Nov 3, 2022; Houston, Texas, USA; Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean (17) looks on the field prior to the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports
The Minnesota Vikings will attempt to right the ship on Thursday night as they take on the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2.
Minnesota got their 2023 season started on a sour note as they lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, but now they get a chance to get an upset road win just four days after that loss.
Ahead of this Thursday night game, a big injury development has happened on the Philadelphia side. After leaving Week 1’s victory over the New England Patriots with a foot injury, starting LB Nakobe Dean has been placed on IR.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported the news on Tuesday, posting on X, “The #Eagles have signed LB Nicholas Morrow to the active roster and placed LB Nakobe Dean on Injured Reserve. They also added LB Rashaan Evans to their practice squad.”
Dean was selected in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft after being part of the historic Georgia Bulldogs defense that won the national championship in 2021. During his three-year career at Georgia, Dean put together a remarkable career with 168 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 7 passes defended, and 2 INTs. He was a consensus All-American in 2021 and won the Dick Butkus Award for being the most outstanding linebacker in college football.
During his rookie season with the Eagles, Dean didn’t get much run with the defense. They simply didn’t need him to with all the depth they had across the unit, and he played just 34 defensive snaps over the course of the year.
However, he was named a starter ahead of Week 1 of the 2023 season and recorded 7 tackles during Philadelphia’s win over the Patriots before exiting the game.
The Eagles are now down a pair of middle linebackers heading into Week 2 as Shaun Bradley, a 2020 sixth-round pick, was placed on IR back in August.
Now, Philadelphia is set to roll into Week 2 with a linebacker room that contains the recently-signed Nicholas Morrow as well as Zach Cunnigham, Hassan Reddick, Christian Elliss, Nolan Smith, and Patrick Johnson.
Kickoff between the Eagles and Vikings is scheduled for Thursday, September 14th at 7:15 PM.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.