In 2025, the Philadelphia Eagles are reconfiguring their secondary, and Cooper DeJean is at the heart of the transition. With Darius Slay gone and the defense reshaped under Vic Fangio, DeJean is being asked to take on multiple roles — a shift he acknowledges comes with unique challenges.
Cooper DeJean Embraces Versatility in New Role With Eagles
DeJean played both outside and inside cornerback at Iowa, and he’s now reprising that versatility in Philadelphia. “Yeah, they’re both a little different,” DeJean said. “I did a little bit of both in college, but they’re different. And on the inside, you gotta prepare more to hit the run and be able to cover and do all those things.”
Cooper DeJean has been playing both outside corner and inside corner. He plays outside in base, inside in nickel
DeJean says it’s something he did in college and there are challenges to it: pic.twitter.com/qjgQwAx4o9
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) May 28, 2025
In base defense, DeJean lines up at outside corner, but when the Eagles go into nickel or dime, he shifts inside. “In the corner, it’s more worrying about covering the top guy, top receiver with a lot of space,” he added. This dual responsibility requires a shift in mindset and preparation, and DeJean understands the complexities it brings. “I think just doing whatever, wherever they need to be. That’s what I’ll do, try outside and inside. But it’s definitely a tough task, yeah, no doubt.”
The Eagles are betting on young talent following Slay’s departure to the Steelers. Quinyon Mitchell, entering his second year like DeJean, is now locked in as a starting cornerback. Interestingly, Mitchell — who primarily played right corner in college — has been placed on the left side during OTAs. He has said he’s trained to play both sides, but this shift marks a noteworthy adjustment.
DeJean’s hybrid role means that when he moves inside in nickel formations, Adoree’ Jackson or Kelee Ringo takes over the opposite outside cornerback position. It’s a clear sign that Philadelphia sees DeJean not just as a capable cover corner, but also as someone who can handle the run, track receivers across the field, and handle tight ends or even running backs in coverage — skills he showcased last season when he played 63 percent of defensive snaps.
Last year, DeJean emerged as a standout in the slot, drawing praise for his versatility and Pro Bowl-caliber play. But Fangio’s 2025 scheme may demand a different approach.
While staying outside in base formations could streamline DeJean’s responsibilities, it also reduces the range of impact he demonstrated in his slot role. Still, if he outperforms McWilliams, Ringo, and Eli Ricks, the coaching staff will have little choice but to rely on him in a full-time starting capacity.
The Eagles’ cornerback identity is clearly changing. And with DeJean embracing the new demands, Philadelphia is counting on him to fill some very big shoes.