FOXBOROUGH, Massachusetts – The Eagles’ secondary was already loaded with promising young defensive backs.
Now it’s even fuller.
Beginner 2andCooper DeJean, a first-round draft pick who has been on the non-football injured list since the start of training camp with a hamstring injury, was activated on Tuesday and actually completed some individual drills during the Eagles’ joint practice with the Patriots on the turf fields outside Gillette Stadium.
DeJean was injured during offseason training between OTAs and the start of camp. This was the first time he was on the field since the spring.
“I’ve been watching a lot,” DeJean said. “It’s a little frustrating, but it also helps me learn from a different perspective. I can watch film with the guys in the room and talk things through and learn that way.”
The Eagles are packed with young cornerbacks, with 1st-Draft pick Quinyon Mitchell, new signing Isaiah Rodgers, second year 4th-Round pick Kelee Ringo and DeJean form the core of the group, but also Eli Ricks, Zech McPhearson, Josh Jobe, Shon Stephens, Tyler Hall and Parry Nickerson.
Rodgers, Ringo and Mitchell all competed for the CB2 spot across from Darius Slay, and Mitchell also got a lot of work in that slot along with Avonte Maddox.
Where will DeJean fit in? He can play outside corner, but the Eagles probably like him best at slot or safety right now, and that’s where he’ll likely play once he’s fully cleared to return to team practices.
“Today he’ll get some individual work, let’s see how he feels,” said Nick Sirianni before training. “He’s making good progress and will get some individual work. I don’t know what the team situation is yet, but let’s see how he does individually.”
DeJean won’t play in the preseason game here Thursday night, but there’s a good chance he’ll join in with full team practice when the Eagles return to work at the NovaCare Complex next week. They’ll practice Saturday, Sunday and Monday, then Wednesday and Thursday before wrapping up preseason with an Aug. 24 game against the Vikings at the Linc.
DeJean had seven interceptions, five sacks, three touchdowns and 13 pass knockdowns in his final two years at Iowa.
After rank 31st in the NFL in pass defense last year, the Eagles drafted Mitchell 22and total and DeJean 40th Overall, it is the first time in franchise history that they have two defensive backs among the first 40 picks.
DeJean is 21, Ringo and Ricks 22, Mitchell 23, Rodgers, Jobe and McPhearson 26. The Eagles also have a number of young safeties, including Sydney Brown, Mekhi Garner and Caden Sterns (24), Reed Blankenship, Tristin McCollum and Andre’ Sam (25) and CJ Gardner-Johnson (26).
