During this past year's NFL postseason, Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean suffered a significant setback when he tore the patellar tendon in his left knee during the team's Wild Card win over the Green Bay Packers.
The injury required surgery and ended his season prematurely, marking his second major lower-body injury. Dean has spent the offseason rehabbing, even incorporating ballet into his recovery to improve mobility and flexibility.
As of early June, it doesn't look like he will be ready to partake in training camp.
While speaking to reporters this week, Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio stated twice that Dean "won’t be back for a while."
That isn't the best news for Philly, whose linebacker room doesn't have the strongest depth and is also dealing with an injury to first-round pick Jihaad Campbell.
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 Georgia Bulldogs product Smael Mondon Jr. to consider.
Dean concluded the 2024 NFL regular season with a standout performance, recording 128 total tackles (80 solo), three sacks, nine tackles for loss, six quarterback hits, and one interception over 15 games. His contributions were pivotal in anchoring the league's top-ranked defense and propelling the Eagles to a historic Super Bowl LIX victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
While there is currently no timeline on when Dean will be cleared to return for offseason training with his teammates, he will continue to build his muscle back and work on mobility through ballet. He has also been notably present at OTAs.
His presence at organized team activities (OTAs) underscores his commitment to staying engaged with the team and contributing in any capacity during his recovery so that he is prepared to take the field once he is healed.
