Nakobe Dean spent the off-season and summer saying all the right things about his recovery from a foot injury that ended his 2023 season prematurely. For most of the training camp, the idea was that Dean might lose his job to Devin White.
White exited Tampa Bay for Philadelphia with the hope of retooling his career while becoming the missing piece that gets this Eagles team over the Super Bowl hump. During the summer, it looked like White had shown he was the best linebacker on the roster while assuming a leadership role, resulting in the former Buccaneers star becoming a defensive general.
White, a 2024 free agent signing, talked about being a team leader and upgrading Philadelphia’s linebacker position.
Devin White talks about the Eagles decision to move forward with Nakobe Dean as the starter: pic.twitter.com/BfnDNQ4kuT
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) September 12, 2024
White missed the season opener with a foot injury, and his status for Week 2 is uncertain. However, after Vic Fangio clarified that Dean is his starter, it won’t matter.
A visibly frustrated White addressed Fangio’s comments and more before the Eagles’ Thursday practice.
Devin White was asked if after taking basically all the 1st team reps in camp if he was surprised Dean was named the starting LB
“You could truly say that…the way the snap count went, the things I did on the field in the preseason…but at the end of the day it’s not my call” pic.twitter.com/IS2IVyIzzb
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) September 12, 2024
Dean and Fangio’s favorite Zack Baun held down the fort on defense, with the former Saints linebacker logging 15 tackles, two sacks, one tackle for loss, and 2 QB hits. Dean was solid, logging four tackles, one tackle for loss, and one pass defended.
They’ll need to be even more dynamic in Week 2, with Falcons star running back Bijan Robinson heading to Philadelphia.
