Eagles Sign Perfect Nakobe Dean Replacement After Crushing Injury Update
By Isaiah De Los Santos
The Philadelphia Eagles had to fight and claw their way to a win in Week 1. Though they ultimately came away with the close victory, it came at a cost as several players went down on Sunday, including starting linebacker Nakobe Dean.
Monday brought word that the second-year pro is expected to several miss weeks due to the knee injury he suffered against the New England Patriots. However, Philly moved swiftly to nab a potential replacement.
With Eagles LB Nakobe Dean out for about a month due to a foot injury, Philadelphia is signing former Titans’ first-round pick, LB Rashaan Evans, to its practice squad, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 11, 2023
Eagles News: Rashaan Evans Signed Following Nakobe Dean Injury
Less than an hour after the Dean news was reported, ESPN’s Adam Schefter revealed the Eagles have agreed to a deal with veteran Rashaan Evans. He’ll be joining the practice squad ahead of Philadelphia’s Week 2 matchup with the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday Night Football, and could have a chance to see a call-up right away.
Evans is the perfect LB to bring in after this loss on defense. He became a starter as a rookie with the Tennessee Titans in 2018 and never looked back, becoming a backbone of their defense and logging 67 starts across 76 total appearances in four seasons. Most recently, Evans started all 17 games for the Atlanta Falcons last year, leading the team in tackles (159) by a wide margin.
The former first-round pick brings the exact kind of experience that makes him an ideal plug-and-play option. His ability to thrive in two different locales points to him adjusting well right away in Philadelphia, too. Plus, at just 27 years old, Evans is in his athletic prime; there’s no worries here about signing an older vet who may have the juice to last an entire season.
Nick Sirianni’s defense needs a reliable presence at LB, and Evans appears perfectly suited for the job. He can not only hold down the middle while Dean is out, but also contribute throughout the entire year, giving this Super Bowl contender some vital depth in the area they were lacking.
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