PHILADELPHIA -- There was little doubt Sunday was Nakobe Dean's best practice in a Philadelphia Eagles uniform. This was coming off a string of really good practices after Dean used the summer to catch up following a foot injury that took away the end of last season and OTAs.
Dean was handed a starting linebacker job last year. He's earning it this time around.
"I didn't have a day off, I didn't have an offseason," Dean said. "It was five days a week until training camp started as far as getting that foot right, getting better. It's like I'm not back, I'm better."
This is the healthiest Dean has been all summer, and he's showing it during the training camp practices. One stuck on the second team, Dean has suddenly earned his way toward first team reps. He's playing with Devin White on the first team as defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has been encouraged by his progress.
Dean's play on the field has inserted him back into contention for a starting job. On the first play of 11-on-11s in Saturday's practice, Dean laid out running back Will Shipley as soon as Shipley caught the pass. That downhill play continued on Sunday, as Dean broke up a pass intended for DeVonta Smith in the flat, giving Smith a hard hit as the play ended.
The physical play the Eagles want from their defense is coming from Dean. He won't shy away from contact.
"I want to play. And I want to be the first one that plays," Dean said. "But I can't control that. The only thing I can control is what I come out here and do every day, work hard and continue to get better.
"I feel like I've had the kind of camp that I'm supposed to have."
Dean has finally been able to embrace his physical play, thanks to advice from new linebackers coach Bobby King. This year, Dean finally can play in the way he knows how to thrive.
"He made it a main emphasis of block destruction, of blitzing because Vic's [Fangio] been calling our number, and tackling is a universal thing," Dean said. "We don't want no missed tackles, definitely not at the linebacker position, so it's been kind of universal topic we've been on in camp."
The change in defensive philosophy has benefitted Dean, as he inches towards earning that starting linebacker spot in Week 1. A little hitting has gone a long way toward Dean showing the Eagles why they took a chance on him in the first place.
"We don't tackle as much in camp, so you try to thud as much as you can," Dean said. "In past years, I feel like I two-handed touch always. I want to thud.
"Offensive guys have embraced it. They embraced the toughness. They want a feel. The offensive starters, they haven't played in the preseason (games). So the first time they get hit, they don't want it to be Week 1."
For the first time in his three-year career, the momentum is shifting in Dean's favor. The defense is setting Dean up to shine.
"The type of linebacker I am, I feel like you need to be able to do everything," Dean said. "You need to be able to cover, you need to be able to fill that A-gap, you need to be able to blitz the quarterback. And I feel like those are things I do good."
