Vic Fangio breaks down Philadelphia Eagles' 2025 plan for Cooper DeJean

Philadelphia Eagles defensive back Cooper DeJean made a strong impression in his rookie year, holding it down at nickel and racking up 51 tackles, three interceptions, and a forced fumble. His performance was impressive enough to earn him a spot as a finalist for Defensive Rookie of the Year.

But now the Eagles are preparing to take full advantage of DeJean's known versatility heading into the 2025 NFL season with both Darius Slay and C.J. Gardner-Johnson out of the picture. 

According to defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, the Eagles will cross-train DeJean at outside cornerback and safety this summer.

“We’d like to keep [DeJean] at nickel, and then in our base package, we’ll find a spot for him — either at corner or safety," Fangio said. 

While DeJean's role is expected to expand, Fangio did mention that the Eagles' plan for him will ultimately come down to how the other guys perform throughout camp. That means DeJean will be up against Adoree' Jackson and Kelee Ringo for the outside corner job, while at safety, he’ll be in the mix with rookie Andrew Mukuba, Sydney Brown, and Tristin McCollum for the spot opposite Reed Blankenship.

"A lot of it will end up depending on how the rest of the guys develop and where do we most need him," Fangio said. "It will be determined by what's best for him and what's best for the team. 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."

This isn't too foreign for DeJean, who played all over the field in college, but there’s still a learning curve ahead, one he seems more than ready to tackle.

“I’ll play wherever, to be honest,” DeJean said. “Wherever they put me on the football field, I’ll play there. As long as I’m out there, I’ll be ready to play no matter the position, whether it’s corner, nickel, or safety.”