The last thing the Philadelphia Eagles needed was to see an injury to one of their top players. It just happened.
The Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff McLane reported that All-Pro cornerback Cooper DeJean seems to have injured his left arm. DeJean ran off the field to get it checked out. McLane later added that he "looked fine after trainers looked at him." He remained on the sidelines.
DeJean's day started with being ranked as the 38th-best player in the NFL, voted on by the players. Last season, he racked up 93 tackles, 16 pass deflections, four tackles for loss, two interceptions, one forced fumble, and one quarterback hit in 16 games. He also allowed a completion percentage of 60.5 and a passer rating of 75.4.
DeJean had a Pro Football Focus grade of 78.2, ranking seventh out of 114 cornerbacks in the NFL. He was the fourth-ranked cornerback in the league in coverage with an 80.1.
Eagles now face nightmare problem with Cooper DeJean injuring arm
Philly is now in a bad spot with the DeJean injury since he is going to play a massive role on the defense. He will line up mostly in the slot, but also play safety in "base" defense.
DeJean is a jack-of-all-trades type player who can play most positions on the field. His versatility includes being a great tackler and as good in coverage as any player in the NFL.
One option for the slot position could be Michael Carter II, who has been getting work at safety and is competing with Marcus Epps for the starting job. Carter played in the slot when he was with the New York Jets, so it's a logical transition for him.
It will put more pressure on Quinyon Mitchell and Riq Woolen to hold their own at the outside corner. This will also open the door for Epps to secure the safety position without worrying about Carter lingering behind him.
Read more: Moro Ojomo's answer to tough question is why Eagles must do this one act
Eagles fans will have to wait and see what the update on DeJean will be, but for now, it's just a waiting game—one no fan wants to play right now.
Add us as a preferred source on Google