Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean had a tremendous season coming back from a major injury, suffered during the team’s Super Bowl run last season. Dean tore the patellar tendon in his left knee during the Eagles’ Wild Card win over the Green Bay Packers, forcing him to miss the first five weeks of the 2025 season.
Nakobe Dean’s Road to Recovery and Free Agency
And while a reunioncould be on the table, Pro Football Focus’ top 250 free agents ranking has Dean at No. 11 overall this offseason.
Dean’s 2025 season was uneven due in large part to injuries, but his strong 2024 performance should still bode well for his free-agency outlook. A capable blitzer, he has generated 26 total pressures over the past two seasons.
In Year four, Dean paired with Zack Baun to form one of the best linebacker tandems in the NFL.
Across eight starts, Dean registered 55 tackles, four sacks, and two forced fumbles after coming back from the injury.
Jaelan Phillips among top 15 free agents
Another Eagles free agent to crack the top 15 in PFF’s ranking was edge rusher Jaelan Phillips, who came over to Philadelphia in a trade with the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick.
Injuries have plagued Phillips‘ career, but he looked closer to his best after arriving in Philadelphia ahead of the trade deadline. From Week 10 on, he earned a 70.2 PFF pass-rush grade and generated 44 total pressures.
Phillips came over and played in all eight games for the Eagles, making 28 tackles (four for loss), with two sacks.
Dallas Goedert cracks the Top 50
A key decision for the Eagles will be what to do with Dallas Goedert, who had a career-high 60 catches for 591 yards and a franchise record for tight ends, 12 touchdowns, which led all NFL tight ends.
Goedert never quite reached the true elite tier of tight ends, but he has been one of the league’s steadier producers, grading above 70.0 in each of his first seven seasons prior to 2025. His 2025 campaign fit that solid-but-unspectacular mold — 64 catches on 85 targets for 624 yards — though he did post a career-high 12 touchdowns, generating a 135.0 passer rating when targeted and averaging 1.34 yards per route run. Goedert’s peak came in 2021, when he earned an elite 90.7 PFF grade and averaged 2.33 yards per route run. While his blocking remains a limitation, he still profiles as a valuable pass-catching option in the right offense.
The Eagles’ top three tight ends are all free agents this offseason.
Outside PFF’s top 50 free agents were safety Reed Blankenship (No. 69), Brandon Graham (No. 85), Marcus Epps (No. 179), Josh Uche (No. 184), and Azeez Ojalauri (No. 232).
The Most Controversial People In The Last 30 Years Of Philadelphia Sports
Philadelphia Sports fans are never shy to speak their mind about the players and coaches who represent their favorite teams. There is a long list of Polarizing Figures who have coached and played the Professional Sports teams in Philadelphia. Here is our list of the 30 Most Controversial Men in the last 30 years of Philly Sports:
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