Jan 7, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; A view of Dallas Cowboys players' helmets on the bench against the Washington Commanders during the first quarter at FedExField. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Eagles-Cowboys Free Agency Buzz Growing Louder and Louder

Originally posted on Philadelphia Eagles on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Mar 1, 2026 9:30 AM ET

The Philadelphia Eagles' defense is going to look a bit different in 2026 and one fan favorite to watch is linebacker Nakobe Dean.

The 25-year-old spent the last four seasons in Philadelphia after being selected in the third round of the 2022 National Football League Draft by the Eagles. When healthy, he has been an integral piece for the defense and has developed into one of the better blitzing linebackers in the game. Now, he's a pending free agent and buzz has already started to grow about a potential nightmare landing spot for Eagles fans: the Dallas Cowboys.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler shared in a column on Sunday that the Cowboys are a team to watch for Dean.

"The Cowboys are crafting a detailed free agency plan to bolster their defense," Fowler wrote. "The new scheme under coordinator Christian Parker needs replenishment. Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean is someone to watch as a green-dot player in the middle of the defense. The Cowboys will monitor the top of the pass-rush free agent options, too. They aren't guaranteed to spend big, but I believe they will get a pass rusher at some point.

The Eagles linebacker is heading to the open market

"They will also comb the free agent safety class (Arizona's Jalen Thompson makes sense), and they need a nickel corner. Dallas has felt the void since Jourdan Lewis left."

Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News also reported interest from Dallas in Dean citing the addition of Parker.

"As the Cowboys begin the process of providing upgrades for new defensive coordinator Christian Parker’s unit, a name has emerged for one of the inside linebacker spots: Nakobe Dean," Watkins wrote. "The inside linebacker has spent the last four seasons with the Eagles and enters unrestricted free agency as a target for the Cowboys, two people with knowledge of the discussions told The Dallas Morning News.

"Dean, a third-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft, played 10 games last season after returning from a torn patellar tendon in his left knee suffered in a playoff game the previous season. His best season was 2024, when he had a career-high 128 tackles."

Certainly not what you want to see if you're an Eagles fan at all right now.

This article first appeared on Philadelphia Eagles on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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