Total Pro Sports
Cooper DeJean was everything the Philadelphia Eagles could have asked for in his rookie year, but that doesn’t mean he’ll stay at his natural cornerback position in 2025.
DeJean was widely projected to be a first-round pick last year, so it was a monumental victory for Philly when he slipped to them in round two at No. 40 overall. DeJean and fellow rookie corner Quinyon Mitchell helped Philadelphia finish with the league’s No. 1 defense, en route to a blowout victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 59.
Even though DeJean was lights-out at corner for the Super Bowl champions, the Iowa product may get some snaps at a different position in year two.
Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio told reporters they may use Cooper DeJean at safety if that’s “what’s best for the team,” per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk:
“We’d like to keep him at nickel, and then in our base package we’ll find a spot for him, either at corner or safety. A lot of it will end up depending on how the other guys develop and where we most need him. It will be determined by what’s best for him and what’s best for the team — and what’s best for the team will win out in that decision. But he’s capable of playing corner and he’s capable of playing safety.”
I think he would play very well at safety. I think it suits his skill set, things that he does well. I just think he would do very well in there.”
The Eagles cut former Pro Bowl cornerbacks Darius Slay and James Bradberry (he missed all of 2024 to injury) in cap-saving moves. But GM Howie Roseman also traded safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the Houston Texans, so there is a void there that must be filled.
As great as DeJean was for the Eagles last season, remember that he was only used as a rotational piece. He started just nine games and played just 63 percent of Philadelphia’s defensive snaps on defense, per Pro Football Reference.
With Slay, Bradberry and Gardner-Johnson gone, the Eagles are sure to play DeJean a lot more in 2025. Fangio pushed all the right buttons last season, but DeJean is more than ready to be a full-time starter on defense.
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