The Philadelphia Eagles have a long list of changes that are set to come their way after falling 23-19 to the San Francisco 49ers in the wild-card round. Several players are going to hit free agency, and linebacker Nakobe Dean is one of them.
His rookie contract is up, and after the loss, Dean spoke with reporters for potentially the final time, and he knew it.
"For me, I don't know what's going to happen in the next couple months....I don't know if I'm going to play with the guys I played with for four years, built a good relationship with. Or the guys I went to school with. I'm kind of going through all the emotions," Dean said, via Zach Berman of The Athletic.
Dean also revealed he took a picture of his locker, as this could potentially be his last game with the team. That has to sting, as there's a lot of uncertainty around Dean right now.
Nakobe Dean’s Future with the Eagles Hangs in the Balance
Dean came to Philadelphia as a third-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft and has developed into a serious contributor for this team on the second level. Over the past two seasons, he has earned the trust of defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, which led to him rejoining the starting lineup in 2025 after returning from a torn patellar tendon.
That shows how highly he's thought of in that building, but everything comes with a price. Last offseason, the Eagles gave Zach Baun a three-year, $51 million extension following his All-Pro campaign. They also added linebacker Jihaad Campbell in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft.
Retaining Dean might not be in the cards for the Eagles, with the other decisions they need to make around this team. Spotrac has listed Dean's market value at $15.5 million per season, projecting him to land a four-year, $61.9 million deal in free agency. That is a pretty penny to pay when you have money or recent draft capital invested in others at the position.
Considering that Baun and Campbell are already signed for the Eagles, there's a pathway to Dean leaving in free agency. The Georgia product is a stout playmaker who has provided Philadelphia with a reliable force. During his Eagles tenure, Dean has recorded 226 total tackles, 19 TFLs, and 7.5 sacks.
Teams are always looking for linebackers who are stout against the run and are serviceable in coverage. Dean can do that and will have several suitors on the open market.
Campbell flashed at the beginning of the season, and the Eagles could thrust him back into the starting lineup, using him and Baun as their starting linebacker duo.
In his rookie season, Campbell had 80 total tackles, three pass deflections, and one forced fumble. For a rookie to find the success he did was impressive, which makes the thought of a sophomore year jump that much more intriguing.
Dean would need a lucrative deal to stay in Philadelphia, and there's no telling whether that will happen. The defender knows this as well. There's a real chance that this wild-card loss was the final game of Dean's Eagles career.