Linebacker Ready To Play Every Defensive Snap If That's What Eagles Want

PHILADELPHIA – Nakobe Dean just laughed when asked on Wednesday if the six snaps he played on special teams was the role he envisioned last Thursday in New York after being activated off the PUP list hours before kickoff.

“No, I didn’t expect to play six special teams snaps,” he said.

Dean thought he’d be used on defense. That is likely to happen on Sunday when the Eagles travel to Minneapolis to play the Minnesota Vikings.

“When you’re back, you want to play as much as you can,” he said. “I feel my body, in my mind, I was ready to play every snap, on defense, but I’ll do whatever I have to for this defense to be the best it can be.”

As long as the knee is sound, this defense is better with Dean on the field playing linebacker. He proved that last year when he was the second-leading tackler on a Super Bowl championship team.

Cautious Approach To Nakobe Dean's Return?

Eagles LB Nakobe Dean | John McMullen/SI Eagles

It's not like Dean is anti-special teams, he just wanted a juicer defensive role.

"For a guy to have that severe of an injury, his first game back, you feel the energy, and he wants to go out there and contribute in any way he can," said special teams coordinator Michael Clay. "We're fortunate here that he was able to play some special teams with us, and being able to run back out there, he had a nice little trap block on the kickoff return, so hopefully he keeps getting that confidence in that leg. But just having his aura, his presence around is always going to be a positive for our team."

It could have been a case where the Eagles were just being extra cautious with Dean since it was his first game back after tearing a patellar tendon on Jan. 12 in the opening round of the playoffs. And maybe the reputation of the turf inside MetLife Stadium played a role in that thinking.

“I hope so, yeah,” said Dean, laughing again. “As much as I wanted to play more and didn’t like not playing no defense, I know there’s a lot of teams out there that would throw you to the wolves. Even though I think if they would’ve did it, I would’ve been great because I know my body and I feel great.”

Dean’s return is complicated by the fact that rookie Jihaad Campbell has grown into his role aside fellow linebacker Zack Baun. Campbell, however, has taken reps at the edge position and it’s a role that could grow to accommodate Dean’s desire to get back on defense.

“They know how I feel,” said Dean when asked if he communicated his want to play defense with coordinator Vic Fangio and his staff. “I’m itching to play. I’m itching to get back out there and play more and more and more. But I can only control what I can control. If they wanted me to play every snap, I want to play every snap.”

Dean said that even though his role was limited to six snaps, and they came on special teams, he was happy to be back on the field after months and months of rehab. And he wasn’t the only one pleased to see it.

“As much as I wanted to play more, it was great being back out there in pads,” he said. “Even after a tough loss like that, seeing my momma and seeing how happy she was, just to see I got through and persevered through the adversity and was able to get back on the field and suit up – seeing her happy kind of made me cheer up, too.”

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