3 Eagles Whose Stock Has Fallen Ahead of Training Camp
The Philadelphia Eagles can't afford another debacle like the one we saw in 2023. This team started off the year with an outstanding 10-1 record and was bounced out of the first round of the playoffs by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after a dreadful regular season finish. The Eagles couldn't overcome their defensive woes over the long haul of the season and they wound up making an in-season change to swap defensive coordinator Sean Desai with Matt Patricia.
That in-season coordinator change was really just the tip of the iceberg for a deeper issue. The roster needed upgrading, and the Eagles did just that. They also upgraded in the coordinator departments, hiring Vic Fangio to call the defense and Kellen Moore to call the offense for Nick Sirianni.
What players are not exactly benefitting from all the changes this offseason? There are a handful of Eagles players whose stock is falling ahead of training camp.
3 Eagles Whose Stock Has Fallen Ahead of 2024 Training Camp
1. Nakobe Dean, linebacker
Injuries pushed Nakobe Dean down the draft board in 2022 and they might be pushing him down the depth chart here in the 2024 season. Last November, Dean had surgery after multiple foot injuries in the 2023 season causing him to miss time. He's obviously a fantastic talent, but how much can the Eagles and new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio really rely on him?
They are apparently not exactly banking on his availability as free agent acquisitions Devin White -- a former first-round pick of the Buccaneers -- and Zack Baun -- a former third-round pick of the Saints -- joined the team this offseason. Dean is staying optimistic through it all:
"The mental side is always hard, but we talk about having a dawg mentality all the time and I feel like it starts with being mentally strong. I'm an optimistic realist, so I'm always real about my situation, but I'm always optimistic. So, the only thing I continue to do is work and everything else will take care of itself."
- Nakobe Dean
We'll see if things change as training camp progresses, but compared to the other linebackers that are new to the team, Dean appears to be behind the 8-ball a bit.