EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean was activated off the reserve/physically unable to perform list in front of Thursday night’s game at the New York Giants.
Dean, 24, tore the patellar tendon in his left knee during the Eagles’ wild-card playoff win over the Green Bay Packers in January. If he sees action as expected against the Giants, it will mark his first on-field work in nine months.
“Because he hadn’t had any [2025] game [experience], no training camp — it wouldn’t be a full-time role yet,” defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said earlier this week on Dean’s potential role.
Dean is now part of a crowded linebacker room featuring All-Pro Zack Baun and rookie standout Jihaad Campbell.
Asked how he would make it work given that the primary spots seem accounted for, Fangio responded, “We’ll figure it out.”
Dean was having a strong 2024 season before the injury. He posted 128 tackles, nine tackles for loss, three sacks and an interception during the regular season.
A third-round pick out of Georgia in 2022, Dean has dealt with his share of injuries over three-plus seasons in the NFL, including multiple foot injuries in ’23 that sidelined him for all but five games.
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