The Philadelphia Eagles' defense heading into the 2026 season looks poised to be another dominant unit, led by defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.
Despite last year's rankings being down from their 2024 Super Bowl run, the Eagles were still in the top 13 in points allowed and total yards allowed. A big part of the defense's success last season was the play of nickel cornerback Cooper DeJean, who joined with fellow corner Quinyon Mitchell as the only players on the team to be selected as All-Pros.
Eagles linebacker Zack Baun had a chance to speak with the media, where he sent a stark warning about DeJean that should have everyone on notice.
“He’s swole," Baun said via Eagles reporter Anthony DiBona. "He’s working his tail off to be better, which is crazy to think about.”
Cooper DeJean might be taking another step foward in his development
Last season, DeJean had 93 tackles, 16 pass deflections, four tackles for loss, two interceptions, one forced fumble, and one quarterback hit in 16 games. He allowed a completion percentage of 60.5% and a passer rating of 75.4, both down from his rookie season in 2024.
2026 will be different for DeJean as Fangio already announced that his young cornerback will be playing safety in Base defense. That will open the door for DeJean to really use his versatility from his nickel spot and move around on defense.
It wouldn't be a surprise to see him do more than that, as he is the Eagles' best tackler in the secondary and can do more than just cover receivers. Fangio loves his defenders to be versatile and be moved around like chess pieces on the board.
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For Baun to say that DeJean is getting stronger only adds fuel to the idea that he's about to take another step up this season. The Eagles fan base knows how good he's going to be, but the rest of the league has been warned that DeJean is only getting better and better by the day.
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