Larry Henry Jr
A Lisfranc injury cost Philadelphia Eagle linebacker Nakobe Dean most of the 2023 season, but the third-year pro has full support heading into the 2024 campaign.
Dean, a third-round selection in 2022, is back healthy as the Eagles continue through their preseason preparations. A former University of Georgia standout, Dean featured in all 17 games that season before watching most of last year from the sidelines as the Eagles went 11-6.
He is slated to start alongside Devin White in Vic Fangio’s defense, while Bryce Huff, Jalen Carter, and Jordan Davis also seek to cause havoc for the Eagles. 2024 draftee Jeremiah Trotter Jr will also fight for opportunities, as Dean aims to remain a starter for Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers.
If the Eagles defense wants to be a force in 2024, a healthy Dean is needed, and both head coach Nick Sirianni and general manager Howie Roseman know that.
“Now, Nakobe came back in great shape,” Sirianni said. “Worked his butt off. He said to me yesterday, ‘Are we putting the pads on tomorrow?’ when I walked past him. I know he’s ready. I know he’s ready mentally, I know he’s ready physically. I’m excited to see him and I’m excited see that position as a whole.”
“I think for us, we have tremendous confidence in Nakobe,” Roseman said. “That’s why we drafted him. That doesn’t change. Sometimes it’s because of how much you liked him throughout the process and bringing him here. We are really excited about him. He has the right mentality. There is no question in my mind what his contributions were to one of the best defenses in the history of college football. I know that just from watching the tape. I know that from talking to the coaches. And then the opportunity is there. The opportunities at that position, I think we’re excited to see what that brings. Obviously, it’s a position that in Philadelphia we understand comes under a little bit more of the microscope, and that’s probably warranted.
The Eagles open their 2024 preseason schedule on August 9 against the Baltimore Ravens.
You can follow Larry Henry on Twitter (@lhenry019) and e-mail him at [email protected].
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