Philadelphia Eagles fans were feeling the impact of Reed Blankenship's sudden departure in the offseason on multiple levels.
While the Eagles are losing a talented defender in the secondary, the leadership Blankenship brings to a young group will be tough to replace. Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean appeared on the podcast "Takeoff with John Clark," where the now third-year defender shared that he's ready to take over the leadership role needed.
“We are ready to take that next leadership step," DeJean said via NBC Sports Philadelphia's John Clark. "Hopefully, I can be a voice on the field and in the room.”
Cooper DeJean is about to take on a bigger role on the Eagles in 2026
DeJean emerged super fast for the Eagles after being their second-round selection in 2024. Despite not being a starter right away in his rookie campaign, he eventually got in as a starter about halfway through that season and ended up making one of the biggest plays of the season with the pick-six during their Super Bowl win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
That was followed by a spectacular 2025 season, in which he recorded 16 pass deflections and allowed a completion percentage of just 60.5%. DeJean's performance helped him earn Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors.
Philly also had fellow cornerback Quinyon Mitchell join him as a Pro Bowler and All-Pro team, creating one of the best duos in the NFL. Mitchell and DeJean are crazy enough the longest tenured starters in the secondary now. They aren't the oldest, though, as Marcus Epps takes that honor.
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Everyone knows how great DeJean and Mitchell are on the field, but the Eagles are going to need those young men to step up and become leaders, as they should be playing in Philly for a long time. They are going to be asked to do a lot more on defense, and the two have shown in a short time that they are ready for the challenge ahead in 2026.
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