The Philadelphia Eagles weren’t missing many pieces after last season to make the leap to an elite defense – pieces they obtained through the draft with cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean and free agency with linebacker Zack Baun.
They might not have one of those key pieces moving forward, as Mitchell was forced to leave their NFC Divisional Playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams when he hurt his shoulder tackling quarterback Matthew Stafford in the first half.
Mitchell Received ‘A’ Draft Grade as Rookie
Mitchell was a 2-time All-American at Toledo and became the school’s first Chuck Bednarik Award semifinalist in 2023 after setting a school career record with 46 pass breakups. He followed that by wowing scouts at the NFL combine with a 4.33-second 40-yard dash.
Mitchell became the first MAC player selected in the first round since Western Michigan wide receiver Corey Davis in 2017 and the first Toledo player selected in the first round since defensive tackle Dan Williams in 1993.
Eagles Have NFL’s Elite Rookie CB Combo
With Mitchell, the Eagles have what appears to be a long-term CB1. Paired with another standout rookie in DeJean they could have solidified their secondary for the foreseeable future.
Whatever happens down the road, the Eagles have set themselves up for one of the NFL’s all-time financial bargains in terms of a defensive backfield for the next 2-3 seasons — building blocks along with stars like second-year defensive tackle Jalen Carter, who was named NFL All-Pro and a Pro Bowler for the first time in 2024.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Eagles Get Bad Injury News on Defensive Star appeared first on Heavy Sports.