Eagles host standout LSU linebacker for first reported Combine Meeting

Eagles draft season is officially underway, and the first reported Combine meeting already has some pretty interesting implications for the future of the roster.

According to NFL analyst Ryan Fowler, the Eagles are scheduled to hold a formal Combine meeting with LSU linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. this week. On the surface, that’s not all that noteworthy. Teams meet with dozens of prospects every year in Indianapolis. Some of those meetings leak out, most don’t, and it’s usually not worth overreacting to any one name popping up this early in the process.

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But context matters.

And in this case, the context could be telling us something about where things stand with Nakobe Dean.

JUST IN: The Eagles have a formal meeting scheduled with LSU LB Harold Perkins Jr. 👀 pic.twitter.com/EdK9EuRceJ

— The Eagle Times (@_TheEagleTimes) February 23, 2026

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What this means for the Eagles’ linebacker room

The Eagles aren’t exactly desperate for linebacker help heading into the offseason.

Zack Baun and Jihaad Campbell are already in place, giving Philadelphia a pretty solid foundation at the position. Meanwhile, Dean is set to hit free agency, and while he’s made it known he’d be open to returning, there’s been growing speculation that the team could look to go in a different direction.

So when the first reported Combine meeting tied to the Eagles just so happens to be with a linebacker, it’s hard not to connect the dots.

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Is it definitive proof that Dean is on his way out? No.

Is it the kind of early draft-season breadcrumb that front offices tend to leave when they’re preparing for a potential departure? Possibly.

Harold Perkins Jr. fits the mold as a developmental option

From a player perspective, Perkins is intriguing.

He played in 12 games for LSU in 2025 and posted:

• 56 total tackles
• 4 sacks
• 3 interceptions
• 3 passes defended
• 1 fumble recovery

NFL.com currently grades him at 6.18, which translates to a good backup with the potential to develop into a starter at the next level.

In other words, he’s not being viewed as an instant plug-and-play guy, but if the Eagles were to lose Dean in free agency, someone like Perkins could compete for snaps and grow into a larger role over time.

That kind of high-upside depth option would make sense for a team looking to maintain flexibility at the position without committing major resources to a veteran replacement.

Read into it… but not too much

It’s still February.

The Eagles will meet with a ton of prospects over the next few days, and this likely won’t be the last reported linebacker they sit down with before April. Combine meetings are part of the information-gathering process, and not every formal interview translates to draft-day interest.

Still, these early interactions can offer clues about how a team is approaching its roster construction behind the scenes.

And if the Eagles are already kicking the tires on potential linebacker depth before free agency even begins, it’s fair to wonder what that might mean for Dean’s future in Philadelphia.