Injured Devin White not traveling to Brazil — but he had already lost his starting spot to Nakobe Dean
The 26-year-old White signed a one-year contract with the Eagles in the offseason. His Birds debut will have to wait at least one more week.
SÃO PAULO, Brazil ― Before the Eagles placed Devin White on their injured list and kept him home from traveling for Friday’s season opener vs. the Green Bay Packers, Nakobe Dean was slated to be the team’s starting middle linebacker, NFL sources told The Inquirer.
White spent most of training camp working with the first unit. Dean mostly was with the second unit. But the Eagles rotated at inside linebacker, and as camp and the preseason progressed, Dean overtook White, sources said.
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The former second-team All-Pro was seen participating in the early portions of practice on Monday and Tuesday. But the Eagles listed him in their first injury report as limited with an ankle injury on Tuesday. On Wednesday, they declared him out for the game and not on the team’s Wednesday flight to Brazil.
It’s unclear what role new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has for White. Zack Baun will start at weakside linebacker Friday alongside Dean. Fangio has said his preference is not to have a rotation, but that he has worked with multiple off-ball linebackers before.
The Eagles also have rookie Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and Ben VanSumeren as reserves at middle linebacker. Oren Burks, who was called up from the practice squad last week after missing most of camp with a knee injury, has been Baun’s backup.
All five of the Eagles’ inside linebackers are expected to be active against the Packers and at least have roles on special teams.
Dean, who missed most of last season with a foot injury that eventually needed surgery, started slowly in camp. But his performance improved over the next several weeks. He was consistently around the ball as a run defender, blitzer, and even in pass coverage — the area in which he typically struggles the most.
White, whom the Eagles signed to a one-year, $4 million contract with $3.5 million guaranteed in March, was hoping to resurrect his career in Philly. His play dropped off with the Tampa Buccaneers, and the team decided not to extend him heading into last season, his fifth with the team.
He had some moments in camp with the Eagles but did not stand out as much as Dean, Baun, and even Trotter. White’s name also was mentioned in potential trade scenarios before the Eagles trimmed their roster to 53 players last week, league sources said.
Dean, the Eagles’ 2022 third-round draft pick, was the starter heading into last season. He injured his foot in the opener and missed the next four games. He returned and was up and down in four games before reinjuring the foot, ending his season.