Are Cooper DeJean’s Week 1 Woes a Concern?
Sep 13, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Washington Commanders wide receiver Antonio Williams (14) carries the ball against Philadelphia Eagles defensive back Cooper DeJean (33) during the first half at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
The start of Cooper DeJean‘s third season as the Eagles’ starting nickelback came with many issues. He struggled mightily against the Washington Commanders in Sunday’s 24-22 win. In just two seasons, DeJean has proven himself to be a more than capable starter in the NFL, as a DROY candidate in 2024, and First Team All-Pro honors in 2025.
This past offseason, DeJean had a questionable joint practice with the New England Patriots. With that being said, even after that, the official start of his third campaign was dreadful, proving to be potentially the worst game of his career.
In 70 snaps, the seventh most for a cornerback, DeJean allowed an opposing passer rating of 142.1, the fifth worst of any corner in the NFL, along with allowing seven receptions, the third most among his position. On top of this, according to PFF, DeJean had a grade of 37.6, which was the sixth-worst among CBs.
DeJean was not able to hold his own against the Commanders. Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels specifically targeted Stefon Diggs when DeJean was in coverage. Diggs, in the second half alone, had three catches for 44 yards and a touchdown, all coming against DeJean. On top of this, DeJean picked up two (albeit controversial) illegal contact penalties, killing any defensive momentum gained prior to the calls.
“I just gotta be better, DeJean said Sunday. “That simple…. I’ll have to watch the tape, see what happened, see what I can fix in my technique. Just sometimes my eyes get bad, and that gets in me in trouble. Just got to be better with that. And good thing is, it’s Week 1. Got a lot of games ahead of us, and I’ve got to be better for our defense.”
Although his performance was abnormal, it also may have been due to injury, as his dip in production lines up with the injury he faced in the second quarter. Similar to his teammate Landon Dickerson, DeJean may have been playing through an injury he should not have.
Officially, it was listed as a midsection/rib injury, and DeJean found himself sidelined and wearing a sleeve on his left leg during practice on Wednesday, not practicing with listed calf/abdomen issues.
According to DeJean himself, his bang-up was a nonfactor, as when asked about how it affected his game, he said, “Not too much.” On top of this, DeJean said he will “be fine” to play against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
This goes to show the importance of evaluating the real question regarding injuries, and how it is more important to know how much is too much, rather than how much you can take. Both Dickerson and DeJean found themselves getting more than they bargained for, and the whole team suffering due to it. With that being said, Dickerson found himself hitting injured reserve, and although DeJean is not that hurt, he should prioritize rest. Though, if he does indeed play, DeJean finds himself in a much more favorable Week 2 matchup, likely being matched up against former division rival Wan’Dale Robinson, rather than the multi-time Pro Bowler WR with almost 12,000 yards in Diggs.
Nevertheless, with the display DeJean showed in Week 1, there are some questions regarding regression. Although this may be an overreaction, the just 23-year-old corner still needs to show that he is still the All-Pro from just one season ago, and that this display was nothing more than what seemed to be week one woes caused by injuries.
Isaac Baranski
Isaac is a high-school senior who currently attends the Hun School of Princeton. In his free time, he has many interests, but most of all is his love for Philadelphia sports. He has watched the 76ers since the days of Sam Hinkie and hopes to watch the process be completed. He has also watched the Phillies since the days of Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, and the great crew, and hopes to see Red October finally achieve its goal. Along with that, he picked up a love for the Philadelphia Union shortly before the pandemic and has seen them win multiple Supporters’ Shields in person. Lastly, and most importantly, he is a major football lover and an even bigger Eagles lover. Since developing his love for The Birds in elementary school, he has made it his goal to never miss a game.
Get New Articles Emailed Right To Your Inbox:
