Eagles' 12 most intriguing players: Why No. 5 is Birds' version of 'Ted Lasso' character
Yes, the Eagles need to replace both players, and that will certainly be a main story line during training camp, which begins with the first practice on July 23.
Rather, it is possible that Cooper DeJean could end up replacing both Slay, who was named to the Pro Bowl in three of his five seasons with the Eagles, and Gardner-Johnson, who was third in the NFL last season with six interceptions.
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And all the while, DeJean could also play his usual nickel corner spot.
That could make DeJean like the Roy Kent character on the show "Ted Lasso," when fans chant his name as being "here, there, and every(expletive)where!"
That's why DeJean is No. 5 on our list of 12 most intriguing Eagles heading into the start of training camp on July 22. We're counting them down each weekday from No. 12 to No. 1. The series began July 7 and will culminate with the start of camp.
So it's not a question of whether DeJean will play as much as where DeJean will play. The Eagles already saw DeJean's value when he returned an interception return for a touchdown in the Eagles' 40-22 demolition of the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl on Feb. 9.
So it was long expected that DeJean could end up as the outside corner in place of Slay when the Eagles are in base defense. Yet in June, Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio revealed that DeJean could also be the safety next to Reed Blankenship, also when the Eagles are in base defense.
Last season, the Eagles were in base about 12% of the time. Perhaps that percentage increases because of DeJean's ability to play both cornerback and safety, in addition to his role as a nickel. It should be noted that DeJean played all three spots in college at the University of Iowa.
For the record, DeJean expressed a willingness to do whatever is asked of him, and that he is comfortable playing all across the secondary.
"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 what position − whether it's corner, nickel or safety."
The difference is that this season, DeJean's position could vary not only from game to game, but from play to play.
For example, the Eagles are facing the Cowboys in their season opener on Sept. 4. The Cowboys have two top wide receivers in CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. It's easy to see DeJean lined up on the outside opposite Quinyon Mitchell to take one of those players in base defense.
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Then if the Cowboys are in a favorable running situation, DeJean might move to safety to stop the run. Or if the Cowboys are in a 3rd-and-long, DeJean might move to nickel.
If DeJean is lined up at safety, then Kelee Ringo is on the outside at corner. If he's outside at corner, perhaps Sydney Brown is at safety next to Blankenship. Or it's conceivable that rookie Drew Mukuba, drafted as a safety but with a background at nickel, could be at nickel while DeJean mans either outside corner or safety.
All of this, of course, is to maximize having the Eagles' best four or five defensive backs on the field. DeJean is the one who makes that possible.
The Eagles didn't have to worry about that as much because they had established players in Slay and Gardner-Johnson at outside corner and safety, respectively.
"Last year it was a good fit for where we were personnel-wise," Fangio said about DeJean playing nickel. "This year that could change."
Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on X @Mfranknfl. Read his coverage of the Eagles' championship season in 'Flying High,' a new hardcover coffee-table book from Delaware Online/The News Journal. Details at Fly.ChampsBook.com
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Cooper DeJean: Philadelphia Eagles' 12 most intriguing players for 2025
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