At the time of this story’s release, the Super Bowl hadn’t been played yet. We have yet to arrive at the NFL Combine. Most of the 2026 offseason calendar still lies ahead, but we can state something with certainty. The Philadelphia Eagles will look much different next season. That we are assured of. What a month!

Stop us if you’ve heard this before, but Jeff Stoutland is gone. That alone may produce a domino effect. Jordan Mailata was reportedly reduced to tears. There are theories that this complicates Lane Johnson’s already difficult decision about retirement, but here’s a twist. Landon Dickerson may also call it a career.

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Hugh Douglas is on record. He believes Johnson will indeed hang up his cleats. Mind you, it’s only February. Free agency begins on March 11, and there are decisions to be made about everyone from Fred Johnson, Jahan Dotson, and Dallas Goedert on the offensive side of the ball to Jaelan Phillips and Reed Blankenship on defense.

Nakobe Dean again expresses his desire to remain in Philadelphia.

The five players mentioned above aren’t the only ones the Eagles have to decide about. Marcus Epps, Kylen Granson, Grant Calcaterra, and punter Braden Mann will also see their contracts expire. The same can be said for Adoree’ Jackson, Josh Uche, Azeez Ojulari, Matt Pryor, Brett Toth, and A.J. Dillon.

Here’s another of those big names. How about Nakobe Dean? A third-round draft choice in 2022, his first four years in the NFL have flown by. He’s long said he wants to stay in Philadelphia, but just in case anyone has forgotten, he reiterated that desire as recently as Super Bowl week, when he was seen on media row.

Spotrac recently took a stab at guesstimating his market value. They saw a four-year, $31.5 million deal as fair, and if that proved accurate, an annual salary of $7,899,931 would make his extended stay in Philadelphia a no-brainer.

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This is the uncomfortable part of contention. Teams must balance attachment, financial outlook, present success, and future expectations. The Eagles aren’t facing any decision about Dean’s future. They eye three or four. Each has ripple effects that could redefine identity.

Some familiar faces will return. Others won’t. That’s the cost of staying competitive in a league designed to pull champions apart. Still, if history tells us anything, it’s that Philadelphia won’t shy away from bold choices or necessary reinvention. Change is coming. So is intent. The Eagles have never been afraid to act with both, so for now, this story continues.

This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Nakobe Dean says he wants to return to the Eagles in free agency