The Philadelphia Eagles announced Thursday that they placed linebacker Nakobe Dean on injured reserve due to a foot injury.
Philly’s announcement came after Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweeted that Dean had divulged on Instagram that he underwent surgery to correct a Lisfranc injury.
Dean suffered the injury during the Eagles’ Week 9 win over the Dallas Cowboys, and he must now miss at least the next four games.
After suffering a different foot injury in Week 1, Dean was placed on IR and proceeded to miss the next four games before returning to face the New York Jets in Week 6.
The 2022 third-round pick out of Georgia was a reserve player who was used only sparingly as a rookie, but he has started four of the five games he has appeared in this season, recording 30 tackles, two tackles for loss and a half-sack.
Until and unless Dean is able to return, all signs point toward veterans Zach Cunningham and Nicholas Morrow being the Eagles’ primary starting linebackers.
Cunningham, who had three 100-tackle seasons earlier in his career with the Houston Texans, has started seven of the nine games he has played this season and is second on the team with 54 tackles.
Meanwhile, Morrow has made five starts, and he is fourth on the team with 31 tackles, and also has three sacks.
A lack of depth at linebacker while Dean is out will place even more pressure on Philadelphia’s defensive line, which is something the group should be able to handle since it is arguably the most talented line in the NFL.
With Haason Reddick, Jalen Carter, Fletcher Cox, Josh Sweat, Jordan Davis and Brandon Graham leading the way, the Eagles have more than enough studs to keep the linebackers clean.
Dean is in line to miss what is by far the toughest stretch of the Eagles’s schedule, as they face the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys over the next four weeks.
A Week 15 game against the Seattle Seahawks on Dec. 17 marks when Dean will first be eligible to return.
