Nakobe Dean
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Two NFL pundits had differing opinions on the value of Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean in 2026 NFL free agency.
The Philadelphia Eagles have a difficult decision to make this offseason with linebacker Nakobe Dean. In a perfect world, the Eagles will bring him back but on a team-friendly, affordable contract.
In recent days, NFL pundits have sent mixed signals on Dean’s 2026 NFL free agency.
NFL.com’s Kevin Patra included the Eagles linebacker on a list of potential undervalued players this offseason. But Dean’s free agency projection from The Athletic’s Daniel Popper was a rather expensive one.
Patra raved about Dean as a player. But the analyst pointed to Dean’s injury past as a reason teams could undervalue him on the open market.
“The defender hasn’t played a full slate since 2017, missing 21 missed regular-season games over the past three seasons alone, and was out for most of Philly’s Super Bowl run in 2024,” wrote Patra. “Teams generally shy away from spending big on players with long-term durability questions, which could put Dean on a short-term prove-it path.”
However, Popper made no mention of Dean’s injury past.
“Dean is one of the best blitzing linebackers in the league. He appears to be shot out of a cannon on those reps,” Popper wrote. “He is a matchup advantage against running backs as a pass rusher, with a 35.7 percent pressure rate on 28 pass-rushing snaps.
“Dean is small and a limited athlete. His size prevents him from being an impactful run defender. He relies on instinct and anticipation as a zone-coverage defender.”