Eagles’ Nakobe Dean Projected to Join NFC Foe After 4 Years

The Philadelphia Eagles could end up losing a fan favorite this offseason when free agency opens up.

Nakobe Dean is someone who has developed into being one of the elite linebackers in football throughout his run in Philadelphia, but he's a pending free agent and the Eagles are loaded at the position. Philadelphia has Zack Baun and Jihaad Campbell and Dean should go out and get paid. Even with injury troubles throughout his four-season run in Philadelphia, Dean is just 25 years old and racked up a career high of four sacks in 2025 in 10 games.

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On Tuesday, ESPN's Matt Bowen shared a column with one landing spot for the top 50 pending free agents. For Dean, he came in at No. 48 with the landing spot being the Minnesota Vikings.

Where will Nakobe Dean call home in 2026?

Nov 16, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean (17) reacts against the Detroit Lions during the second half at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

"Our suggested fits are mainly focused on team needs, scheme and potential future production, though we also factored each franchise's salary cap situation," Bowen wrote. "But remember that every team's cap room will shift up and down before free agency as front offices restructure, cut and re-sign contracts. For some of these fits to work, teams might have to get creative.

"No. 48. Nakobe Dean, LB. Best team fit: Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings have cap issues heading into free agency, but I really like the fit for Dean in coordinator Brian Flores' defense. Dean, who had four sacks with the Eagles in 2025, is the league's best blitzing linebacker, and he would join a system that led the NFL in blitz rate at 46.8 percent."

Arguably, Dean could be even higher on this list. There aren't many blitzing linebackers out there right now. But he did only play in 10 games in 2025, which certainly doesn't help his case for a long-term deal.

Dean has said multiple times this offseason that he wants to come back to Philadelphia. It would be nice to keep him around. But Philadelphia has other holes on the roster than linebacker. Unfortunately, he may have played his final game in Philadelphia.

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