Caleb Harris
Cooper DeJean will play in the secondary for the Philadelphia Eagles this summer. Where the team would play DeJean first was a mystery.
Until the rookie defender revealed everything, more or less. DeJean Revealed on Up and Adams Show where he started in the Eagles’ rookie minicamp, but will he remain in that position?
“I actually talked about all three positions with them, as I primarily worked at the nickel and corner positions in rookie minicamp,” DeJean told the Up and Adams Show on Thursday. “But there were conversations about security during the pre-draft (process) and also about the return.
“Wherever they put me, I’ll be excited. I’m excited about the opportunity to start at the corner position…that’s where I’m starting, at the nickel and corner position, yeah”
DeJean is starting at the position, which appears to be where the Eagles want him — for now.
“There are a lot of players that are physically capable of being versatile,” Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said Thursday. “Many of them fail to be versatile because they struggle to learn the tasks, techniques and execution in a few different positions.
“There are a lot of guys who are physically versatile but can’t do it mentally. And I don’t mean that – they won’t make it – your reps are diluted the more you move – – and for other guys it’s easier for them than for others.”
Would DeJean start in the slot?
Mandatory minicamp will provide a broader look, but the Eagles are still figuring out their secondary alignment. Since DeJean is starting at the spot, he will be competing with Avonte Maddox for the lion’s share of first-team snaps there. Zech McPhearson appeared to be in line for significant reps at the slot last season before his season-ending injury in August and the Eagles made a flyer on Tyler Hall as a free agent.
There’s also the possibility that Isaiah Rodgers could move inside as well, although he primarily played cornerback in Indianapolis. The Eagles have all summer to figure this out, but they want DeJean on the field.
What about security?
DeJean would be a natural choice at safety given his style of play and his ability to track the football. The Eagles will start CJ Gardner-Johnson at one of the safety positions, while Reed Blankenship is the favorite for the other position. Then there’s Sydney Brown, who appears to be recovering from her ACL injury faster than anticipated. Whether Brown will be back in Week 1 remains to be seen.
DeJean will likely take a look at security at some point this summer. The Eagles owe it to themselves to place DeJean in multiple spots on defense.
“I’m a football player,” DeJean said the day he was drafted by the Eagles in a Zoom interview. “You put me on the field and I will play football, whether indoors, outdoors, safely, wherever.”
