Eagles Star Called ‘NFL’s Best Slot CB’ Headed Into Second Season

The crazy thing about NFL nomenclature over the last few decades is that even the most straightforward of things — what we call different position — has gone completely in flux.

Calling someone an outside linebacker means nothing. You’re an edge rusher. The fullback really doesn’t exist. Really smart guys and gals started calling tight ends “Y receivers” until the tight ends pushed back a bit.

That also means a player like Philadelphia Eagles star Cooper DeJean is not just a cornerback. Dejean, who is entering his second season, is a slot cornerback and, according to ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, he’s also the NFL’s very best slot cornerback.

“DeJean spent the first month of his rookie season on the sideline, but after Philadelphia’s Week 5 bye, his move into the starting lineup coincided with a massive defensive improvement,” Barnwell wrote on June 19. “After ranking 26th in expected points added (EPA) per play on defense before the bye, the Eagles were comfortably the league’s best defense by the same metric afterward — the second-place Texans ranked closer to 13th than they did to first …  DeJean will play outside more often in 2025, as he’ll likely start outside in their base defense and work out of the slot in sub packages.”

During the regular season, DeJean didn’t give up a touchdown on 68 targets and got his first career interception in a 40-22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX – a 38-yard interception return for a touchdown on DeJean’s 22nd birthday and came off of 3-time Super Bowl MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Eagles Drafted 2 Cornerbacks to Kick Off 2024 Draft

The Eagles went after the secondary in the 2024 NFL draft, taking cornerbacks with their first 2 picks — players who seem like they could be foundational pieces for their defense for the next decade.

Philadelphia drafted Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell in the first round (No. 22 overall) and watched him become a plug-and-play starter at outside cornerback — a player who could very well be a Pro Bowler and NFL All-Pro in 2025.

Then, the Eagles picked DeJean in the second round (No. 40 overall) out of Iowa, where he was a 2-time All-Big Ten pick and a unanimous All-American in 2023. In any other year, there’s no chance DeJean last until the second round — 2024 was an anomaly as it set the NFL record with offensive players going with the first 14 picks, including 6 quarterbacks.

DeJean Might Still Make Position Switch

Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio suggested a possible position switch for DeJean when he spoke with the media at minicamp — Fangio’s first public remarks since winning the Super Bowl.

“And then in our base package, we’ll find a spot for him — either at corner or safety,” Fangio said on June 3.

Either way, don’t expect DeJean to come off the field much this season.

“… It means DeJean is likely to play all the snaps and no longer get subbed out as Fangio shows a commitment to getting his best personnel on the field at all times,” Philly Voice’s Geoff Mosher wrote on June 3. “It’s a tall order for DeJean, who’ll be moving around the defense depending on down and distance, although the majority of his snaps would still come at nickelback.”