The Philadelphia Eagles will be without a key defensive player for early-season games against the Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs and more.
Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean posted an update to his Instagram account’s story on Tuesday regarding his injury status ahead of the 2025 season: “See y’all Week 5.”
Dean’s post confirmed what many thought would happen: that the fourth-year linebacker out of Georgia will begin the season on the reserve/physically unable to perform (PUP) list.
Dean landing on the PUP list will make him automatically ineligible to play in the Eagles’ first four games of the season. He won’t count against the team’s 53-man roster until he’s activated.
The earliest Dean could come back would be Week 5 against the Denver Broncos on Oct. 5.
Dean suffered a torn patellar tendon during the Eagles’ playoff win over the Green Bay Packers on Jan. 12. Philadelphia placed Dean on the active/PUP list to begin training camp, setting the expectation that he would be moved to the reserve/PUP list ahead of the season.
Dean was a key member of last year’s defense. The 2022 third-round pick out of Georgia started 15 regular-season games, recording 128 tackles and three sacks. He missed the rest of the playoffs after tearing the patellar tendon in his left knee while tackling Packers tight end Tucker Kraft. He was carted off the field and later placed on injured reserve.
Dean, now entering the last year of his rookie contract, is staring at an uncertain future in Philadelphia. Zack Baun got a contract extension after an All-Pro season. First-round rookie Jihaad Campbell impressed in the preseason. So did fourth-round rookie Smael Mondon Jr. and second-year linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr.
Dean will have to come back ready to compete for playing time.
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