The Philadelphia Eagles were nothing short of dominant last season. Despite starting their campaign on a sluggish note, which saw them getting thrashed by the Falcons 33-16, they played their next 13 games like a team on a mission. They ended up winning 12 of those games.
Advertisement
Philly’s postseason run further cemented their dominance with a flawless stretch that ended in a statement 40-22 Super Bowl win over the Kansas City Chiefs, leaving little doubt about who runs the league right now. Especially since the club managed to retain almost all of last year’s roster.
But if you ask FS1 analyst Emmanuel Acho, as good as the reigning champs already are, there’s still room to level up. He believes the next leap could come by targeting one of the most intriguing names to hit the open market this offseason: former Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander.
“The Eagles, if they acquire Jaire Alexander, I do think they become even more unstoppable,” Acho said (via The Facility), as he laid out a vision where Alexander is the final piece to Vic Fangio’s already loaded deck.
And it’s more than just a hot take. Because the former linebacker believes that Philly’s defensive coordinator is sitting on a goldmine of positional flexibility, and Alexander could be the key to unlocking it.
“Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio — he is the blackjack player who has the different cards in his hand. And he has a couple of aces in the deck — the aces being things that you can manipulate… that’s Cooper DeJean.”
Right now, the Eagles are trying to figure out how to maximize DeJean, one of their most dynamic defensive playmakers.
Last season, the rookie out of Iowa played exclusively in nickel packages because the starting base spots were held down by Chauncey Gardner-Johnson and Darius Slay. That meant in heavier personnel situations — two tight ends, a fullback, or multiple backs — DeJean was stuck on the sideline.
“Cooper DeJean, one of the best Eagles defensive players, he was off the field,” Acho explained. “But now, because he’s one of the best defensive players, Vic Fangio is saying, no — we’re going to find somewhere to put Cooper DeJean on the field.”
“If the Eagles acquire Jaire Alexander, I believe they become even more unstoppable.”
— @EmmanuelAcho pic.twitter.com/ue7XUlgdWe
— The Facility (@TheFacilityFS1) June 10, 2025
This is where Jaire Alexander enters the picture. With Alexander locking down one outside corner spot, DeJean could be moved around freely, either to safety in base personnel or nickel corner in sub-packages.
As Acho explained, “If you bring in Jaire Alexander, now all of a sudden Cooper can play safety. You don’t have to even think about putting him at corner.”
But without Jaire, the Eagles might be forced to use DeJean on the outside, especially with Kelee Ringo still relatively unproven. But with Jaire Alexander? Fangio can deploy his chess pieces however he wants.
“We’ll put Jaire here. We’ll put Quinyon here. We’ll put Reed Blankenship at safety. We’ll put Cooper at safety in base personnel. Then in nickel personnel… Makuba, we’ll start at safety. Cooper, you play nickel.”
For a team that just won it all, this kind of defensive versatility isn’t just a luxury — it’s a nightmare for everyone else. Maybe we’re witnessing the start of a dynasty before our eyes.
