Eagles Nick Sirianni Addresses Opening Of Practice Window for Nakobe Dean

PHILADELPHIA – Nakobe Dean will be in pads for the first time since Jan. 12, a span of nearly nine months, after having his practice window opened on Wednesday.

The Eagles linebacker, who was such a vital player and huge leader in last year’s run to the Super Bowl championship, had said he would return for Week 5, and here he is. Dean still has to prove that he can get his body into football shape and make sure the patellar tendon injury that happened against the Packers in the opening round of the playoffs is ready to go. That means no post-practice swelling or pain.

Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio indicated the window was opening soon when he met with reporters on Tuesday. On Wednesday, it was Nick Sirianni who was asked about what the trickledown effect could look like if Dean is in fact able to be active for Sunday’s home game against the Denver Broncos.

The Eagles have 21 days to add Dean to the roster or lose him for the remainder of the seeason.

Zack Baun and Jihaad Campbell. — Zack Baun (right) returned to practice after missing a couple of weeks with a back issue, and rookie Jihaad Campbell got some first-team reps with him on Day 16 of Eagles training camp. | Ed Kracz/Eagles on SI

It’s a crowded linebacker room that has as much talent in it as it has had in recent memory, especially with rookie first-round pick Jihaad Campbell playing like an early candidate for the league’s rookie of the year winner.

“We’ll see,” said the Eagles head coach about what the lineup will look like when Dean returns. “Jihaad’s played good football, Zack Baun’s played really good football, Nakobe’s played really good football in the past, so really excited about that room and the guys that we have in that room.”

The coach then talked about the special teams play the team is getting from second-year linebacker Jeremiah Trotter, Jr., and rookie Smael Mondon, Jr.

“I love that group,” said Sirianni. “I love that group of linebackers. We’ll see how the week goes and where we are with that, but these guys love to play football, they’re physical, they’re really excited for each other’s success and they keep getting better at the details of the game, so I love that group.”

Sirianni didn’t say anything about what the rotation would look like, though the possibility that Baun, Campbell, and Dean could be on the field at once does exist, because Baun and Campbell both have the ability to turn in a few snaps on the edge, a position that is need after the Eagles placed Nolan Smith and Ogbo Okoronkwo on injured reserve in the past 10 days.

“Any time you have a bunch of good football payers it gives you good options,” said Sirianni. “We’ll see how everything goes and whenever everyone’s ready, and this and that, but like I said, really excited about the room and the different things that each one of those guys can do it. Very versatile players that can help you win football games.”

The Eagles added sixth-round draft pick, edge rusher Antwuan Powell-Ryland, to the practice squad on Wednesday.

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