Jan 12, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean (17) is helped off the field against the Green Bay Packers during the first half in an NFC wild card game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
The Eagles paid a price for their win over the Packers on Sunday. Linebacker Nakobe Dean will miss the remainder of the playoffs with a knee injury.
#Eagles LB Nakobe Dean, at the tail end of a breakout season, suffered torn patellar tendon in his knee and is out for the playoffs, per me and @MikeGarafolo.
A tough blow for Philly and for Dean, who has a long road to recovery. He’ll likely miss the start of next season. pic.twitter.com/xtNdv5ttEQ
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 13, 2025
Dean, 24, is a 2022 third-round draft pick out of Georgia. He was enjoying a breakout year prior to the injury, recording career highs in tackles (128), solo tackles (80), sacks (3), forced fumbles (1), and fumbles recovered (2). Dean recorded just 43 tackles in 2022 and 2023 combined.
Here's what Nolan Smith said last night about Nakobe Dean's serious knee injury: pic.twitter.com/Rh97ScF6dw
— Dave Zangaro (@DZangaroNBCS) January 13, 2025
The Eagles depth chart at the linebacker position is thin behind Dean. The most likely replacements are Oren Burks, who stepped in for Dean against the Packers, and Jeremiah Trotter, Jr.
The immediate concern for the Eagles is obviously the likely loss of Nakobe Dean for the remainder of the postseason.
Oren Burks replaced Dean today and struggled mightily. He missed far too many tackles.
We’ll see if Jeremiah Trotter Jr. gets a chance to play next well.
— Anthony DiBona (@DiBonaNFL) January 13, 2025
On Pattison will update this story as more information becomes available.
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