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The Vikings have been labeled a potential fit for Eagles’ linebacker Nakobe Dean in free agency
The Minnesota Vikings are staring down the barrel of a very important offseason of work. The team has already surprisingly decided to fire general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, but that figures to be just the start of their busy offseason. Easily the biggest item on the Vikings’ to-do list involves figuring out a proper gameplan at the quarterback position for the upcoming season.
And yet, while Minnesota needs to figure things out at quarterback, that isn’t its only area of need this offseason. The Vikings have a couple of other spots that could use reinforcing, with one of them being the linebacker position. With that being said, one guy who was recently identified as a potential fit in defensive coordinator Brian Flores‘ scheme was Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean.
Vikings Predicted to Sign Nakobe Dean in Free Agency
The Eagles selected Dean in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, but he has struggled to earn a consistent role on defense for the team. As a rookie in 2022, Dean played sparingly, and he ended up playing in just five games during his sophomore campaign thanks to a pair of serious foot injuries.
Dean returned to action in 2024 and starred for Philly, racking up 128 tackles, three sacks, one interception, four pass deflections, and one forced fumble in 15 games of action. And yet, while Dean helped the Eagles win Super Bowl LIX, his standing with the team was thrown up in the air when the team selected Jihaad Campbell in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Sure enough, Dean didn’t play as much in 2025, and now that he’s a free agent, he appears likely to be on the move. While Dean plays as a middle linebacker, he can do a little bit of everything, as he’s an excellent blitzer, which could make him a great fit in Flores’ scheme, which is full of aggressive blitz packages. Minnesota has some cap issues currently, but Matt Bowen of ESPN believes that these two sides could find common ground in free agency.
“The Vikings have cap issues heading into free agency, but I really like the fit for Dean in coordinator Brian Flores’ defense,” Bowen wrote. “Dean, who had four sacks with the Eagles in 2025, is the league’s best blitzing linebacker, and he would join a system that led the NFL in blitz rate at 46.8%.”
Should the Vikings Sign Nakobe Dean?
GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – NOVEMBER 16: Nakobe Dean #17 of the Philadelphia Eagles leaves the field following a game against the Detroit Lions at Lincoln Financial Field on November 16, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Dean is a bit of an interesting free agent this offseason. While he’s flashed his potential early in his career, it wasn’t enough to convince the Eagles that he was their long-term option at linebacker. Beyond that, Dean has dealt with his fair share of injury issues over the past four years, which is understandably going to make some teams wary.
The good news for the Vikings is that Dean likely won’t cost them much, and he has the upside to be an immediate contributor in a defense that always seems to find diamonds in the rough. Dean’s fit in Flores’ scheme could make him a star, and if the price is right, this is definitely a player Minnesota should look into signing.
Owen Crisafulli Owen Crisafulli is a Breaking News Writer at Heavy. In addition to writing for Heavy, Owen works as a Content Producer for More Views Media. His work has also appeared on ClutchPoints, The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, Basketball Network, and FanSided, where he shared his insights on a variety of sports topics primarily surrounding the NFL, NBA, and MLB. More about Owen Crisafulli
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