Getty
Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean.
The Philadelphia Eagles may have already hit their limit when it comes to off-ball linebacker spending.
The Eagles dropped a 3-year, $51 million contract on NFL All-Pro Zack Baun last March after winning the Super Bowl, then went even further in the hole when they drafted Jihaad Campbell in the 1st round of the 2025 NFL draft. That put another $14.93 million on the books.
All of that adds up to the Eagles almost certainly not being able to keep veteran Nakobe Dean around in free agency, with Fox Sports NFL reporter Greg Auman predicting the Minnesota Vikings will be Dean’s next stop.
“Dean, 25, has been limited by injuries throughout four seasons in Philadelphia,” Auman wrote. “His peak was 128 tackles in 2024 in a Super Bowl season for the Eagles, though a knee injury sidelined him for most of the playoffs and through the first month of this season. He can get to the quarterback — seven sacks and 16 tackles for loss in the last two seasons — but his durability is a question mark.”
There’s a wild range of contracts Dean might land in terms of value — the 4-year, $31.79 million open market prediction from Spotrac seems like a bit of a stretch.
Dean Looked Elite During Super Bowl Season
Dean played the last 4 seasons on a 4-year, $5.2 million rookie contract after the Eagles drafted him in the third round (No. 83 overall) of the 2022 NFL draft out of the University of Georgia.
Dean tore his patellar tendon in an NFC Wild Card win over the Green Bay Packers following the 2024 season and missed the first 7 games of the 2025 regular season as he recovered from the injury.
In 2023, he missed 12 games with a Lisfranc injury to his foot.
The final problem with Dean coming back is probably the most significant — the Eagles have already tried to replace him.
“As much as it stings, this decision was set in motion a year ago,” Fly Eagles Fly Bets wrote on its official X account. “The Eagles used a 1st round pick on Jihaad Campbell, something Howie Roseman NEVER did at linebacker, after already investing in Zack Baun. This front office doesn’t pay LBs, and they definitely don’t draft them high unless they plan to play them.”
Campbell Couldn’t Keep Spot When Dean Returned
One telling stat no one has spent much time on is that by the time the Eagles hosted the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Wild Card Round, Campbell was a non-factor and logged just 1 defensive snap in a 23-19 loss.
That’s significant because the Eagles traded up to select Campbell in the first round (No. 30 overall) in the 2025 NFL draft, he played in all 17 games as a rookie and started 10 games — mostly when Dean was still recovering from his torn patellar tendon.
Once Dean came back, Campbell was coming off the bench. He finished his rookie year with 80 tackles, 2 TFL, 3 pass deflections, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery.
“Love Jihaad Campbell but the eagles have to fine a way to retain Nakobe Dean,” Eagles fan Joe Erdman wrote on X. “Ability to blitz and pre-snap recognition are ELITE. Far too impactful to lose.”
Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame
More Heavy on Eagles
Loading more stories