Eagles LB Nakobe Dean Expected To Return in Week 6: What Role Will He Play?

The Philadelphia Eagles could receive a big boost on defense in Week 6. According to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports, Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean is expected to make his regular season debut against the New York Giants on Thursday night.

Dean suffered a season-ending knee injury against the Green Bay Packers in the playoffs last season. Now he’s set to make his return to the field against the Giants, although Zenitz noted that Dean’s workload is expected to be limited at first.

The Eagles are in an interesting spot with Dean returning, as All-Pro Zack Baun and rookie Jihaad Campbell have already formed one of the best linebacker duos in the NFL. Yet Dean’s return will create even more personnel possibilities for Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.

Fangio has yet to use a third off-ball linebacker through the first five weeks of the regular season. According to Pro Football Focus, Baun has played 333 defensive snaps, Campbell has played 318 defensive snaps and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. has played just one defensive snap.

Therefore, Fangio is going to have to change his ways or get creative to find a role for Dean in 2025. Luckily for the Eagles, both Baun and Campbell have experience playing on the edge, which could open up a role for Dean at off-ball linebacker.

After playing 160 snaps on the edge last season, Baun has essentially swapped roles with Campbell in 2025. Baun has played just seven snaps on the edge, while Campbell has already played 67 snaps on the edge.

If the Eagles want to get all three of their talented linebackers on the field together, we could see Campbell play even more snaps on the edge moving forward. Before Fangio makes any drastic changes to his defense, there is another way to get Dean acclimated slowly.

Through the first five weeks of the regular season, the Eagles have usually played between 12-to-20 snaps in their base defense. While Fangio would normally elect to bring in a third interior defensive lineman in these scenarios, it feels like an ideal spot to plug Dean in to start.

Here’s what Philadelphia’s defense would potentially look like with this personnel group:

• EDGE: Za’Darius Smith

• IDL: Jordan Davis

• IDL: Jalen Carter

• EDGE: Jalyx Hunt

• LB: Zack Baun

• LB: Jihaad Campbell

• LB: Nakobe Dean

• CB: Quinyon Mitchell

• S: Reed Blankenship

• S: Drew Mukuba

• CB: Cooper DeJean

When teams are normally in their base defense, they would likely be making a sacrifice in the pass rush or coverage area. Yet that wouldn’t be the case with this potential look for the Eagles given the versatility of their three off-ball linebackers.

Baun, Campbell and Dean are all phenomenal blitzers and Fangio has blitzed at a higher rate than usual in 2025. As previously mentioned, Baun and Campbell both have the ability to play on the edge, which would allow Fangio to still utilize a five man front with this personnel grouping, if he elected to do so.

If Fangio wants to simplify Dean’s role even more as he ramps up, the 24-year-old could be brought in on obvious passing downs as a blitzer. In 2024, Dean had the seventh-highest pass rushing grade among all off-ball linebackers, according to Pro Football Focus.

Dean recorded 14 total pressures on just 66 pass rushing snaps last season. Dean’s pressure rate of 21.2% was the highest among all Eagles players with 50 or more pass rushing snaps in 2024.

It’s also notable that Dean is making his return against the Giants, as New York’s interior offensive line has struggled in pass protection this season. The combination of Jon Runyan, Greg Van Roten and John Michael Schmitz Jr. has allowed 31 total pressures in five games.

If Fangio decides to dial up the blitz and utilize Dean on Thursday night, we could see him make an immediate impact in his first game back. Dean will need to make the most of any opportunities that he receives in a contract year.

While the Eagles will elect to take it slow with Dean at first, the possibilities with Philadelphia’s defensive front are endless. It’s been a long time since the Eagles have had this much talent at off-ball linebacker, now it’s going to be fun to see how Fangio utilizes it all.