‘That’s why we drafted him’: Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean makes his mark in preseason debut

Back on the football field in a game setting for the first time since Super Bowl LVII, Nakobe Dean admittedly experienced some jitters on Thursday evening, when he made his first start at middle linebacker with the Eagles hosting the Cleveland Browns in a preseason game.

“The first couple of snaps, it felt like, ‘All right, I’ve just got to slow down and get relaxed,’” Dean recalled. “After about the fourth or fifth snap, I felt more comfortable now, back in the swing of things.”

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Dean wasn’t the only one feeling the nerves. The Eagles defense opened their second preseason contest skittish. For a defensive unit meant to be “palpable,” as defined by new coordinator Sean Desai, it appeared to be missing any semblance of playmaking ability. The Browns stormed downfield as the Eagles allowed a game-high five first downs on the opening drive.

Browns coach and St. Joseph’s Prep grad Kevin Stefanski further enforced his confidence in his second-string offense, electing to keep Cleveland’s starters on the field while facing fourth-and-1 from Philadelphia’s 7-yard line. It was a prime opportunity for the Eagles to get off the field. Instead, quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson rushed to his right, picked up ample yardage, and proceeded to slide to the ground. Before he could complete his slide, Dean delivered a late blow, and he was penalized for unnecessary roughness.

Dean, still attempting to gain his footing, pursued the ballcarrier so quickly that he initially thought he made contact with his own teammate.

“It had been a while since I’ve been out there going full speed, being able to hit somebody,” he said.

During a drive that featured plenty of forgettable moments, the Eagles desperately needed someone to step up with their backs against the goal line. And on the very next play, Dean delivered. The Browns attempted another rush to the right side, but this time, Dean shot his gap and punched the football loose from running back John Kelly Jr.’s grip, forcing a fumble that was pounced on by safety K’Von Wallace.

As Dean high-stepped off the field, coach Nick Sirianni embraced him near the home sideline, serving as a welcome moment for the team’s new starting linebacker.

“He’s our guy,” Sirianni said of Dean. “[I’m] excited for him that he was able to get out there ... and make a game-changing play. That’s why we drafted him. That’s what we anticipate him being. We’re going to need him to do that to play like we want to play on defense.”

The Eagles have heightened expectations for Dean in Year 2 after he sat for a majority of his rookie season. The 2022 third-round pick is now sporting the green dot on his helmet, holding the responsibilities of relaying the play call from the sideline to his teammates in the defensive huddle.

Dean missed the preseason opener last Saturday at Baltimore with an ankle injury, so Thursday marked his first time being the distinguished communicator on game day. He played the first half of the 18-18 tie with the Browns, compiling three tackles and the forced fumble.

“To hear the calls from Desai was the biggest thing, being able to communicate with everyone, making sure the communication was on point,” Dean said. “Getting more physical contact in. I know how [Desai] is in practice and everything, but to hear [his voice] in a game, be out there and actually hearing it in my headset, it was good to get the communication in.”

Said 2023 first-round pick Jalen Carter: “Nakobe was one of our main leaders at Georgia. I look to him and follow his lead. He gets all of us hyped for games and that was no different tonight. I still look up to him to this day. ... The Browns had good momentum, but Nakobe will always pop up when we need him.”

With just one preseason game remaining, the Eagles are still in the process of identifying Dean’s running mate at inside linebacker. On Thursday, it was Zach Cunningham who started alongside Dean, and finished with a joint game-high seven tackles. Cunningham, along with fellow veteran Myles Jack, were late camp additions; both signed one-year deals worth around $1.7 million on Aug. 6.

Other linebackers on the roster include Nicholas Morrow, Christian Elliss, and Ben VanSumeren.

“All those guys are having a good camp,” Dean said. “The competition is stiff in there with everybody, including myself. So I feel like the addition of [Cunningham and Jack] added a lot of competition and forced guys to step their game up.”

While Dean is relatively new to the NFL, Jack and Cunningham have logged many miles throughout their careers. The two linebackers have played in a combined 185 games across 13 seasons with a whopping 9,735 defensive snaps and 1,237 tackles.

“I remember watching Zach back in my early college days,” Dean said. “The way he fits the run, how he’s able to come down and make the plays. Just seeing that from him, how he uses his physicality — that has helped me [come] a long way.”

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Before Cunningham departed Lincoln Financial Field at the end of the night, he lingered a bit inside the locker room. While he gathered his belongings, general manager Howie Roseman sought out Cunningham. The two shared a brief embrace and Roseman, sporting a wide smile, presumably offered a congratulatory message.

Desai still has a few more summer practices to tinker with his personnel groupings. At this moment, it appears the Dean-Cunningham duo is gaining steam ahead of the regular-season opener, scheduled for Sept. 10 at New England.

“Nakobe has helped me feel more comfortable,” Cunningham said. “Having him out there and seeing his leadership for the defense. That was really our first time getting that much work together. So it’s really been a learning experience for both of us. He’s teaching me things. I’m helping him with some pointers. It’s a lot of back-and-forth right now. I’m feeling good about it.”