an ankle injury, so Dean will have the opportunity to build security as a starter with a strong showing versus the Packers. A 2022 third-round pick, Dean was a touted prospect coming out of Georgia, but he was limited largely to a special-teams role as a rookie, and foot issues limited to just five appearances for the Eagles in 2023.
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Eagles' Nakobe Dean: Nearing return
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Dean (foot) said Thursday that he's been out of his walking boot since February, Zach Berman of The Athletic reports.
Dean has been dealing with a foot injury that forced him to miss Philadelphia's final seven games last season, but it sounds like he could be returning to the field soon. Dean logged 30 total tackles, including 0.5 sacks throughout his five appearances in 2023, and the 23-year-old is expected to remain one of the Philadelphia's top inside linebackers once his recovery from Lisfranc surgery is complete.
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Eagles' Nakobe Dean: Still in boot, could return by OTAs
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Dean said Wednesday that he still has three weeks left of wearing a walking boot after having Lisfranc surgery on his left foot, and it remains to be seen whether he will be healthy in time to participate in OTAs, Brooks Kubena of The Athletic reports.
Dean didn't play after Week 10 due to the injury. Even if he isn't available by OTAs, the 2022 third-round draft pick should be healthy well before the start of the 2024 season. After playing primarily on special teams as a rookie, Dean started at linebacker in four of his five appearances in 2023.
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Eagles' Nakobe Dean: Likely to be placed on IR
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Dean (foot) was diagnosed Wednesday with a Lisfranc sprain and likely will be placed on injured reserve, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
The Eagles have no reason to rush placing Dean on IR heading into a bye week, as such a transaction would rule the linebacker out for at least the next four games. He's seeing a foot specialist to determine a course of action, with the most likely outcome being a stint on IR that would rule him out through Week 14. The second-year played has played 30 or more snaps in four of his five appearances this season, and he previously missed Weeks 2 through 5 with a foot injury. Nicholas Morrow and Zach Cunningham are left as Philadelphia's top off-ball linebackers.
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Eagles' Nakobe Dean: Limited in practice return
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Dean (foot) returned to practice Wednesday as a limited participant.
The Eagles designated Dean to return from injured reserve Tuesday, opening a 21-day window in which he can practice without being activated to the roster. He seemingly expects to be active much sooner than that, telling reporters Wednesday that he's almost back to 100 percent strength, Josh Tolentino of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports. He opened the season as an intriguing IDP in a three-down role and could still make good on that promise at some point in October -- possibly as soon as this Sunday against the Jets.
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Eagles' Nakobe Dean: Questionable to return
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Dean is questionable to return to Sunday's game against the Patriots due to a foot injury, Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Dean had a solid performance to begin Sunday's matchup, tallying seven tackles (four solo). However, it's unclear whether he'll be available for the final few minutes of the matchup. If he remains sidelined down the stretch, Christian Elliss and Nolan Smith are candidates to see increased playing time.
