Cooper DeJean will now sometimes be a safety with the Philadelphia Eagles
Cooper DeJean is . Except now, sometimes he may be.
Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said Thursday the second-year defensive back will continue taking reps at safety in the team's base defense during training camp. DeJean, who played in the slot in nickel during his rookie season, took practice reps at safety during Day 1 of training Camp Wednesday. He also saw time at safety in the Eagles' offseason programs.
"The primary motive is that we'd like to have him be part of our base package, and I do believe he can play safety," Fangio said. "It's new for him, so we're going to give him some work there."
One of the storylines to watch in training camp is who will start at safety alongside . The Eagles traded C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the Texans, opening up a starting job at safety. Entering camp, the job was open for grabs.
The primary competition will be between rookie Andrew Mukuba and 2023 third-round pick Sydney Brown, but the Eagles want to keep DeJean on the field at all times.
The Birds don't often play base defense — they were in last season. When they're in nickel, DeJean played inside and finished as in his rookie season. He did not allow a touchdown in coverage.
"When we're in base, I have to come off the field. Find a way to stay on the field and just trusting the coaches and them putting me in the right position, whether it's safety, corner in base, obviously nickel when we're in nickel," DeJean said. "Just trusting those coaches to put me where they think I fit best, where I can impact the defense."
The 22-year-old added he has no preference where he plays in the defensive backfield. He said he began learning inside and outside cornerback and safety last season.
"I knew there was a chance that I could play any of those three positions," DeJean said.
DeJean, who was the subject of a , said there are similarities between playing nickel corner and safety, noting that the major difference between the positions is making the calls and seeing the field from a different vantage point.
"I love a challenge. I did a little bit in college, switching back and forth," DeJean said. "It's about learning the techniques of each position, not so much the playbook."
On Wednesday, Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown said one of his goals is to make DeJean an All-Pro. The wideout even gave DeJean a new nickname: "All-Pro Coop." When Brown first told DeJean about it during OTAs, the DB said he thought Brown was crazy.
"I thought he was crazy, but when he explained it to me, he's trying to speak it into existence for me," DeJean said, "and that gives me something to work toward and come out and try to prove every single day."
Philadelphia lost Darius Slay and Isaiah Rodgers in free agency. Quinyon Mitchell and DeJean return as starters in their second years, but where DeJean plays will be decided in camp. Third-year cornerback Kelee Ringo is competing with veteran Adoree' Jackson and rookie Mac McWilliams for the outside job in nickel.
Fangio said DeJean will take reps both at corner and safety in base defense during training camp.
"It's going to be an evolution, and a lot of it will be dependent upon how well we do at those positions with the other guys," he said.
The highly regarded defensive coordinator said one of his goals for camp is to see how battles evolve with a younger group. The Birds are hoping a few second and third-year players take another step this season.
"We have a lot of battles going on for starting jobs in the different packages," Fangio said. "We've got some good players battling for it, and it will be interesting. If you ask me to predict who's winning those jobs right now, it's a guess."
Fangio on Jihaad Campbell practicing
One of the surprises of Day 1 of Eagles training camp was rookie linebacker Jihaad Campbell being healthy enough to practice.
Campbell, the first linebacker the Eagles drafted in the first round in more than 40 years, wasn't expected to be on the field until sometime in August due to a torn labrum in his shoulder.
Instead, Campbell was cleared and was on the practice field Wednesday.
"It was good to see him out there. I wasn't expecting him out there. The trainers had been telling me all spring that it would be some point in August when he would be out there," Fangio said. "I'm learning that our trainers like to understate and overachieve, so they look good. But it was good to get him out there, No. 1. It was just an hour of practice, but no earth-shattering news yet to report other than it was good that he was out there, and he was progressing."
