The Philadelphia Eagles' struggles on the offensive end have understandably received the lion's share of attention through five weeks. Yet, Eagles fans can't lose sight of the fact that the defensive unit has also not been where it needs to be to get back to the Super Bowl. So far, Vic Fangio's unit ranks 16th in points and 20th in total yards allowed.
Eagles fans are hoping that the looming return of Nakobe Dean could give the team a much-needed boost. In reality, it could give Fangio more headaches than actual fixes.
Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports reported on Wednesday that Dean would make his season debut against the Giants. He added that the standout linebacker's workload will be "limited at first but set to progressively increase."
Nakobe Dean Is Returning But Faces Uphill Battle
Yet, how the Eagles will find enough snaps for him in their defensive lineup remains a big question. Star rookie Jihaad Campbell is off to a hot start and currently has the seventh-highest defensive grade among linebackers in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus. He has also played over 96% of the team's defensive snaps. Equally impressive has been Zack Baun's play, who has played every single defensive snap so far, and put up two sacks, an interception, three QB hits, and three tackles for loss. He has picked up exactly where he left off in his breakout All-Pro campaign last season.
Reducing Baun's or Campbell's snaps to give to Dean makes little sense. Instead, Fangio could juggle things a little and use a bigger defense with three linebackers in the middle. That obviously carries its own risks and could expose the Eagles even more in the passing game. It would also mean a massive change from the defensive scheme that led the Eagles to the Lombardi Trophy last season.
Finding the right balance between playing your best players versus sticking with your scheme, even if it means your best players play less than ideal, is a big challenge. That is what Fangio will be faced with starting in Week 6.
Regardless of what Fangio will do going forward, one thing is obvious: Dean has already been replaced. He is facing an uphill battle to dethrone Baun and Campbell from their starting spots. Knowing how he has bounced back from adversity several times in his career, there is no doubt that Dean will be up to the challenge.