Nakobe Dean returns to Eagles practice as his role on the defense is still being determined

On the night before his first Eagles practice in eight months, Nakobe Dean wasn’t restless like a kid on Christmas Eve.

“I went to bed 30 minutes earlier ’cause I wanted to make sure my body feels good,” Dean said Wednesday.

Wednesday might as well have been Christmas morning for the 24-year-old inside linebacker, who has had the date circled on his mental calendar since the Eagles placed him on the physically unable to perform list to start the season. At the roster cutdown deadline, Dean said he knew he would make his return to practice that day.

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It was a long time coming. Dean underwent surgery on a torn patellar tendon in his left knee in January, an injury he suffered in the wild-card round that ended his postseason run. But since training camp, Dean has looked spry as he went through his rehab under the careful watch of trainers. He has been present at and observing just about every Eagles practice over the last four weeks.

On Day 1 of his 21-day practice window, Dean was listed as a limited participant on the Eagles’ injury report. Still, he said he feels like he’s “able to fully go right now.”

“I’ve been cleared for a good bit right now,” Dean said. “So it’s like I didn’t feel like I was apart from the team. I felt like I was still on the team. I didn’t want to miss a beat. I literally did everything with the team other than practice and play.”

Despite his injury, Dean’s leadership role hasn’t changed. He was a key part of the Eagles’ Super Bowl-winning defense in 2024, notching a game-sealing interception against the Jacksonville Jaguars, four passes defended, a forced fumble, a pair of fumble recoveries, and 128 tackles (ranking second on the team).

Dean has been present behind the scenes, participating in meetings and helping his teammates prepare for each opponent through the first four weeks of the season.

“You can’t be a leader if you don’t play good, and he played great for us last year,” Vic Fangio said of Dean on Tuesday.

But what about his role as a starter on the field? Zack Baun, the 2024 All-Pro inside linebacker, picked up in Year 2 under Fangio where he left off last season. According to Next Gen Stats, Baun leads the team with 15 “stops,” defined as tackles that result in a successful play for the defense.

Jihaad Campbell, the Eagles’ No. 31 overall draft pick out of Alabama, has impressed through the first four games of his rookie season. He’s tied for fourth on the team with nine “stops.” Campbell has also had a knack for generating turnovers, contributing an interception against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday and a forced fumble in his debut against the Dallas Cowboys.

Fangio said he doesn’t think the Eagles are “there yet” in making the final determination about Dean’s role. Nick Sirianni echoed a similar sentiment before practice.

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“We’ll see what [happens],” the Eagles coach said. “Jihaad has played good football. Zack Baun’s played really good football. Nakobe has played really good football in the past, so really excited about that room and the guys that we have in that room.”

Dean hasn’t spoken with Fangio about his role upon his return to the active roster. The only details they’ve discussed on a weekly basis are the upcoming opponent and the scheme.

Regardless, Dean isn’t dwelling on his uncertain future as a starter.

“I control what I control,” he said. “I know I can play. I know I can go out there and ball. So I control what I control.”

Of all the trials that Dean has faced over the last eight months, he said the most difficult part of his recovery process came at the end. He explained that he was “getting anxious” as he awaited his return to practice, longing to play football again.

But Dean isn’t looking back at the injury that kept him out of the Super Bowl with resentment. Instead, he said he has tried to be an “optimistic realist” about his situation as he prepares to make his return to game action.

“Being negative ain’t going to get you nowhere,” Dean said. “I’m a positive person always, anyway. No matter what the situation is. I want to breed positivity. I actually hate negativity.

“Being negative in any type of way is not going to get you nowhere, ’cause what’s going to happen is going to happen. So you’ve got to just control what you can control.”

Dallas Goedert (knee) did not participate in Wednesday’s practice. It is unclear if his knee injury is related to the one that kept the tight end sidelined for the Eagles’ Week 2 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs.

In addition to Dean, Jalen Carter (shoulder), Lane Johnson (shoulder), and Adoree’ Jackson (groin) were listed as limited participants on Wednesday’s injury report.