Cooper DeJean at Safety Could Unlock the Eagles' Defense
With Tariq Woolen handling outside corner duties, the Eagles have an intriguing option: move Cooper DeJean to safety and let Michael Carter run the slot. Here's why it could work.
The JAKIB Staff
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The Eagles lost Reed Blankenship in free agency, and the conventional wisdom says they need to draft or sign a safety. But what if the best solution is already on the roster? Cooper DeJean — the All-Pro slot corner — might be the Eagles' next great safety. And the Tariq Woolen signing is what makes it possible.
Woolen Changes Everything in the Secondary
Before the Woolen signing, DeJean had to play outside corner in base defense because the Eagles didn't have a reliable third option. That meant DeJean was stuck on the perimeter during the 10-15% of snaps the Eagles played base — limiting his impact. With Woolen now handling one outside spot and Quinyon Mitchell on the other, DeJean doesn't need to be out there anymore. He can move to safety in base and slide back to the slot in nickel and dime packages where he's dominant.
DeJean Was Always a Safety — The Eagles Just Needed the Pieces
Before the Eagles drafted DeJean, the scouting consensus was clear: this kid could be an All-Pro safety at the NFL level. His ball skills, range, and instincts profile perfectly for the position. Vic Fangio moved him to the slot because that's where he could have the most immediate impact — and it worked spectacularly. But the long-term vision has always included safety as an option. Now, with the secondary pieces finally in place, the Eagles can explore it.
Michael Carter Makes the Slot Work
The Eagles re-signed Michael Carter for a reason. If DeJean shifts to safety on base downs, someone needs to handle the slot — and Carter has the skillset. He's not DeJean, but he doesn't need to be. In Fangio's scheme, the slot corner is critical, and Carter has enough versatility to hold it down while DeJean roams from the back end. The Eagles have been quietly building secondary depth all offseason, and this move would maximize every piece.
The Numbers Support It
Fangio's defense played just 160 base snaps all of last season — roughly 10 per game. That's the reality of modern NFL defense. You're in nickel or dime the vast majority of the time, which means DeJean is still playing slot on 85-90% of defensive snaps. The safety role is a base-down assignment, not a full-time position change. It's about getting the best 11 on the field for every defensive look.
If DeJean can have more impact at safety than on the outside — and the analysis suggests he absolutely can — then the Eagles might not need to spend a premium draft pick or free agent dollar at the position. The answer to the Blankenship replacement question might be the All-Pro who's been here all along. Sometimes the best move is the one you don't have to make.
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