Versatility Of Eagles Defensive Standout Will Be On Display This Season

Cooper DeJean wasn’t on the menu of players made available to speak with reporters following another Eagles OTA practice on Tuesday. The second-year defensive back had his turn last week.

DeJean didn’t have to talk, though. His teammates and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio talked about him plenty. Fangio’s reveal was just that – revealing.

The DC said DeJean will line up either at outside cornerback or safety in the Eagles’ base defense this year.

“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,” said Fangio.

So, there you go. The boss man is going to play DeJean all over the secondary when he can.

“Coop’s one of these guys that can play any position,” said safety Reed Blankenship. “…He does great everywhere.”

Added Kelee Ringo: “Coop is much beyond his years mentally. Very mature, dude, for sure. I’ve learned a lot from him. You see how versatile he is, playing inside, outside, safety reps as well. He’s super smart and I try to pick up things like that.”

It wouldn’t be a surprise if DeJean is a fulltime outside corner or safety, and maybe as soon as this year, perhaps late in the season, depending on the growth of any slot corners on the roster.

“I think he would play very well at safety,” said Fangio. “I think it suits his skillset, things that he does well. I just think he would do very well in there. We played 21 games last year. How many base snaps do you guys think we played? About 160 in total.”

That’s an average of just over seven plays per game in base defense, so it’s not often that DeJean would be lined up outside the slot. The short-term plan is probably to keep DeJean in the slot when the Eagles are not in base, but you never know. It's only June.

Someone to keep an eye on as a future slot is rookie fifth-round pick Mac McWilliams. McWilliams flashed during Tuesday’s OTA with an athletic pass break-up of a pass from Tanner McKee to Harrison Bryant about 20 yards downfield that required McWilliams to leap high to make the play.

“I think a lot of (where DeJean plays) will end up depending upon how the rest of the guys develop and where we most need him,” said Fangio. “So, it will be determined by what's best for him and what's best for the team, and probably 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 also.”