Cooper DeJean is taking reps at outside cornerback during Eagles OTAs after spending his stellar rookie season primarily in the slot, creating the first notable storyline of Philadelphia's spring practices.
"I've been doing it a little bit early on here in OTAs, so I just think that doing whatever they need me to do is what I'll do," DeJean told reporters Tuesday. "Right now, I've been trying both outside and inside. But it's definitely a tall task, no doubt."
The experimentation comes as the Eagles evaluate their cornerback depth chart heading into 2025. DeJean was exceptional in the slot as a rookie, earning recognition as one of five finalists for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. However, questions remain about the outside cornerback spot opposite Quinyon Mitchell, with options like Kelee Ringo, Eli Ricks and Adoree Jackson yet to establish themselves as the definitive answer.
"(The coaches) are just saying that they were going to try me a little bit at outside when we were in base," DeJean explained. "Nothing really too crazy. That's really all he said, that I'd get some reps outside during OTAs and see how it looked."
DeJean played both inside and outside cornerback at Iowa, but acknowledges the NFL transition presents unique challenges. "Understanding leverage and things like that," he said. "So yeah, it's going to be a challenge. But I'm still learning. It's early on. We'll see what happens."
The move creates some internal debate, as defensive coordinator Vic Fangio previously expressed his preference for keeping DeJean in the slot during a spring Phillies game appearance. The question becomes whether Fangio feels comfortable enough with other options to potentially move his best slot corner outside.
Quinyon Mitchell has confidence in his fellow defensive back's versatility. "I mean Coop, he a football player," Mitchell said. "He did it in college, yeah, just a great football player. Got a knack for the football. Just a good football player."
DeJean's team-first approach shines through his willingness to embrace any role. "If I'm on the football field, that's really all that matters," he said. "I love playing football. If that's where I fit in the defense that I'm in best, and that's where I can make the best impact for our defense, then that's where I'll be."
With the season opener still months away on September 4, there's ample time for experimentation. Training camp in July will provide a more intensive testing ground for DeJean's outside corner capabilities. The Eagles' coaching staff will need to weigh DeJean's effectiveness on the outside against the development of other cornerback options and whether moving their best slot corner creates more problems than it solves.
"I'm still trying to grow," DeJean said – a statement that applies both to his positional flexibility and his overall development. The Eagles' secondary picture will become clearer as the summer progresses, but DeJean's early work on the outside has already provided the first intriguing storyline of the 2025 offseason.