Cowboys Considered Trading For Steelers LB Patrick Queen
After a dismal defensive showing in 2025, the Cowboys entered the offseason looking to upgrade their roster on that side of the ball.
Among their top priorities was the linebacker position. Kenneth Murray and Shemar James both finished the season with sub-40.0 grades from Pro Football Focus (subscription required), putting them right alongside the Bengals for the worst starting duo in the league. Rotational contributors like Jack Sanborn, Logan Wilson, and Marist Liufau could not step up and fill the games, though DeMarvion Overshown played well upon his return from injury in November.
Dallas let Murray, Sanborn, and Wilson hit free agency, with Wilson electing to retire. Overshown will start in 2026, the final year of his rookie deal, but the Cowboys need to find a running mate and potential successor. The team considered three options (via Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News): Nakobe Dean, Quay Walker, and Patrick Queen.
Dean and Walker, who started together at Georgia, reunited in Las Vegas. The Cowboys could have afforded to match or even beat the Raiders’ offers, but the former Bulldogs have said that the opportunity to once again play next to each other was a key motivator in their decision. The same opportunity was not available in Dallas with Overshown locked in as a starter.
That left Queen, the Ravens’ first-round pick in 2020 who signed with their AFC North rivals in free agency in 2024. His grades from PFF have slipped in Pittsburgh relative to his last two years in Baltimore, with a significant step back from 2024 to 2025. Queen’s 20.4 % missed tackle rate was the highest of his career, as were his 829 yards and 11.2 yards per reception allowed when targeted in coverage.
Queen was owed $13.33MM in 2026, per OverTheCap, with $2.5MM getting paid out as a roster bonus on March 15. With his declining performance, 2026 compensation, and a new coaching staff, Pittsburgh could have considered moving the 6-foot-1 linebacker, but the Cowboys decided not to pursue a deal. It is unknown if the Steelers even would have been open to such a deal.
Dallas has yet to add a linebacker this offseason, with James, Liufau, and Justin Barron as the returning candidates to start next to Overshown. There are still a few proven veterans available – Bobby Okereke and Germaine Pratt chief among them – as well as a strong crop of linebacker prospects in April’s draft. The Cowboys should be able to find a starter on Day 1 or 2 with the option of making a post-draft veteran addition or two to round out the room.
AFC Contract Details: Mafe, Titans, Raiders, Dean, Bills, Texans, Jets, Pats, Steelers, Jags, Ravens
With the first wave of free agency in the rearview mirror, it is time to take stock of the full numbers given to some of this year’s top targets. Here are the details on some of the top contracts awarded by AFC teams:
- Boye Mafe, DE (Bengals). Three years, $60MM. The Bengals gave Mafe $19MM guaranteed at signing, according to OverTheCap. The ex-Seahawk is projected to land $43.3MM over the deal’s first two seasons, ESPN.com’s Ben Baby tweets. A $2MM roster bonus is due on Day 5 of the 2027 league year.
- Alontae Taylor, CB (Titans). Three years, $58MM. Taylor received $42MM guaranteed at signing, according to OverTheCap. The ex-Saints CB will receive $22MM in 2026, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets.
- Wan’Dale Robinson, WR (Titans). Four years, $70MM. Robinson secured $36.98MM guaranteed at signing, Breer tweets. Neither of Robinson’s 2028 or ’29 base salaries contain guarantees or guarantee mechanisms. Each year carries $2MM in incentives, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets.
- Kwity Paye, OLB (Raiders). Three years, $48MM. Paye secured $31.28MM guaranteed, per Wilson; of that total, $25.34MM is locked in at signing (according to OverTheCap). Paye landed $10MM of his $15.5MM 2027 salary guaranteed at signing; the remainder of his ’27 salary vests on Day 4 of 2027 league year.
- Bradley Chubb, OLB (Bills). Three years, $43.5MM. Of Chubb’s previously reported $29MM guarantee, Wilson notes $21.74MM is guaranteed at signing. Chubb will see a $4MM roster bonus on Day 5 of the 2028 league year, per OverTheCap.
- Alijah Vera-Tucker, G (Patriots). Three years, $42MM. Vera-Tucker’s $21MM signing bonus represents his guarantees at signing, Wilson tweets, though the team has included a notable wrinkle. Vera-Tucker will earn $250K for each game he is active, with NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero noting this is among the highest per-game roster bonus figures in NFL history.
- Ed Ingram, G (Texans). Three years, $37.5MM. Receiving $20MM guaranteed at signing, the former second-round pick secured $5MM of his $8.5MM 2027 salary guaranteed at signing. The rest shifts from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee on Day 5 of the ’27 league year, per Spotrac.
- Jamel Dean, CB (Steelers). Three years, $36.75MM. Keeping with Steelers non-QB/T.J. Watt norms, Dean’s guarantee is his signing bonus ($12MM). Dean would receive a $4MM roster bonus on Day 3 of the 2027 league year, Wilson notes.
- Nakobe Dean, LB (Raiders). Three years, $36MM. Nakobe Dean scored $20MM guaranteed at signing, according to Wilson. The former Eagles linebacker, who missed 12 games due to injury in 2023 and six in ’25, will see $8.5MM of his $11.5MM 2027 salary guaranteed. The remainder becomes guarantee on Day 3 of the ’27 league year (via Spotrac).
- Joseph Ossai, OLB (Jets). Three years, $34.5MM. Ossai will receive $22.49MM guaranteed at signing, Wilson tweets. Ossai’s 2026 and ’27 base salaries are fully guaranteed.
- Montaric Brown, CB (Jaguars). Three years, $31.8MM. Brown landed $20.65MM fully guaranteed, Wilson tweets. The former seventh-round pick secured $8.15MM of his $9.5MM 2027 salary guaranteed at signing.
- John Simpson, G (Ravens). Three years, $30MM. Simpson secured $17.5MM fully guaranteed, Wilson notes. This includes $5.5MM of an $8MM 2027 salary.
Raiders, LB Nakobe Dean Agree To Deal
The Raiders‘ spending spree continues with a linebacker addition. With Las Vegas needing to retool at this position, Nakobe Dean will be asked to be a core performer.
Dean is joining the Raiders on a three-year deal worth $36MM, veteran insider Jordan Schultz tweets. Despite injuries hampering him regularly in Philly, the former third-round pick will score a $12MM AAV. Though, guarantees will be particularly notable on this pact.
Vegas is loading up at linebacker, with Dean being the B-side addition. The team just agreed to terms with Quay Walker as well. This has been a busy day for the AFC West team, which headlined its work with a record-obliterating Tyler Linderbaum contract.
Entering today with more than $120MM in cap space, the Raiders have joined the Titans on a spending spree. The team had no notable holdovers at linebacker, and the Walker-Dean tandem looks set to be the next options under Klint Kubiak. The Cowboys were believed to be eyeing Dean to follow new DC Christian Parker from Philly, but the Raiders had the cap space to outmuscle anyone today. They’re throwing weight around.
Dallas did make a strong push for Dean, according to NFL.com’s Jane Slater. Dean was believed to be on the fence here, with Slater indicating the Cowboys made a good offer. Neither Texas nor Nevada carry a state income tax, but Dean decided to go with the rebuilding Raiders rather than working under Parker — Philly’s DBs coach last season — in Dallas.
Dean essentially redshirted his rookie year, seeing Kyzir White and T.J. Edwards start for the Eagles’ Super Bowl LVII team. Philly gave Dean a starting job in 2023, but foot trouble limited him to five games. A resurgence in 2024 helped the Eagles to the NFC East title and the conference’s No. 2 seed, but a patellar tendon tear in the wild-card round brought another setback. Dean did not debut until Week 6 of this past season, making it a bit surprising the Raiders are signing off on a $12MM-per-year deal.
The Raiders, who lost Robert Spillane in free agency last year, have Devin White, Elandon Roberts and Jamal Adams unsigned. Despite promoting from within at DC (Rob Leonard), Las Vegas is importing some bigger names at LB this offseason.
FA Notes: Pierce, Pats, Walker, Seahawks, Etienne, Jags, Broncos, Chiefs, Robinson, Giants, Titans, Cowboys
Prepared to make Stefon Diggs a one-and-done, the Patriots continue to be linked to A.J. Brown. The Eagles standout could be the team’s No. 1 option at receiver, but if the defending AFC champions are unable to strike a deal, MassLive.com’s Karen Guregian indicates a pivot to Alec Pierce could be in the cards.
Ranked as PFR’s No. 2 overall free agent, Pierce’s market will be competitive. Guregian points to a $25-$30MM-per-year number being required to close that deal. Pierce is the league’s two-time reigning yards-per-catch leader, topping 1,000 yards last season despite the Colts losing Daniel Jones in Week 13. We heard earlier this week Pierce would land at least $20MM per year. The Colts prioritized Jones via the transition tag, putting them at risk of losing Pierce on Monday.
Had the Colts made an effort to lock down Pierce before last season, Essentiallysports.com’s Tony Pauline notes the view at the Combine was he would have cost maybe half the AAV he is expected to command next week. Not much extension buzz existed last summer; that could be costly for the Colts soon. Pierce is preparing to hit free agency; he can officially begin talking to interested teams at 11am CT Monday.
Here is the latest coming out of the free agent market:
- Kenneth Walker making it past the tag deadline unattached makes him the top RB option this year. The Super Bowl LX MVP should be able to land a deal in the $12-$16MM-AAV neighborhood, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes. That would vault him into top-five territory at the position. The Giants have been tied to a Walker pursuit, with the Seahawks potentially ready to stand down after showing interest in retaining their four-year starter.
- If Walker scores a deal in that range, Breer estimates Travis Etienne winding up in the $10MM-per-year realm. The Jaguars are likely to let Etienne walk, with CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones adding the team is prepared to move forward with 2025 fourth-rounder Bhayshul Tuten.
- The Broncos, who were set to pursue Breece Hall before his franchise tag, are a logical suitor for the longtime Jags starter, according to Jones. Walker could be on Denver’s radar as well, Jones adds, noting the Chiefs — who are believed to be interested in RB help (with Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt unsigned) — are likely to be priced out of the Walker market. Kansas City does not believe Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love will be available at No. 9, per Jones, potentially pointing to an RB signing next week. Denver is looking for an RB to replace J.K. Dobbins alongside RJ Harvey, and it looks like the team is prepared to devote more resources to this position this offseason — with Russell Wilson finally off the books.
- Wan’Dale Robinson–Titans connections continue, but SNY’s Connor Hughes notes the Giants are still in on their homegrown slot receiver. That said, Tennessee is viewed as a very interested party for Robinson, whom Hughes pegs as more likely to leave New York than stay. A Nashville trek would reunite the 5-foot-8 WR with new Titans OC Brian Daboll. The Titans have been tied to a receiver pursuit for some time, as they are flush with cap space and expected to release Calvin Ridley. The Robinson market is expected to come in around $15MM per year, ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan adds. With the Giants giving Darius Slayton a $12MM-AAV deal in 2025, how much will they be willing to spend here? Raanan views Robinson’s price tag as being a bit too steep for Big Blue.
- Two of Christian Parker‘s former charges may be on the Cowboys‘ radar. We heard Nakobe Dean‘s name connected to Dallas, which needs linebacker help, and the Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins notes the team is in on the Eagles LB starter. The Cowboys are also interested in P.J. Locke, who has been an off-and-on starter at safety in Denver. Locke played under Parker previously, beginning as a starter under the new Dallas DC (after replacing Kareem Jackson in 2023).
Cowboys Notes: Pickens, Williams, Clark, Clowney, Dean, Liufau
Although the Cowboys placed the nonexclusive franchise tag on George Pickens, they should not exactly be worried about someone poaching him. An offer sheet is seen as highly unlikely, per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones. An unmatched franchise tag offer sheet would result in two first-rounders coming back to Dallas. Pickens’ standout 2025 season notwithstanding, he would not fetch that in a trade. While a tag-and-trade scenario has been mentioned here — as the Cowboys have CeeDee Lamb on a $34MM-per-year extension — the team looks set to retain its high-profile WR2 for 2026.
“We couldn’t take the chance on losing him,” executive VP Stephen Jones said, via AllDLLS.com’s Clarence Hill. “George was fired up, excited. He said I don’t want to play anywhere but with the Cowboys. That’s what we suspected. It was all good.”
Jerry Jones spoke with Pickens by phone from the Combine following the tag, per Hill. Pickens, 25, cannot be fined for skipping minicamp or training camp workouts until he signs his $28.3MM franchise tender. The Cowboys are a staggering $56MM-plus over the cap after tagging Pickens, but they will be able to restructure contracts — including Lamb, Dak Prescott, DaRon Bland and Osa Odighizuwa — to create considerable room ahead of free agency.
Here is the latest from around Dallas:
- Another way to create some cap space would be extending Kenny Clark or Quinnen Williams. The Clark-Odighizuwa-Williams trio is set to count a whopping $63.9MM against the Cowboys’ 2026 cap, and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Nick Harris notes the team is in discussions to improve that situation this week. Clark is due an $11MM roster bonus March 13, but Harris adds he is unlikely to be traded, pointing to an extension being in play. Clark is in the final year of a three-year, $66MM Packers-designed deal — one shipped to Dallas in the Micah Parsons trade — and going into an age-31 season. The Cowboys are not expected to deal a player from their three-DT logjam, with new DC Christian Parker exploring ways to maximize it. If one of the DTs is to be moved, though, Harris points to Clark being the top departure candidate.
- In December, a second Jadeveon Clowney Cowboys contract was in play. With Parker now running the defense, Clowney’s Dallas future appears foggier. Stephen Jones confirmed (via The Athletic’s Jon Machota) no talks with the free agent-to-be have taken place. “We’re gonna work through with [Parker]. A lot of it will happen this coming week, in terms of the type of player (we’re looking for),” Jones said. “We’re gonna continue to have those talks, and then we’ll make final decisions on who we think will be productive in this particular system.” Clowney, 33 in April, has played for seven teams in 12 NFL seasons. The former No. 1 overall pick tallied 8.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss — his most TFLs since his 2018 Houston finale — as a bright spot on a bad Dallas defense.
- With Parker coming over from Philadelphia, some Eagles could be in play to follow him. The Cowboys should be expected to pursue Nakobe Dean, Hill adds. Parker and Dean overlapped for two seasons, and the latter is one of the top ILBs available. Dean’s injury history will make it unlikely he competes with Devin Lloyd or Quay Walker prices on this year’s market, but the former third-round pick should fare decently in free agency. Although Dean wants to stay in Philly, the Eagles paid Zack Baun and using a first-round pick on Jihaad Campbell last year. That makes Dean likely to relocate soon. The Cowboys have a clear need at linebacker, having cut trade pickup Logan Wilson this week. DeMarvion Overshown is also in a contract year.
- As Parker prepares to install a 3-4 defense, Marist Liufau will change positions. The off-ball linebacker is moving to a 3-4 OLB role, Machota adds. A 2024 third-round pick, Liufau has made 14 starts in two seasons.
Jaelan Phillips, Nakobe Dean Want To Stay With Eagles
The Eagles’ 2025 season is over, but two of their pending free agents have no desire to leave Philadelphia.
Outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips said (via PHLY Sports’ EJ Smith) that he would prefer to re-sign with the Eagles, though he indicated he would test out free agency. The 26-year-old arrived in Philadelphia at the trade deadline but contributed only two sacks and four tackles for loss in his eight regular-season appearances despite a 78% snap share.
Phillips’ desire to play for a competitive team will likely keep the Eagles high on his list of potential destinations, but the team may not be able to offer him a market-level contract. Phillips’ age and first-round pedigree should attract him plenty of interest in free agency, but his injury history may be cause for concern.
General manager Howie Roseman is known for his aggressive spending, but he has been willing to let talented (but perhaps not elite) players walk in free agency. Last offseason, for example, Josh Sweat and Milton Williams both found new teams as Roseman was not willing to pony up for a pricey contract for either pass rusher. The Eagles need depth at edge rusher with only Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt under contract in 2026, but they have other positions to address, too.
For the same reason, linebacker Nakobe Dean may not get his wish to stay in Philly, either. He met with Roseman after the season ended, per 94WIP’s Eliot Shorr-Parks, but did not get an indication about the team’s plans. And unlike the Eagles’ edge rusher room, their linebacking corps has plenty of talent. The team signed Zack Baun to a three-year, $51MM contract last offseason and spent a first-round pick on Jihaad Campbell. They also have Jeremiah Trotter and Chance Campbell, both solid special teams contributors who could get more defensive opportunities in 2026.
Offensive tackle Fred Johnson is taking a slightly different approach. He said (via The Athletic’s Zach Berman) that “opportunity” will be the biggest factor in his decision. Johnson started 14 games across the last two seasons with time at both tackle spots, but if Lane Johnson returns for the 2026 season, he will not get a starting job in Philadelphia.
“Obviously, this my home team,” Johnson said. “This is where I want to end my career, but you never know how things play out. And I feel like I played myself into a role that is more than just a backup, more than just a guy. I feel like I’m a starter in this league, and I feel like I showed that. I don’t know what the future holds, but the first rights to anything is Philly.”
Johnson said last May that he intends to play out the rest of his current contract, which goes through 2027, but his injuries this season could change his mind. In that case, Johnson would be a strong candidate to re-sign in Philadelphia and take on the starting right tackle job moving forward.
Eagles’ Lane Johnson Returns To Practice; Azeez Ojulari’s Practice Window Opens
JANUARY 11: Johnson is officially inactive for today’s game. Mike Garafolo of NFL Network notes practice included encouraging moments during the past few days, but Johnson’s return to the lineup will not be possible until at least next week.
JANUARY 7: The Eagles are expecting to get some reinforcements on both sides of the ball in the playoffs.
The most impactful player who could return is right tackle Lane Johnson, who has not played since mid-November due to a foot injury. Swing tackle Fred Johnson has held up, but not excelled in his All-Pro teammate’s place.
Johnson practiced on Wednesday, per Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. He would be a major boost to an Eagles offense that has sputtered in the second half of the season. After their Week 10 bye, Philly scored more than 2o points in just three of their last nine games. Those performances all came against a handful of the worst defenses in the league. Johnson would no doubt fortify the offensive line
On defense, the Eagles are expecting to have Nakobe Dean back in the wild card round; defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said as much on Tuesday (via The Athletic’s Zach Berman). Dean has been out since Week 15 due to a hamstring injury. He also missed the first five games as he completed his recovery from a January 2025 torn patellar tendon. In between, he posted a career-high four sacks in just 10 games, an impressive number for an off-ball linebacker. First-round pick Jihaad Campbell has started next to Zack Baun for the past few games and will likely slide back to the bench upon Dean’s return.
Philadelphia’s defense may also get outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari back on the field soon. He has been on injured reserve since the beginning of November and was designated to return on Wednesday, according to McLane. The fifth-year defender signed with the Eagles this offseason but was too far down the depth chart to play at the start of the year. After four healthy scratches, he finally got some game day action with both Nolan Smith and Ogbo Okoronkwo landing on IR. Ojulari, however, only saw 32 snaps across three games before injuring his hamstring.
Latest On Eagles’ New-Look Defense
Now coming off their bye week, the reigning Super Bowl champion Eagles will have a different look on defense heading into a Monday night showdown with the Packers. Philadelphia made one of the most noteworthy moves at this year’s trade deadline, acquiring pass rusher Jaelan Phillips from Miami for a third-round pick on Monday.
With Phillips on the verge of his Eagles debut, his presence could impact linebackers Nakobe Dean and Jihaad Campbell. After suffering a torn patellar tendon in the playoffs last January, Dean opened the 2025 campaign on the physically unable to perform list. He didn’t begin seeing significant snaps until Week 7, leaving Campbell as one of the Eagles’ top two linebackers alongside Zack Baun.
Although Campbell, a first-round pick from Alabama, held his own during Dean’s absence, the latter amassed a higher number of defensive snaps in a 38-20 win over the Giants in Week 8. Despite that, Zach Berman of The Athletic expects Campbell to log the majority of playing time down the stretch.
While Campbell can also line up on the edge, there’s now less need for the rookie in that role. The Eagles are suddenly much deeper in that area with Phillips on board, Nolan Smith returning from IR, and Brandon Graham coming out of retirement. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is set to deploy “a more defined split between nickel and base,” writes Berman, which points to fewer snaps for Dean. Considering Dean’s a pending free agent, that would be a disappointing development for the 24-year-old.
The 6-2 Eagles will also enter the second half of their season with a remodeled secondary after free-wheeling general manager Howie Roseman swung a pair of cornerback trades during their bye. Roseman reeled in Michael Carter II from the Jets for a 2027 seventh-round pick and wide receiver John Metchie on Oct. 29. A few days later, he landed Jaire Alexander from the Ravens in a late-round pick swap on Nov. 1.
Carter is an established slot corner, yet the Eagles already have second-year standout Cooper DeJean in the fold. The addition of Carter could point to the Eagles moving the versatile DeJean outside on a full-time basis, but that’s unlikely to happen, according to James Palmer of The Athletic. The Eagles can continue shifting DeJean between the slot and the boundary, though, as no one has stepped up on the outside as a capable complement to No. 1 corner Quinyon Mitchell. Adoree’ Jackson and Kelee Ringo have struggled, while Jakorian Bennett went on IR on Sept. 24 with a pectoral injury.
The Eagles opened Bennett’s practice window on Oct. 22, and he has been a full participant this week. It seems he’ll be back sooner than later. At the very least, he and Alexander will give the Eagles more depth on the outside down the stretch.
Alexander was a two-time Pro Bowler during a fruitful run with Green Bay from 2018-24. However, after he underwent offseason knee surgery, the 28-year-old was unable to regain his old form in his short Baltimore stint. A healthy scratch for most of his time with the Ravens, Alexander has played just 61 defensive snaps this year.
The oft-injured Alexander, who hasn’t played more than seven games in a season since 2022, said this week (via Berman) that he’s healthy, adding that he believes he’s still in his prime. It remains to be seen how often the Eagles will use Alexander, but Roseman took a low-cost flier with the hope that he has something left in the tank.
Eagles Activate LB Nakobe Dean From PUP
The Eagles officially activated Nakobe Dean from the physically unable to perform list, per a team announcement, setting up the fourth-year linebacker to make his 2025 debut on Thursday night against the Giants.
Dean’s activation completes an impressive recovery from a torn patellar tendon suffered in January. He started the season on the PUP list but worked hard to return to practice as soon as he was eligible in Week 5. Dean quickly progressed to full participation and was expected to be ready for the Eagles’ Week 6 appearance on Thursday Night Football despite the short week.
Indeed, the Eagles are confident enough in Dean’s recovery and practice performance that he will play in New York, though the team’s depth at linebacker will not force him into a heavy workload right away. In fact, Zack Baun and Jihaad Campbell have played almost every defensive snap for Philadelphia this year, so there may not be much playing time available for a third off-ball linebacker given how often the Eagles use five or more defensive backs. Dean’s return could allow defensive coordinator Vic Fangio to use Campbell as a pass rusher more often.
The Eagles also elevated defensive tackle Gabe Hall from the practice squad for Thursday night’s contest, which is notable because Jalen Carter was a late addition to the injury report with a heel injury, per Dan Duggan of The Athletic. Hall’s elevation indicates that Philadelphia is unsure of Carter will be available for the game.
Nakobe Dean Expected To Make Season Debut On Thursday
Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean is on the verge of making his 2025 debut. He’s expected to play on Thursday against the NFC East rival Giants, according to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports. The Eagles placed Dean on the reserve/PUP list in August, and he sat out their first five games while recovering from a knee injury. He returned to practice last week.
A third-round pick in 2022, Dean finally broke through last season before suffering a torn patellar tendon during a wild-card round win over the Packers. The former Georgia standout set new career highs with 15 starts, 128 tackles, three sacks, and an interception, helping the Eagles to a 14-3 record and a division championship. However, Dean’s knee injury shelved him for the Eagles’ final three playoff games, including a 40-22 rout of the Chiefs in the Super Bowl.
The Eagles have made a couple of notable transactions at linebacker since last season ended, calling Dean’s future with the organization into question. The team locked up 2024 breakout star Zack Baun to a three-year, $51MM contract in March and then selected Jihaad Campbell in the first round (31st overall) of the draft. Baun has opened this season playing 100 percent of defensive snaps during the Eagles’ 4-1 start, while Campbell isn’t far behind (95.5).
While Baun committed a costly unnecessary roughness penalty in the fourth quarter of a loss to the Broncos last Sunday, he has enjoyed another terrific year. Meanwhile, Campbell has made a seamless transition from Alabama to Philadelphia. As a result, Dean may not see as much playing time in coordinator Vic Fangio’s defense as he did a year ago, when he ranked fourth among Eagles defenders in snaps.
A drop in snaps wouldn’t be ideal for Dean, who’s due to reach free agency in the offseason, but he’ll nonetheless give Philadelphia another quality defender upon his return. Having faced quarterbacks Dak Prescott, Patrick Mahomes, Matthew Stafford, Baker Mayfield, and Bo Nix over the first five weeks of the season, the Eagles’ defense ranks a middling 16th in points per game allowed and 20th in yards. The Eagles could have an easier time this week against Giants rookie Jaxson Dart, and Dean’s presence should help their cause.