The Philadelphia Eagles are heading into a pivotal offseason after an incredibly weak Super Bowl defense. Among the glaring decisions facing the franchise are upcoming free agency periods for a number of key pieces, including linebacker Nakobe Dean. The Georgia product appeared to be on his way out of Philly as one of the lesser names set to hit the market. However, the latest cap update changes this perspective and gives the Eagles a great chance to retain the defender for the 2025 season. The update came courtesy of NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, giving Eagles fans a reason for excitement for the offseason.
""The NFL informed clubs today it is projecting a 2026 salary cap in the range of $301.2 million to $305.7 million per club, per source. That would represent another significant jump from this year’s $279.2 million cap number, and nearly $100M than the $208.2M cap in 2022.""Tom Pelissero
Such a huge jump in cap space speaks to the growth of the league and the rising cost of contracts. For the Eagles, it is a chance to re-sign Dean and retain a number of key pieces. The roster remains incredibly talented and has all the needed players to make another run. If the franchise can re-sign its players and find the right coaching adjustments, there is every reason to expect a far more engaged and exciting 2026 season.
Cap Space News Should Have Eagles Focused on Re-signing Nakobe Dean
Dean had four sacks on the season and a forced fumble to go along with 43 total tackles. While these numbers are far from jaw-dropping, Eagles fans that were paying attention saw the growth from Dean and the clear fit on the Philly defense. Now is the time to re-sign the defender at what could be a comparative bargain if he continues to grow and contribute at a more consistent level within Vic Fangio's defense.
Looking at PFF contract projections, Dean is expected to be in the neighborhood of three years, $41 million. In today's market, this is incredibly fair and should be well within Philly's price range after the massive raise in the salary cap. It is a nice mix of paying Dean for what you believe he can turn into, without being upside down in a deal that is paying the linebacker at a star level, production the linebacker has yet to deliver with any consistency.
No question, the salary cap raise is a much-needed win for the Eagles' offseason and should give their top free agents far more ability to be re-signed in an attempt to keep a Super Bowl core together. For Dean, it makes sense to return with no team offering the talent in the middle of the defensive line that Philadelphia offers, or the clear trust of Fangio, who continues to feature Dean in a prominent role, it now appears the Georgia product could have a chance return to.