Eagles 2024 Training Camp Preview: Off-Ball Linebacker

The Eagles' worst position on paper needs a healthy Nakobe Dean.

Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean (17) against the Miami Dolphins at Lincoln Financial Field. / Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

PHILADELPHIA - Eagles GM Howie Roseman has broken out the hope-is-not-a-strategy mantra on more than one occasion.

A cynic might retort: ‘Unless it’s at off-ball linebacker.”

The Eagles are so forgettable at the stacked LB position that defensive coordinator Vic Fangio had to dig in his back pocket this spring for a copy of the roster when asked about the spot.

Fangio, the well-regarded Eagles defensive coordinator, might be the actual crux of the plan at a position that is by far Philadelphia’s worst on paper. The sentiment being: ‘Vic will figure it out.”

With third-year LB Nakobe Dean still in the death throes of his rehabilitation from Lisfranc surgery in the spring, free-agent acquisitions Devin White and Zack Baun got most of the early work with the first-team defense.  

Dean was cleared to get back in the mix by the second half of OTAs and minicamp and occasionally got some first-team reps but mainly manned the second team with another free-agent pickup, veteran Oren Burks. 

The third team was athletic second-year option Ben VanSumeren alongside rookie favorite Jeremiah Trotter Jr., a fifth-round pick out of Clemson. Penn State product Brandon Smith also mixed in the third-team reps. 

The hunch here is that Dean needs to prove himself and stay healthy but if he does, he will be the one wearing the green dot come Week 1 in Brazil with White sliding over to the weak side. That said the Eagles want Mike and Will to be interchangeable.

Perhaps the best thing you can say about the group is that the first rung of the depth chart isn’t all that different than the third.

The crossed fingers point to White’s athleticism finally overcoming his lack of instincts and discipline, as well as his penchant for freelancing, that doomed his stay in Tampa with Dean finally staying healthy enough to show off his football IQ that was prevalent as the Butkus Award winner at Georgia.

Eagles LB Devin White / John McMullen/Eagles SI

When Baun did play defense in New Orleans, he generally was on the edge but when Fangio got a look his thought was off-ball for untapped veteran.

Burks will likely be penciled in as the third LB on game days and a core member of Michael Clay’s coverage units on special teams while hoping younger options outplay him over the summer.

If you’re dreaming of the home run, things clicking for the athletic VanSumeren might be it. Trotter Jr., the son of the former franchise great, is more instinctive than athletic and will likely get his opportunity next summer.

Smith is a tweener with less upside than Baun.

Edge players Nolan Smith and Patrick Johnson have also played off-ball LB in a pinch.

Depth Chart: 

Mike - Nakobe Dean; Devin White; Ben VanSumeren

Will - Devin White, Zack Baun, Oren Burks, Jeremiah Trotter Jr.; Brandon Smith 

WHAT’S CHANGED: Plenty of moving parts with Zach Cunningham. Nicholas Morrow and Shaq Leonard out, as well as special-teamer Shaun Bradley, who missed all of last season with an Achilles tear.

In on prove-it deals are White, Baun, and Burks plus Trotter Jr., a Day 3 draft pick.

COACHING: Bobby King replaces D.J. Eliot, who had a tough job last season trying to integrate players like Cunningham, the quickly disposed Myles Jack and Leonard on the fly.

King is a long-time LB coach who had no prior relationship with Vic Fangio but knew Nick Sirianni from their days with the then-San Diego Chargers. 

King has helped coach the LBs in Dallas, San Diego, Houston, and Tennessee before arriving to the Eagles and has an old-school feel to him so he should couple well with Fangio.  

THE CEILING: Dean stays healthy, White finally figures it out and Baun is an Andrew Van Ginkel-like hybrid defender who can toggle between the edge and stacked LB. Ironically Baun is a former college teammate of Van Ginkel, a Fangio favorite last season in Miami, at Wisconsin.

THE LONGSHOT: VanSumeren has everything you need from an athletic and physicality standpoint but was very raw coming in. He seemed to pick things up quickly when thrown into the fire for a short period as a rookie.

WHO STAYS/GOES: Dean, White, Baun, and Burks would be the chalk with Trotter Jr. serving as the developmental option. If VanSumeren outplays any of the five over the summer the Eagles should keep him over Burks.

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