6 Eagles Already on Thin Ice in Training Camp
4. Nakobe Dean, linebacker
We don't need to be worried about whether or not Nakobe Dean is going to make the Philadelphia Eagles' roster, but at this stage, it's fair to wonder if we're going to see him out there on the field a ton absent an injury to one of Devin White or Zack Baun.
There is no question that Dean is in the mix to potentially start at off-ball linebacker, but he's going to need to keep stealing reps at practice and maximizing his opportunities because Baun has impressed dating back to earlier in the offseason. How do the Eagles really feel about Dean, a third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Georgia?
"We have tremendous confidence in Nakobe. That's why we drafted him. That doesn't change. … We are really excited about him. He has the right mentality. There is no question in my mind what his contributions were to one of the best defenses in the history of college football. I know that just from watching the tape. I know that from talking to the coaches.
- Eagles HC Nick Sirianni
And then the opportunity is there. The opportunities at that position, I think we're excited to see what that brings. Obviously, it's a position that in Philadelphia we understand comes under a little bit more of the microscope, and that's probably warranted."
Dean faces an uphill battle to getting his playing time back in 2024. It's a new regime on that side of the ball with Vic Fangio calling the shots, and that doesn't necessarily mean bad news for Dean, but it does mean everyone is starting with a clean slate.
And it certainly means he's on some thin ice as far as being a projected or presumptive starter on this team.