-
Tim McManus, ESPN Staff Writer
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean is expected to be sidelined for multiple weeks after suffering a right foot injury in the season opener against the New England Patriots, a league source told ESPN.
Dean is a candidate for short-term injured reserve but he is not slated to have surgery and the injury is not considered season-ending, the source said.
Dean exited the game in the third quarter, with Christian Elliss serving as his replacement. He was spotted in the locker room after the game in a walking boot.
With Dean out, the Eagles are signing former Tennessee Titans first-round pick, LB Rashaan Evans, to its practice squad, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Elliss and Zach Cunningham are the only other off-ball linebackers on the active roster. Veteran Nicholas Morrow and rookie Ben VanSumeren are on the practice squad.
A third-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft, the Georgia standout elevated to the role of starting middle linebacker this season following the departure of T.J. Edwards and Kyzir White in free agency. Dean was responsible for communicating the play calls to the rest of the defense — a role safety Reed Blankenship assumed when Dean exited.
Dean had seven tackles in his first career start before the injury occurred.