Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean played an impactful role on defense in leading the franchise to the Super Bowl. As a rookie with the Eagles, DeJean recorded 51 total tackles in the 16 games of the regular season and 18 in the playoffs.
DeJean's shining moment in his rookie season came in the Eagles' 40-22 Super Bowl win against the Kansas City Chiefs, where he recorded a pick-six off of Patrick Mahomes, which proved to be a decisive turning point, early on in the game.
The Eagles drafted DeJean with the 40th pick in the second round of the NFL Draft out of Iowa. Philadelphia sees him as a long-term piece to their defense in the future and plan to use him in different ways next season.
The Eagles plan for DeJean next season
The Eagles kicked off their 2025 training camp on Tuesday and have seen promising growth from several different players, including DeJean. As the Eagles begin their Super Bowl title defense, DeJean is expected to have an extended role.
Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio had arguably the best defense in the NFL last season, which was one of the major contributors to the team's Super Bowl title. Throughout the first couple of training camp practices, DeJean has been getting looks at safety in base packages and at corner with nickel plays.
DeJean is also expected to get reps at the outside corner position, according to Fangio. DeJean recently spoke about the different ways that the Eagles will be utilizing him on defense this season.
"I love a challenge," said DeJean. "I did it a little bit in college, switching back and forth. The coaches are going to do what's best and put me where they think I fit best within the defense, and I trust them to do that.
With DeJean, the Eagles are expected to once again have one of the best defenses in the NFL, making them the favorites to win the NFC again. Along with DeJean, key returners for Philadelphia's defense include Jaylx Hunt, who also will have a new role after the offseason departures of Brandon Graham and Josh Sweat.
Jalen Carter, Nakobe Dean, Kelee Ringo, and Quinyon Mitchell all return for a loaded Eagles defense in 2025.