Eagles 25-Year-Old Starter 'Good as Gone'

The top prospects heading to the 2026 National Football League Draft haven't even taken the field yet at the NFL Scouting Combine, but there has been plenty of interesting information coming out of Indianapolis already.

Combine week is great each year because it gives decision makers across the league — as well as fans — the opportunity to see tomorrow's stars today. The NFL Draft is coming in April and combine week is an opportunity to get a look at these guys. Also, it's an opportunity for teams to get together and speak to the media and get the ball rolling on the offseason.

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That also means reports come out left and right because of the fact that decision makers and media members alike are all together in one place. That was the case with the Philadelphia Eagles on Tuesday. Head coach Nick Sirianni and general manager Howie Roseman spoke to the media, which led to plenty of chatter about AJ Brown. That's not all, though. The Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff McLane dropped a new episode of "unCovering the Birds with Jeff McLane" with tidbits of information from the combine. In the process, McLane said that linebacker Nakobe Dean is "as good as gone."

It's a busy week for the Eagles

Dec 14, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean (17) stands during the National Anthem before the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

"When you look at the top four guys in terms of the Eagles' own free agents: Jaelan Phillips, Nakobe Dean, Dallas Goedert and Reed Blankenship, my impression of what Howie had to say when talked about each player, he talked about some specifically, some he didn't. My expectation is that Jaelan Phillips plays a premium position.

"He's going to cost a lot, but this is a guy we're probably more focusing our attentions on, but you never know what he's going to get on the open market. Howie brought up Milton Williams and how he thought he was only going to get $20 million per year and he ended up getting $26 million per year, not that they were ever going to bring Milton Williams back. ... Nakobe Dean, I think he is as good as gone. They have Jihaad Campbell in the barn ready to go."

That idea shouldn't come as much of a surprise with Campbell and Zack Baun on the roster. Dean has said multiple times that he wants to stick around, but it sounds like he will end up playing elsewhere in 2026.