Larry Henry Jr
One of the Philadelphia Eagles top offseason signings will not be part of the team’s season-opening game.
Linebacker Devin White did not travel with the Eagles on Wednesday after suffering an ankle injury, head coach Nick Sirianni confirmed to reporters. White, who signed a one-year, $4 million free agent contract with the team back in March, was expected to be a starter in Vic Fangio’s defense.
However, his recent injury paired with a subpar preseason camp looks to have boosted third-year player Nakobe Dean into a starting role for Friday’s showdown with the Green Bay Packers in São Paulo, Brazil.
Dean, a former standout at the University of Georgia, was reduced to only five games in 2023 due to multiple foot injuries of his own. The 23-year-old excelled throughout preseason camp and was praised by Sirianni ahead of a first potential start of 2024.
“Devin tweaked his ankle the other day in practice,” Sirianni told reporters Thursday about White’s injury. “The guys are ready. The guys behind him are ready. They’re ready to go, and excited about the opportunity for them.
“Yeah, I think he’s [Nakobe Dean] had a good camp,” Sirianni added. “He’s been consistent throughout camp. I’m really excited for Nakobe’s opportunity tomorrow. He’s a really good player. He’s battled some injuries throughout, but we’ve sure as heck been excited about him from the moment he stepped into this building. Look forward to an opportunity that he gets tomorrow to play in the season opener.”
Dean is slated to be joined by offseason signings Bryce Huff and Zach Baun in the heart of the Eagles defense. Nolan Smith, Jeremiah Trotter Jr, and Ben VanSumeren will also be fighting for opportunities at the linebacker position.
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