The Green Bay Packers selected Quay Walker in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft while his teammate, Nakobe Dean, remained available. Both lined up at off-ball linebacker for the University of Georgia, where Dean was the Bulldogs’ best player at the position.
Four years later, that decision is back in the spotlight. Walker will enter free agency in the coming weeks, and his return to Titletown with the Packers is far from guaranteed. Should he move on, the Packers would need a dependable presence next to Edgerrin Cooper in the middle of the defense. That’s where Dean re-enters the picture.
He was a better player than Walker coming out of Georgia, and that evaluation hasn’t shifted. If Green Bay is searching for stability and consistency at off-ball linebacker, turning to the player they once passed on would feel less like a gamble and more like correcting course.
Dean checks several boxes for Green Bay. He is only 25 years old — actually younger than Walker — and entering his prime years. Moreover, Jonathan Gannon worked with Dean during their time together with the Philadelphia Eagles, which provides insight into how to use him best and how he fits within a defensive structure.
Whether it's rushing the passer or defending the run, Nakobe Dean has been one of the most efficient per-snap linebackers over the last two seasons. Health is his only kryptonite. pic.twitter.com/HRLixQOy38
— Dan Rogers (@DannyPhantom24) February 28, 2026
From a roster-building standpoint, adding Dean wouldn’t limit Green Bay moving forward. He could step in right away as a starter, but his presence wouldn’t force the Packers to pass on the position in the draft. If the board lines up, they could still take a high-upside talent such as Harold Perkins Jr. and allow him to develop at his own pace.
However, we must acknowledge Dean’s durability questions.
Since entering the league, the former Bulldog has missed 25 games. For comparison, injuries have sidelined Walker for just 10 games during that span. Availability has been a noticeable difference between the two.
Over four seasons with the Eagles, Dean has logged at least 80% of the defensive snaps in only 17 games — roughly the equivalent of one full year as a true every-down presence. The sample size as a full-time player is still relatively limited.
When he has been healthy, though, the production has followed. In 2024, he started 15 games, racked up 128 tackles — the second-highest total on the team — and set a new personal best in passes defended.
In a recent free-agency projection, ESPN’s Aaron Schatz mapped out one ideal signing for every team and connected Nakobe Dean to Green Bay. Schatz highlighted Dean’s impact on coverage as a key reason he would represent an upgrade over Walker.
“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.”
Both the tape and Pro Football Focus grading point to Dean being more effective in coverage than Walker. In today’s NFL, a linebacker needs to be at least serviceable defending the pass, and Dean is much more polished in that department. For the Packers, that detail matters. Covering the middle of the field has been an issue at times in recent seasons, and any measurable upgrade there would address a recurring vulnerability.
Spotrac estimates Dean could land a four-year, $31.5 million deal in free agency. However, it’s hard to see the Packers going that long at off-ball linebacker, but that’s likely the price range. And with the 2026 draft expected to have a strong linebacker group, there’s an argument for waiting rather than spending at a non-premium position. Still, if Green Bay chooses to invest, Nakobe Dean makes sense. He’s young and fits the coverage demands of the modern game.