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Fansided

Veteran LB Now Available to Sign With Eagles After Nakobe Dean Injury

The Eagles have the opportunity to sign LB Rashaan Evans after the unfortunate news that starter Nakobe Dean would miss the rest of the playoffs with an injury.

By Joe Summers

Dec 29, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni runs on to the field during the third quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Dec 29, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni runs on to the field during the third quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
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The Eagles were dealt a brutal piece of injury news on Monday as the team announced that LB Nakobe Dean would miss the rest of the playoffs after tearing his patellar tendon.

It's an unfortunate circumstance during what should be a celebratory day in Philadelphia, though there is one option in free agency that just became available as a potential Dean replacement.

Seven-year veteran Rashaan Evans, who was on the Falcons' practice squad, can officially be signed to a playoff team. Should the Eagles decide they need some insurance at the position, a reunion with Evans would make a lot of sense as a potential option.

Philadelphia signed the veteran linebacker early last season to the practice squad after Dean was placed on injured reserve for a foot injury. However, the Eagles shockingly cut Evans five days later.

Eagles Gifted Potential LB Signing After Nakobe Dean Injury

While he's never been a star defender, Evans' track record speaks for itself. He started 50 games from 2019-2022 for the Titans and Falcons with two seasons notching over 100 tackles, including a remarkable 159-tackle campaign in 2022 with Atlanta.

He played in only nine games in 2023 for the Cowboys and two this year, but he's still only 29 years old. Originally a first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Evans could bring a level of veteran experience and expertise that the Eagles are missing at the position.

Losing a starter like Dean hurts. He played 92% of the defensive snaps this year for a resurgent Philadelphia defense and his absence will be felt throughout the entire unit. That said, the Eagles' strength lies in its defensive line and secondary, so the coaching staff should feel confident that it can pick up the pieces before the Divisional Round.

Teams with strong running games and excellent defenses can go far in the playoffs. The Eagles certainly check both of those boxes and now the roster will want to perform at its best to support Dean and earn him a ring.

It's unlikely that Evans would play a major role for the organization, yet Howie Roseman should still leave no stone unturned in pursuit of another Lombardi Trophy.

As things stand, Philadelphia has the third-best odds (+450) to win the Super Bowl over at FanDuel Sportsbook. Even if Evans isn't signed, finding a suitable replacement for Dean would go a long way in shortening those odds ahead of next weekend's games.

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