Eagles' Rookie Cooper DeJean Returns To Practice

The No. 40 overall pick in the 2024 draft had been dealing with a hamstring injury.

Eagles rookie DB Cooper DeJean / John McMullen/Eagles on SI

Eagles rookie defensive back Cooper DeJean will participate in individual drills for the first time this summer during Tuesday's joint practice with the New England Patriots.

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni confirmed that DeJean will do individual work and that the team will decide on his entrance into team drills down the line.

DB Cooper DeJean has been activated from the Non-Football Injury List. pic.twitter.com/8FKal3r4Lq

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) August 13, 2024

The No. 40 overall pick in April's draft DeJean started camp on the Active/Non-Football Injury List with a hamstring issue that he suffered while preparing for training camp.

Although Sirianni typically does not place timetables on injuries to remove any pressure or expectations on players the internal thought was that DeJean would miss about three weeks and that timetable held up.

Thought to be a potential first-round pick by many, a fractured fibula suffered by DeJean at Iowa last season caused a slight drop in his draft stock with the Eagles trading up from No. 50 to 40 to get the versatile defensive back, 18 slots after taking cornerback Quinyon Mitchell at No. 22 overall.

Without DeJean at practice, Mitchell has been getting plenty of slot work along with outside reps. Predominantly an outside CB in college, DeJean is expected to get plenty of inside work when he is cleared for team drills.

The Eagles also got back veteran receiver Parris Campbell, a candidate for the WR3 position, from a groin injury Tuesday.

Both DeJean and Campbell were listed as limited, along with safety Mekhi Garner (hamstring) and linebacker Brandon Smith (concussion).

The players missing practice against the Patriots are: LB Oren Burks (knee), tight ends Grant Calcaterra (shoulder), and Albert Okwuegbunam (shoulder), and safeties CJ Gardner-Johnson (shoulder) and Caden Sterns (knee).

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