The Philadelphia Eagles understand they will not be able to bring back every player who becomes a free agent.
Among the big names, the one Eagles free agent that is popular in the fan base wanting to be back in 2026 is edge rusher Jaelan Phillips. One other name that might be on the opposite side of the conversation is linebacker Nakobe Dean, but not everyone feels that way.
CBS Sports writer Zachary Pereles named one player on each team who is about to be a free agent that should be re-signed. For the Eagles, Pereles believes the team should bring back Dean in 2026.
"Whether or not they can actually do it, keeping Nakobe Dean makes a world of sense for Philadelphia. Dean only recently turned 25 and has shown tremendous blitzing ability, especially as he emerged as a full-time player the past two seasons alongside Zack Baun. But he's also dealt with significant injury issues, which might keep his cost from becoming prohibitively high for the Eagles, who love their former Georgia defenders."
Should the Eagles bring back Nakobe Dean in 2026?
Dean racked up 55 tackles, seven tackles for loss, six quarterback hits, four sacks, two forced fumbles, and one pass deflection in 10 games this past season. While he has been a great player on the field, Eagles fans are hesitant about his injuries, as he has missed 21 regular season games since being drafted in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Phillips is going to command way more money and needs every dime since he helped the Eagles go from the worst pass-rushing team to one of the best in 2025. Eagles safety Reed Blankenship is arguably more important to sign than Dean, since the secondary is young and needs a leader.
Last season, rookie linebacker Jihaad Campbell was selected in the first round to be the eventual replacement for Dean. It makes sense to roll with Zack Baun and Campbell as the starters at linebacker and have Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and rookie fifth-round pick Smael Mondon Jr. to be in the rotation.
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This isn't against Dean; he's been a great linebacker for the Eagles over the years, but it comes down to money and availability, and he just doesn't fit what the Eagles need from him.