Eagles Need to Avoid Relying on Veteran After Nakobe Dean Injury

The Philadelphia Eagles have consistently been seen as a team that doesn't value the linebacker position. They never invested significant draft capital or spent much cap space on the position. And that trend continued into the 2024-2025 season.

The Emergence of Zach Baun & Nakobe Dean

Vic Fangio’s new defensive system helped in unlocking 2022 third-round pick Nakobe Dean. Not to mention turning Howie Roseman's discount signing of known special-teamer Zach Baun into an absolute gold mine for the Eagles defense. Baun had a meteoric season leading to his first career Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections.

Unfortunately, we won't get to see this duo wrap the season up together. During the Eagles wild-card matchup against the Green Bay Packers, Nakobe Dean suffered a major injury. Dean left the game after making a tackle, tearing his patellar tendon. An injury that not only ends his playoff run but also likely will see him on the PUP list to begin next season. A brutal injury for the young star linebacker, who seems to have found himself after a slow start to his young career.

Beyond Dean and Baun, the linebacker depth has been fairly lackluster. That is unsurprising, given Howie barely values starting linebackers. It also hasn't had to be anything special considering Baun played 95% of defensive snaps in the regular season. Considering Dean played 92% of regular season defensive snaps, backups were hardly necessary.

Time is Up for Oren Burks

Oren Burks has been the default primary backup, playing 147 defensive snaps through the regular season. He also was first in line to step in when Dean went down against the Packers on Sunday. Jeremiah Trotter Jr., who the Eagles took in the 5th round of the NFL draft this past offseason, has played 104 snaps. 

It feels as though the Eagles are giving a first shot to the veteran with NFL experience. However, through weeks 17, 18, and the majority of the wild-card game Burks played in, it is quite clear that it is time to give Trotter Jr. his fair shot to join the Eagles' current youth movement on defense.

Burks has played the majority of his snaps against a terrible New York Giants team, a depleted Dallas Cowboys team, and an extremely banged-up Green Bay Packers team. He has struggled mightily in the tackling and coverage department. Per PFF, he has missed seven tackles in the last three weeks. He has also, on 12 targets, allowed 12 receptions for 73 yards and a 101.9 passer rating against. Despite his prominent position on special teams, he also has seven missed tackles in that role.

The divisional round opponent, the Los Angeles Rams, boasts one of the best overall offenses Burks would yet face: Matthew Stafford, Kyren Williams, Tyler Higbee, Cooper Kupp, and Puka Nacua. Not to mention the sharp offensive mind of Sean McVay. 

Vic Fangio is lucky the opposing offenses Burks has faced were in the state they were and couldn't take advantage of the glaring weakness in the middle of the Eagles' defense more than they did. If you look back to the 2023 Super Bowl when San Francisco faced Kansas City, Burks was thrust into a starting role. He ended up getting targeted nine times and allowed nine receptions for 67 yards and a touchdown. Plus, he had a missed tackle.

The Future is Now

When you consider Jeremiah Trotter Jr., it is a nod to the future, and figuring out what you already have in-house for future positional need consideration. Burks will be a free agent next season, turning 30 years old, and should really be a last resort to consider bringing back. Trotter, on the other hand, gives you a 22-year-old to develop and learn through a big moment like the playoffs plus through the off-season.

In his limited playing time, Trotter has 25 total tackles and a half sack. He has only allowed six receptions on eight targets for 29 yards in coverage. His 79.7 passer rating against is significantly superior to Burks'.

Eagles fans want to see a lot more of him and are willing to give him a runway. After all, he comes from former Eagle and NFL family bloodlines, his father being Jeremiah Trotter, who spent eight seasons with the Eagles in the early 2000s. In his limited snaps, he has shown off his football IQ and motor that scouts were impressed by in his college tape.

Vic Fangio has expressed confidence in giving Jeremiah Trotter a shot. And bringing back former Eagle LB Nicholas Morrow means very little to Trotter's chances of earning this playing time. Morrow is more likely to take on special teams snaps to free up Trotter or Burks for more defensive snaps.

Burks had his shot and has shown repeated weaknesses that would create a strain for the rest of the defense to overcome. Just because he has experience, including a Super Bowl appearance, shouldn't mean he is necessarily the better option. The Eagles can consider next season and beyond by giving Jeremiah Trotter Jr. the job beside Zach Baun, starting against the Rams this Sunday.

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