By Reice Shipley
Copyright newsweek
The Philadelphia Eagles have picked up right where they left off in 2024, starting the 2025 season with a 4-0 record. And soon, one key piece of their stout defense last season will be returning to the fold for the Eagles.
In 2024, third-year linebacker Nakobe Dean emerged as an incredibly productive member of the Eagles’ historically great defense, recording 128 tackles, the second-most of anyone on the team behind only Pro Bowler Zack Baun. This was enough to even receive some votes for the 2024 AP NFL Comeback Player Award after an injury-riddled 2023 season.
LANDOVER, MARYLAND – DECEMBER 22: Jalen Carter #98 and Nakobe Dean #17 of the Philadelphia Eagles look on against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium on December 22, 2024 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Timothy Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
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Unfortunately, Dean didn’t get the chance to make much of an impact on the Eagles’ postseason run last year after tearing his patellar tendon in the team’s Wild Card win over the Green Bay Packers. But it now seems like Dean is finally ready to ramp up for the 2025 season debut for the Eagles.
According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, the Eagles have officially removed Dean from the Physically Unable to Perform list, giving him 21 days to ramp up in the now open practice window before he makes his season debut.
The #Eagles have opened the practice window for LB Nakobe Dean, giving him 21 days to ramp up.— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 1, 2025
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It obviously remains to be seen what Dean will look like coming off such a serious knee injury. But if Dean does return looking anything like the player he was prior to his injury, he should certainly be a welcome addition to an Eagles defense that has slipped a bit from where they were last season.
Through the first four weeks of the season, the Eagles’ defense ranks just 22nd best in yards per game allowed, a statistic that they ranked first in throughout the 2024 regular season.
While the decline of the Eagles’ defense hasn’t cost the team yet, it could very well be an area of concern as we get into the latter half of the year. So Eagles fans are certainly hoping that Dean can help correct some of the problems that the team has faced on the defensive side of the ball thus far in 2025.
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