Eagles DB Cooper DeJean will get work at outside corner, Vic Fangio says

Along with playing safety and nickelback, versatile second-year DB Cooper DeJean will be competing at outside corner at camp, starting today.

By Geoff Mosher
PhillyVoice Staff

Eagles NFL

Bill Streicher/Imagn Images

Add outside cornerback to Eagles DB Cooper DeJean's list of positions he's getting reps at during training camp.

Another Eagles cornerback has entered the mix in the competition to replace Darius Slay and to start opposite Quinyon Mitchell.

Second-year defensive back Cooper DeJean, who has practiced at his main position of nickelback and also at safety in base defense throughout training camp, will get reps Monday at outside cornerback for the first time since camp opened, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said Monday in his pre-practice news conference.

DeJean, who played exclusively in the slot as a rookie in Fangio's heavily used nickel defense, took some outside corner reps in the spring during OTAs when the Eagles were in base defense (five-man front, no slot corner).

When asked why DeJean hadn't taken any outside reps all throughout training camp, Fangio said, "Watch today's practice. He'll be out there a little bit."

Fangio opened camp in July with Kelee Ringo and Adoree' Jackson competing for the starting job before mid-camp trade acquisition Jakorian Bennett was added to the mix about two weeks ago. All three got reps in Saturday's preseason game against the Browns, while DeJean – like most starters and key role players – watched from the sideline.

Before DeJean's name came up, Fangio was asked if he was getting closer to an answer at outside corner.

"Not yet," he said. "I think all the guys are pretty even right now. Jakorian just got here, got a full week last week, need to give him a full opportunity with the other guys."

Fangio said he's not disappointed that the starting picture isn't clear and said that Bennett, Jackson and Ringo "are pretty even right now," noting that each has had "good moments" along with "not-so-good moments."

"Usually it does become pretty obvious to everybody as to who’s gonna win the job," he said. "That hasn't happened yet. We haven’t reached that conclusion yet."

Fangio was then asked why DeJean hasn't practiced yet at outside corner, where he mostly played in college at Iowa. That's when the veteran coordinator spilled the secret that DeJean would start repping there.

But Fangio also made it clear that DeJean isn't being moved away from his primary position. When asked if he could see someone else taking over the nickel position, Fangio said, "Not at this time." So it's really just DeJean getting a look in a package that Fangio uses around 20 percent of the time – usually against the run.

Which means DeJean's outside corner reps will be limited to base defense looks, where DeJean had previously been practicing at safety in camp along with moving to the slot in nickel.

Probably not coincidentally, the recent emergences of safeties Sydney Brown and Andrew Mukuba have given Fangio some good options to start next to Reed Blankenship. Mukuba, a 2025 second-round pick, produced two takeaways against the Browns in his preseason debut, including a pick-six.

Asked what it would take for him to move DeJean to another position, Fangio said he would need someone else to develop in the slot , a position with an 80-percent snap share last year once DeJean moved into the starting role Week 6. But the only other candidates there are veteran Parry Nickerson, rookie fifth-rounder Mac McWilliams, and undrafted rookie Brandon Johnson. Of those three, only McWilliams is likely to make the 53-man roster.

Fangio also let on that his job competitions, at safety and corner especially, will carry on through the third preseason game, which is typically reserved for fringe roster players only.

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