With the turnover that took place in the Philadelphia Eagles' secondary, there's going to be a lot of moving pieces.
Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio spoke with the media, sharing how he plans to utilize cornerback Quinyon Mitchell in his defense. Mitchell isn't going to just occupy one side of the secondary; he will cover on both the left and right sides to mirror the other team's top receiver. Fangio went into detail about the factors that go into determining when Mitchell will be moving around, but he knows that his young corner is ready.
“[Quinyon Mitchell] will be fine." Fangio said via Bleeding Green Nation. "He’s got a really good work ethic. He’s got tremendous pride, and always wants to do well. He’ll be fine.”
Mitchell is poised for an even bigger season with more responsibilities
Last year, Mitchell had a great debut season in the midnight green uniforms as he finished with 46 tackles and 12 pass deflections in 16 games. He allowed a completion percentage of 54.7% and a passer rating of 87.2, which led to him being the runner up for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
ESPN's recent survey of NFL personnel had him ranked ninth among all cornerbacks in the league. Pro Football Focus ranked him lower at 16th.
Mitchell is being looked at as the number one cornerback on the roster now after the departure of Darius Slay. The Eagles will lean on Mitchell quite a bit with Avonte Maddox and James Bradberry also out, so there isn't as much of a safety net for him to fail in 2025.
There appears to be a common theme with Fangio and how he is using his defenders. Many of them will be versatile and play all over the field. Mitchell's fellow 2024 cornerback draft pick Cooper DeJean has also been mentioned as playing in the slot, outside, and at safety.
Mitchell showed the league what he can do and how he can cover any receiver in the NFL. The pressure is on him to elevate his play in 2025, but he's got the skills to get it done.
