Cooper DeJean’s return could shake up the Eagles’ depth chart at cornerback

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The next step in Cooper DeJean’s rehabilitation came Tuesday morning, when the rookie defensive back walked onto the practice field outside Gillette Stadium with football pants on his legs and shoulder pads in his hands.

No, DeJean is not fully back from the hamstring injury he suffered while preparing in Iowa for his first NFL training camp, but he’s getting closer.

The Eagles activated their second-round draft pick from the non-football injury list ahead of Tuesday’s joint practice with the Patriots, and DeJean participated in individual drills with his teammates and then watched as they had a pretty dominant day against New England’s offense.

“It felt great to be back out there a little bit and get moving around with the guys — just to be back out there and do football drills with them is good,” DeJean said after practice.

Tuesday’s return to the practice field, even in a limited capacity, lined up with the initial return timeline of about three weeks. While DeJean participated in organized team activities in May and minicamp in June, not being on the field when training camp kicked off in late July was a setback in his development, affecting his position on the depth chart in the new defense being installed by Vic Fangio.

“You get better at football by playing football,” coach Nick Sirianni said Aug. 4. “There is no doubt about that. He’s missing some opportunities out here, but he’s doing everything he can do.”

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Football coaches and players use the phrase “mental reps” often. In DeJean’s case, the phrase applies to how he was able to participate in camp while working to get back on the field. DeJean said he has learned plenty in team meetings, watching film, and talking with his more experienced teammates. In recent practices, DeJean stood with fellow injured defensive backs Sydney Brown and C.J. Gardner-Johnson in the end zone, where they watched the defense from behind, talked through calls, and DeJean learned by seeing what they were seeing, he said.

“I’ve been doing a lot of watching, which is a little frustrating, but it helps me learn from a different perspective,” DeJean said.

The spring sessions, DeJean said, also were helpful.

“Most of the stuff we installed in the spring,” he said. “I feel like I know most of the defense. Now, it’s just a matter of getting out there and getting those reps, getting my feet back moving again against other guys.”

That should happen in the coming days. DeJean obviously won’t suit up for Thursday night’s preseason game vs. the Patriots, but he said the Aug. 24 home game against Minnesota was a realistic target. He presumably would need a few days of normal practice participation to be active for that game.

DeJean’s return to the field comes at an interesting time for the defensive backfield. First-round pick Quinyon Mitchell has been excelling — “He’s balling ... I love watching him play,” DeJean said — while playing a lot in the slot when the team is in nickel defense. Also, there is an ongoing battle between Isaiah Rodgers, Kelee Ringo, and Mitchell to determine who will start opposite Darius Slay in the Eagles’ base defense.

DeJean played slot and outside corner during the spring practices, but talent evaluators like him at safety, too. The Eagles don’t have a ton of depth there, and while they have more talent at corner than they did last season, DeJean’s ability to play inside and out will be an infusion that should bolster the secondary.

While he’s been off the field, DeJean said he’s been taking it all in. The Eagles, he said, haven’t mentioned any imminent move to safety.

“I think if you learn a defense, you learn from all positions,” DeJean said. “I’ve been trying to learn all three positions just because you never know.”

» READ MORE: Cornerback, safety or both? Cooper DeJean doesn’t care about labels. The new Eagle just wants to play.

Fangio said last week that DeJean’s return “could” have a domino effect that impacts where Rodgers and Ringo stand on the depth chart.

“We’ll see where he is at,” Fangio said. “When he comes back, it’s not going to be, ‘OK, he’s back,’ like nothing ever happened to him. I’m sure the guys downstairs will have rep limitations on him, practice limitations.

“So it will be dependent upon where he is at and how he’s doing.”

The Eagles will have some of those answers in a matter of days. Tuesday, the first time DeJean has put pads on since his injury, marked the first step.

“I was pretty upset,” DeJean said of getting injured. “Obviously, I wasn’t able to start my first NFL camp, but rehab has been good. Trainers have been doing a good job helping me get back. We don’t want to rush something like this. It’s a long season.”

For DeJean, it finally feels like it’s beginning.