Eagles Could Sign Ex-Steelers Starter After Nakobe Dean’s Injury: Analyst

Getty The Eagles could consider signing ex-Steelers linebacker Myles Jack.

The Philadelphia Eagles could consider signing a veteran linebacker following Nakobe Dean’s injury, suggests one analyst.

As proposed by Harrison Reno of Sports Illustrated, the Eagles could be an ideal landing spot for former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Myles Jack. Reno points out that while Dean is “fine” following his injury scare, Philadelphia could consider signing a veteran off of the free agency market due to how thin their depth chart is.

Reno mentions Jack — who started 13 games for the Steelers last season — as a possible option.

“One of the players available has already been linked with a move to Philadelphia this offseason, as 2016 second-round pick and former Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Myles Jack remains unsigned after spending last season with the Pittsburgh Steelers,” writes Reno.

Why Myles Jack Remains a Free Agent in August

The 27-year-old Jack initially entered the NFL as a second-round draft pick during the 2016 NFL Draft as a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jack spent the first six seasons of his career there, starting 82 of his 88 appearances while notching over 100 tackles in a single season on three different occasions.

Jack actually led the Steelers in tackles (104) last season. However, the advanced analytics paint a negative picture of Jack as a defensive starter. According to Pro Football Focus, the seven-year veteran posted a 53.6 overall grade, 52.1 grade in run defense and 55.8 grade in coverage last season.

The Eagles already feature a lowly-rated free agent signing at linebacker in Nicholas Morrow. Morrow — who led the Chicago Bears in tackles last season — posted low grades, but still graded higher overall than Jack with a 54.0 overall grade and 61.3 grade in coverage last year.

Jack’s grades aren’t an aberration either, considering he posted a 37.7 defensive grade. 40.5 grade in run defense and 43.3 grade in coverage during his final season with the Jaguars. Those were some of the lowest grades of any defensive player during the 2021 season.

Why Eagles Could Consider Signing Myles Jack

This isn’t the first time Jack has been suggested as a possible option for the Eagles. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell predicted the move back in May.

“Jack seems like an obvious fit,” wrote Barnwell. “The 27-year-old was originally drafted by the Jaguars in 2016, and their general manager at the time was David Caldwell, who now works for the Eagles. Jack’s calling card has typically been his range in coverage, but his numbers haven’t been impressive over the past couple of years. He allowed passer rating marks north of 100 in his final season with the Jaguars and his lone year with the Steelers.”

While Dean will be fine following his injury — an ankle injury sidelined him for Friday’s practice — it was a stark reminder how thin the Eagles’ depth chart really is. As SI’s John McMullen points out, Philadelphia’s starting linebackers were Christian Ellis and Morrow in the absence of Dean. Ellis has played just 29 defensive snaps during his two seasons in the league.

“Without the 2021 Butkus Award winner, Philadelphia’s starting linebackers were Christian Ellis and Nick Morrow with Shaun Bradley, Davion Taylor, and rookie undrafted free agent Ben VanSumeren mixing in from there,” Eagles Today reported.

It’s also worth mentioning that while Dean is a former first-round pick and projects as one of the Eagles’ starting linebackers, he appeared in just 34 defensive snaps as a rookie.

Philadelphia is expecting to win a Super Bowl after coming up just a few points short in last season’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. However, they may need to shore up their linebacker core if they hope to accomplish that goal.