Over the last couple of weeks, the Philadelphia Eagles have had to lean on rookie linebacker Jihaad Campbell, who returned to the starting lineup for an injured Nakobe Dean. Dean picked up a hamstring injury in the Eagles’ Week 16 win over the Washington Commanders.
At the time, it wasn’t great news for the Eagles as Dean had been playing extremely well since coming off IR earlier this season. However, having Campbell as a reinforcement off the bench is a great option to have in your back pocket if you’re the Eagles.
The rookie was outstanding and has been a playmaker next to Zach Baun, which was evident in the Week 17 win over the Buffalo Bills. That said, Campbell might not be in the starting lineup for this weekend’s playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers.
On Tuesday, Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio told reporters that he expects Dean to play this weekend, per Zach Berman of The Athletic.
Eagles Can’t Make the Same Jihaad Campbell Mistake in Playoffs
Eagles fans are likely ecstatic to hear that Dean should be ready to play on Sunday afternoon against the San Francisco 49ers. They’re going to need him and Baun to play at their best to slow down George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey.
This season, Dean has not been outstanding in stopping the run (42.9), but has been okay in pass coverage (62.0), according to Pro Football Focus. However, he’s thrived as a blitzer with a 92.3 pass rush grade.
That said, we have to take PFF grades with a grain of salt. Dean hasn't allowed a receiving touchdown, and has a passer rating of 80.7 allowed when targeted. Also, his completion percentage allowed on targets is a career-best 62.5 percent.
Nonetheless, Fangio still must find a way to get Campbell on the field when the opportunity presents itself.
The long-time defensive coordinator cannot fall into the trap of not playing him, which he admitted to doing following the Eagles' horrible loss to the Chicago Bears on Black Friday.
At that game, Fangio seemingly learned his lesson, giving Campbell 15 combined defensive snaps in Weeks 14 and 15. And in those two games, the rookie linebacker tallied four combined tackles.
For this Eagles team to get back to the Super Bowl, they’ll need everyone to contribute in some way, shape, or form. Campbell has to be part of that plan as he’s too talented to sit on the bench.