Eagles’ Devin White says he will ‘stay ready’ after losing starting linebacker spot to Nakobe Dean

Devin White has been here before, on the outside looking in at a starting inside linebacker role.

The 26-year-old White lost his starting job late last season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after he missed three games because of a foot injury. Upon signing a one-year prove-it deal worth up to $7.5 million with the Eagles in the offseason, he said he looked forward to a “clean start” with his foot injury in the past.

But that fresh start was delayed when White was ruled out of the Eagles’ season opener against the Green Bay Packers in São Paulo, Brazil, with an ankle injury three days before the game. Zack Baun and Nakobe Dean were the starters at off-ball linebacker in Week 1, turning heads with their combined 19 tackles, including three for losses, and two sacks.

There will be no changes this week. Vic Fangio said Wednesday that Dean is the starter at middle linebacker, even if White is healthy enough to play Monday night against the visiting Atlanta Falcons. The news that he didn’t win the job was “hard” for White to process, the sixth-year veteran said Thursday.

» READ MORE: Eagles’ Vic Fangio explains limited role for Bryce Huff, crowns Nakobe Dean starter over Devin White

“At the end of the day, it’s football,” White said. “Those guys make those decisions, and you’ve got to live with them. Be prepared when your number is called. Just go out there and handle your business.”

Though the Eagles are rolling with Dean and Baun as their starting duo, Fangio said that White is “still a part” of the defense. Nick Sirianni echoed that sentiment Thursday, emphasizing that it’s a long season, and the team will need White down the stretch to find success.

When asked to define the role that Sirianni envisions for him going forward, White said that the question is better suited for Sirianni. He also said that he didn’t know if he will play special teams if needed, a phase of the game he has seldom contributed to throughout his NFL career.

Would he welcome the opportunity to start elsewhere?

“I don’t know,” White said. “Right now, I’m locked in with this team. I came here to do a job. I know everything is well in front of me. So I’ve just got to do what I’ve got to do. I made a good bond with these guys, and we’re in here every day getting better. Whether it’s in the room, the classroom, on the field, individual drills, even in there playing ping-pong or something together.

“Right now, that’s all that matters to me. I’m extremely blessed and highly favored. I know what’s for me is for me, and if I stay true to myself [and] to the game, it’s gonna come.”

White’s quest to get back on the field continued Thursday. After tweaking his ankle in practice last week and dealing with “a lot of inflammation” since then, White was listed as a full participant in practice, the team’s first of the week.

» READ MORE: Bryce Huff attributes slow Eagles start to field conditions and says the film tells a different story

Before practice, White said that he’s “taking it day by day” before he discloses whether he will make his Eagles regular-season debut Monday. When he returns from his injury, White said that he doesn’t feel as if he has to show anything to the coaching staff to earn playing time.

“I think that’s up to them,” White said. “That’s what we went through camp for. Had a great camp. They know what I can do.”

White suggested he was surprised that he didn’t win the starting job out of camp, given the starting snap distribution. White took the majority of the opening first-team reps alongside Baun throughout camp, while Dean rotated in with the group.

Still, White is leaning on his experience of losing the starting job in Tampa Bay to inform his approach to his expected reserve role. He pointed to his first game back from injury last season against the Jacksonville Jaguars, in which K.J. Britt and Lavonte David were the starting inside linebackers. White recorded a half-sack and an interception.

“Just putting your head down and going to work,” White said. “So I don’t think there’s nothing different. Just stay ready.”

Isaiah Rodgers revealed Thursday that he is recovering from a broken right hand that required surgery three weeks ago.

The 26-year-old outside cornerback said that a teammate struck his hand in an attempt to punch out a ball in the final practice of training camp on Aug. 21. Rodgers said he didn’t realize something was wrong until he unsuccessfully attempted to squeeze a water bottle.

He had surgery the next morning with the aspiration to recover in time for the season opener. While Rodgers traveled with the Eagles to São Paulo and participated in the walk-through the day before the game, he decided not to push it and ultimately was inactive. Quinyon Mitchell started opposite Darius Slay on the outside at cornerback. Avonte Maddox lined up in the slot in nickel, and Cooper DeJean slotted in as an inside defender in dime.

» READ MORE: Eagles vs. Packers film review: Will Quinyon Mitchell’s encouraging debut be enough to keep him outside?

Rodgers was listed as a full participant in practice as he pushes to return to game action against the Falcons.

“I think right now, I’m just focusing on practicing and working toward the process of feeling out how it’s feeling, things like that,” Rodgers said. “The goal is of course to be out there, and I think we’re definitely striving toward it.”

Tight ends Jack Stoll and Kevin Foelsch were re-signed to the practice squad. Safety Caden Sterns was released from the practice squad a day after he had been re-signed and Stoll had been released.

The Eagles play in Week 2 against the Atlanta Falcons. Join Eagles beat reporters Olivia Reiner and EJ Smith as they dissect the hottest storylines surrounding the team on Gameday Central, live from Lincoln Financial Field.