Let’s Stay Inside

From the sounds of it, if Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has his way, second-year defensive back Cooper DeJean will remain at nickelback.

Fangio, donning Eagles attire, spoke to NBC Sports Philadelphia’s John Clark ahead of Wednesday evening’s Phillies-Rockies matchup, a game in which Fangio’s beloved Phillies won comfortably, 5-1.

Among the talking points included the positional future of the 22-year-old DeJean, an inside cover man last season as a rookie, who also has the ability to play the boundary.

“I really like him as the nickel,” Fangio said. “I’d like to see him stay at nickel. He plays it very well. He’s got good size in there. I think he enjoys playing in that position.”

GETTY IMAGES: After a smashing rookie year at nickelback, Cooper DeJEan is likely to be back in the same spot.

DeJean, of course, somehow tumbled into the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, prompting Eagles’ executive vice president/general manager Howie Roseman to pounce.

For most rookies, having to recovering from a hamstring injury suffered during offseason training that cut into weeks of training camp would be a hinderance.

But DeJean – who debuted at the joint practice with the Patriots in Foxborough, Mass. – appeared to be a quick study.

Aligning at nickel, the Iowa product required some reps under his belt to find his sea legs but rounded into form before long.

And after playing sparingly on defense over the first four games, DeJean unseated longtime Eagles nickelback Avonte Maddox to emerge as a starter coming out of the bye week.

The six-foot, 198-pound defensive back adjusted rather seamlessly, showcasing instincts, athleticism, toughness and a high-level football IQ.

His length, short-area quickness and savvy allowed DeJean to take to the position rather seamlessly. One of his most notable early season plays came against the Bengals, when he read and diagnosed a fourth-down pass to Ja’Marr Chase, dropping the wide receiver for a loss.

It’s no coincidence that a defense that eventually ranked No. 1 began to hit its stride once DeJean was inserted as a starter.

In total, DeJean appeared in 16 games (9 starts), logging 51 tackles (three for loss), a half-sack and a forced fumble. With each weekly assignment, DeJean appeared to grow increasingly comfortable, even if that wasn’t reflected in the turnover column.

DeJean saved his best for the grandest of stages in Super Bowl LIX, snaring a Patrick Mahomes interception and returning it 38 yards for a touchdown.

The interception, the first of DeJean’s career, served as the turning point in what became a commanding 40-22 win. The good fortune also happened to occur on his birthday.

Fast-forward to this month, a time when the losses of cornerbacks Darius Slay and Isaiah Rodgers created a fairly sizeable void opposite Quinyon Mitchell.

The team has previously maintained that it viewed DeJean as a perimeter cornerback, suggesting the plan could be to move DeJean from inside to outside in 2025.

But the competition to replace Slay appears to be – for now – between third-year holdover Kelee Ringo and free-agent signee Adoree’ Jackson.

It seems DeJean’s value and effectiveness in the nickel role have him ensconced there.

He’s already among the league’s best at his position, which is arguably the most challenging on the defensive side.

Nickels have to deal with receivers who have two-way gos, and there’s far more ground to cover. They also must account for run fits and have spatial awareness of zone responsibilities.

In today’s NFL, the nickel role is vitally important. It’s a starting position and critical to the defense’s viability, an assignment not all are equipped to undertake.

In this case, DeJean could be a victim of his own success, which could seemingly relegate him to playing inside. Continuity and results are likely to be the driving force.

The Eagles – at the moment, anyway – lack a suitable replacement if DeJean kicked outside, increasing the likelihood of the rookie phenom reprising his role in Year 2 while growing alongside Mitchell.

And if Fangio has it his way, DeJean might not be moonlighting anywhere else, any time soon.

– Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com.