Eagles Urged Not to Force Position Switch for Super Bowl Hero

   

The easy thing for the Philadelphia Eagles to do after last season would be to start making players switch positions just for the sake of making position switches.

Cooper DeJean

Such was the success of moving Zack Baun from edge rusher to inside linebacker, where he became an NFL All-Pro and Pro Bowler in his first season at the position.

The smart thing would be … to not do that.

In this case, the Eagles should try to keep second-year cornerback Cooper DeJean at nickel cornerback or move him to outside cornerback. That means not moving him to safety, even on a part time basis, as defensive coordinator Vic Fangio suggested was happening in his first remarks to the media since winning Super Bowl LIX on February 9.

“And then in our base package, we’ll find a spot for him — either at corner or safety,” Fangio said on June 3.

 

DeJean, a second round pick in the 2024 NFL draft, became the Eagles’ starting nickel cornerback in Week 6 and was there through their win over the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl win, where he returned an interception 38 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter.