No player on the Philadelphia Eagles has seen his career take off like a rocket ship over the last two years more than NFL All-Pro cornerback Cooper DeJean.
DeJean won a Super Bowl and became known as a hard-hitting, versatile slot cornerback as a rookie — a year capped by an interception return for a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX. In his second season in 2025, he earned his first NFL All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors.
DeJean, whose off-field profile has also skyrocketed, seemed on the verge of cashing in big money with his first lucrative contract extension after another big year in 2026.
With the Eagles reeling at 2-4 after four straight losses, DeJean’s struggles have come into sharper focus. And it’s about to have a big impact on his bottom line.
“Cooper DeJean has struggled with tackling this season,” Eagles reporter Cayden Steele wrote on his official X account. “According to PFF, he has missed 13. That was supposed to be the strength of his game. He will need to play better over the next two months to raise his contract value.”
DeJean is in the third season of his 4-year, $9.28 million rookie contract, meaning he’s eligible for an extension for the first time after this season.
Projecting Cooper DeJean’s Contract Value
A concrete comparison to gauge what DeJean might be worth in his next deal: he’s aiming to top Chicago Bears slot cornerback Kyler Gordon’s 3-year, $40 million contract, the highest-paid player at the position in the NFL.
DeJean’s play in 2026 suggests a player who might be worth about half that. According to Pro Football Focus, his overall grade of 50.6 through six games puts him 78th out of 98 eligible players at his position.
The better move for the Eagles might be to trade DeJean, draft his replacement in 2027, and let him become a free agent after next year.
Cooper DeJean’s Struggles Becoming More Clear
With each game, DeJean’s struggles seem to come into sharper focus.
“It’s been a really rough season for Cooper DeJean,” The Philly Special’s Anthony DiBona wrote on his official X account on October 19.
“Cooper DeJean was such a great tackler his first two seasons,” The Philly Voice’s Jimmy Kempski wrote on X. “This season… not so much.”
It’s also not just tackling he’s having a problem with.
“Cooper DeJean’s coverage grade of 51.2 ranks 235 out of 310 defensive backs this season,” Word on the Birds wrote on its official X account.
Eagles All-Pro Destroying Future Contract Value With Poor Play