Before the 2026 season started, every Philadelphia Eagles fan braced for next offseason, when the team would have to pay cornerback Cooper DeJean top dollar. After six games, there may be no more stress about that because, well, DeJean isn't proving he deserves it.
During the Eagles' 25-14 Week 6 loss to the Carolina Panthers, DeJean didn't do enough to prove he is worthy of a massive contract. He finished the game with six tackles, one pass deflection, and one tackle for loss.
Those may seem like good numbers for a slot corner asked to do a lot, but DeJean's standard is higher than that. Right now, he isn't playing like a young corner who was an All-Pro and Pro Bowler in 2025, and it may be costing him millions of dollars.
Cooper DeJean could be costing himself a record-breaking contract with Eagles
A few times in the Panthers game, DeJean missed tackles that he usually makes. Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard had one where he ran over DeJean and still picked up big yards for a first down.
Just as alarming in DeJean's game is the fact that he has simply not been as good in pass coverage as he has been. On the Panthers' final touchdown to put the final nail in the coffin for the Eagles, DeJean let tight end Tommy Tremble just go right past him for an easy 19-yard touchdown pass. Maybe DeJean thought he had backside support, but it looked bad on tape, like he wasn't even trying to stop him.
This season, DeJean has recorded 39 tackles, five pass deflections, four stuffs, one quarterback hit, and one interception in five games. He has allowed a 97.8 passer rating in 2026.
Pro Football Focus gave DeJean an overall grade of 56.7, ranking him 58th out of 90 eligible cornerbacks. He has a coverage grade of 57.6 (ranked 48th) and a run-defense grade of 57.2 (ranked 71st).
The worst part of DeJean's 2026 season? He has recorded 13 missed tackles this season, according to PFF. 13!
Cooper DeJean has struggled with tackling this season. According to @PFF, he has missed 13. That was supposed to be the strength of his game. He will need to play better over the next two months to raise his contract value.
— Cayden Steele (@cayden_steele19) October 19, 2026
This guy was supposed to get top dollar for his play over the last two years. 2026 has been a massive regression for DeJean in every way, from his coverage to the tackles he's missed.
It leaves some to wonder whether his earlier-season injury is still affecting him. Remember, he got hurt in the Eagles' Week 1 win over the Washington Commanders, where he played through calf and abdominal injuries.
DeJean is too good a player to keep letting this happen, since he has only the 2027 season left on his contract before he becomes a free agent. He knows he needs to play better if he wants to earn big money with the Eagles.
Read more: Grading Tanner McKee's lackluster 2026 debut in Eagles loss to Panthers
At this rate, though, if DeJean doesn't improve his performance, the Eagles may not even consider a new contract with him in the offseason. He'll have to do a heck of a lot better in the final 11 games of the season if he wants to make the big bucks.
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