R1 Nakobe Dean exited the Philadelphia Eagles’ game vs. the Washington Commanders, and new injury updates are already surfacing.
Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean was forced to exit Saturday’s Week 16 matchup against the Washington Commanders due to a hamstring injury, raising immediate concerns for the team’s playoff push. Dean, who has been a key defensive contributor this season, was later ruled out for the remainder of the 29-18 victory.
Nakobe Dean injury: Eagles LB downgraded to OUT against Commanders | Bleeding Green Nation“Eagles LB Nakobe Dean has been downgraded to OUT for the remainder of the Commanders game with a hamstring injury,” Yahoo Sports reported on X on December 20.
The injury comes at a critical time for the Eagles, who clinched the NFC East Division title with the win, improving to 10-5 overall and riding a two-game winning streak. Dean’s absence could test Philadelphia’s depth, especially after the team overcame his major injury last postseason en route to winning Super Bowl LIX.
Dean, in his fourth NFL year, missed the first five games of the 2025 season while recovering from a torn patellar tendon suffered in the opening round of the 2024 NFC Playoffs. Since returning, he has been a standout, recording 55 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 2 forced fumbles, and 4.0 sacks across 10 games with 8 starts. He secured the starting role over rookie first-round pick Jihaad Campbell and has anchored the defense down the stretch.
Fans and analysts are expressing worry about the implications for the playoffs. “My main concerns entering the playoffs for the Eagles: Special teams, Jake Elliott, Nakobe Dean’s hamstring, Jalen Carter and Lane Johnson getting healthy,” Trending in the AM host Phil Stiefel posted on X after the game. “That’s it. Eagles are a dangerous team in January.”
Dean’s strong play has been amplified by his partnership with All-Pro linebacker Zack Baun, forming what many consider the NFL’s top inside linebacker duo this season. “Who remembers all the awful Eagles linebackers we used to have to watch year after year?” Eagles Fan Central wrote on X. “Zack Baun and Nakobe Dean are like dreams come true.”
Baun, who switched from edge rusher to inside linebacker after signing a one-year, $1.3 million deal before 2024, earned All-Pro honors and a Super Bowl ring in his debut season with Philadelphia. He parlayed that success into a three-year, $51 million extension. Dean, a 2022 third-round pick out of Georgia, broke out as a full-time starter in 2024 with 128 tackles, 3.0 sacks, and 9 tackles for loss in 15 games.
Now in the final year of his four-year, $5.2 million rookie contract, Dean is poised to enter free agency this offseason. Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox ranks him No. 12 among the top 50 free agents for 2026, noting his 2024 breakthrough where he “amassed 128 tackles and three sacks while allowing an opposing passer rating of only 80.8 in coverage.” Despite the patellar tendon injury ending his season prematurely, Dean returned strong in October 2025.
The Eagles will hope Dean’s hamstring issue is minor, avoiding a repeat of last year’s playoff scenario where they triumphed without him. Updates on his status are expected soon as Philadelphia prepares for the postseason.
