During last year’s playoff win over the Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean went down with a torn patellar tendon in his left knee, which was a tough break that cut his season short and required surgery.
It marked Dean's second major lower-body injury, but he has been grinding through rehab all offseason. He even picked up ballet to help with his flexibility and movement.
Despite all of his efforts to get back to the field, Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio told reporters in June that Dean "won’t be back for a while."
However, a new video of him doing barbell step-ups with over 200 pounds of weight might tell a more promising story.
https://x.com/DiBonaNFL/status/1944149209046802834
Sure, the video doesn’t reveal too much about the current state of Dean's knee, but it’s clear he’s building strength back in that left knee.
Dean wrapped up the 2024 regular season with a monster year, totaling 128 tackles (80 solo), three sacks, nine tackles for loss, six QB hits, and a pick through 15 games. He was a key piece of the NFL's top defense and played a major role in helping the Eagles take down the Kansas City Chiefs in a historic 40-22 Super Bowl LIX win.
While there is currently no timeline on when Dean will be cleared to return full speed, there's no doubt he will continue on the fast track to suiting up much sooner rather than later.
That will be important considering the Eagles are also dealing with an injury to 2025 first-round pick Jihaad Campbell. Campbell has been working his way back from a shoulder injury.
In the meantime, however, second-year linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. has been taking a majority of the first-team snaps alongside Zack Baun. The Eagles also have fellow Georgia Bulldogs product and 2025 fifth-round pick Smael Mondon Jr. to consider.
Philly's NFL training camp kicks off on Tuesday, July 22, where we will know more about Dean's injury progression.
