How Will The Eagles Replace Nakobe Dean?

PHILADELPHIA - The season-ending injury to Eagles middle linebacker Nakobe Dean got lost in the sauce a little bit this week with Nick Sirianni’s team looking primed for another deep playoff run entering the divisional round of the playoffs against a warm-weather team set to arrive in Philadelphia facing cold temperatures and snow.

And all of that is secondary to the realization that the Eagles are the significantly more talented team than the Los Angeles Rams with perhaps the NFL’s best offensive line negating the Rams’ greatest strength, a young, athletic but undersized defensive front that made life miserable for Minnesota’s Sam Darnold on Wild Card Weekend.

With Lane Johnson, Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, and Mekhi Becton pushing that same front around in Week 12, Saquon Barkley has the best game of his 2,005-yard historic running season with 255 yards on the ground and 302 yards from scrimmage.

For contrast, the Eagles’ No. 1 ranked defense allowed just 278.4 yards per game this season to entire offenses with Dean as the on-field leader and “green dot.”

Dean’s breakout season has flown under the radar for whatever reason because his running mate, Zack Baun, has been even better.

Baun has already been named first-team All-Pro and will garner votes for NFL Defensive Player of the Year. According to Pro Football Focus, Baun was the No. 1 off-ball LB in the league this season with Dean at No. 12.

"He's a good football player," Rams offensive coordinator Mile FaFleur said when asked about Dean. "He’s done that all year. He’s definitely taken the next step as a player, really fits in that system and has done a great job. He's one of many very talented pieces on that defense so I know they'll miss him.

"They have enough guys to pick up the slack, that's for sure.”

When Dean left early against Green Bay in the Wild Card Round with what was diagnosed as a torn patellar tendon in his left knee, it was seven-year veteran Oren Burks who stepped in admirably.

Earlier this week, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio left open the door for rookie fifth-round pick Jeremiah Trotter, Jr.

The likely path forward can be traced back to Week 17 against Dallas when Dean was out with an abdomen issue.

Burks got the start in that game and Trotter rotated in when the defense faced some adversity early. Later when Burks returned he settled down and played the rest of the way until Trotter finished off what was a 41-7 rout.

The argument moving forward is ceiling.

Burks is an excellent LB3 who excels on special teams. The goal when he enters the game, like he did with San Francisco in Super Bowl LVIII when Dre Greenlaw tore an Achilles, is perseverance.

The Eagles believe Trotter has the upside to be a meaningful starter with better natural instincts and athleticism for the position.

The question for Fangio is do you pull the trigger on the latter in the most high-leverage part of the season?

The answer Sunday is going to be interesting with Fangio admitting that Trotter will play some.

The educated guess remains the same as Week 17 when Burks started and got the first opportunity with Trotter rotating in. From there it’s who has the hot hand.

John McMullen’s Prediction: Eagles 27, Rams 16

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