Nakobe Dean #17 of the Philadelphia Eagles could leap tot he Cowboys in free agency.
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Nakobe Dean #17 of the Philadelphia Eagles could leap tot he Cowboys in free agency.
The Green Bay Packers are coming off a season that didn’t quite end the way they hoped. Finishing second in the NFC North at 9-7-1 wasn’t disastrous by any means, but it ended far too soon.
Green Bay lost five straight to close the year, capped off by a Wild Card loss to their bitter rival, the Chicago Bears.
Now comes the offseason, starting with free agency on March 11, the beginning of the new league year. There’s also the 2026 NFL Draft, though Green Bay won’t have a first-round pick and won’t select until No. 52 overall in the second round.
That makes free agency even more critical to address key spots on the roster — especially with potential departures looming.
One of those free agents is 25-year-old four-year linebacker Quay Walker.
ESPN Links Packers to Eagles LB Nakobe Dean
The Packers appear prepared to let Walker… well, walk, after declining his fifth-year option worth $14.7 million — a number that would have made him one of the highest-paid inside linebackers in the league.
If that’s the direction they intend to stand with, they’ll need a replacement. ESPN’s Aaron Schatz projects that player could be Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean.
“The Packers are probably going to let linebacker Quay Walker leave after they declined his fifth-year option, which means they need an option to play next to Edgerrin Cooper,” Schatz wrote. “Dean is still only 25 years old and arguably stronger than Walker in pass coverage. Dean had four sacks, two forced fumbles and 55 total tackles last season.”
Dean’s four sacks and two forced fumbles were career highs — despite missing seven games after suffering a torn patellar tendon in his left knee.
Injuries have been the recurring theme in Dean’s career. He’s also dealt with multiple Lisfranc foot injuries and a torn pectoral, missing 21 regular-season games overall. Most of that came in 2023 when he appeared in just five games.
Dean also missed most of the playoffs in 2024, including the Eagles Super Bowl LIX win over the Chiefs.
Health is something the Packers desperately need to overcome in 2026. Injuries arguably derailed the end of their season as key players continued to drop at critical times.
What Would Nakobe Dean Cost in Free Agency?
Given Dean’s injury history, the next question becomes what it would take to sign him.
Dean will likely be seeking a long-term deal in the four-year range. Factoring in comparable players in age and production, Spotrac projects his market value at $7.9 million annually — roughly a four-year, $31.5 million contract.
That would slot him just behind Buffalo Bills linebacker Terrel Bernard, who signed a four-year, $42.1 million extension with a $10.5 million annual average.
The next closest comparison would be Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill, who signed a three-year, $19 million deal averaging $6.3 million annually — though he’s 28 years old.
If the Packers move on from Walker, Dean could make sense on paper. He has all the notable stats and attributes to add to the defense.
The bigger question is whether Green Bay is willing to gamble on a player whose biggest issue hasn’t been talent — it’s availability.