It started around this time last year when A.J. Brown coined a nickname for Cooper DeJean: All-Pro Coop. And Brown was right. DeJean did become an All-Pro in his second NFL season, along with fellow cornerback Quinyon Mitchell. And Brown helped get both of the young superstars to that level. So the day after the Eagles pulled off a blockbuster trade to send Brown to the New England Patriots, Mitchell and DeJean remembered Brown fondly. For two years, Brown practiced against them daily and helped them reach their potential. That’s part of Brown’s legacy in Philly too. “I learned a lot (from Brown),” DeJean said. “Not only on the field but off the field. Just him holding me accountable day in and day out and pushing me to be the best that I can be on and off the field. Just watching how he went about his business in the building and on the practice field was really cool to see and I learned a lot from him.” DeJean said that Brown’s faith in him pushed him last season. DeJean wanted to live up to the All-Pro Coop (APC) nickname given to him by Brown. But it was actually Mitchell who got to see Brown the most during practices. From the moment Mitchell began practicing against Brown in 2024, the two had some epic battles. It surprised Brown early when the shy kid from Toledo began to talk smack and tell him that his routes were trash. “Yeah, it was awesome,” Mitchell said about those matchups. “That was the first really battle and matchup I had coming here. Like I said, he’s helped me with my confidence. So I’m going to miss him, but it’s a business thing.” In just two seasons, both Mitchell and DeJean have become two of the best defensive backs in the NFL. They helped propel the Eagles to a Super Bowl title as rookies in 2024 and then followed it up with All-Pro seasons in 2025. While Brown definitely helped DeVonta Smith and the other receivers improve during his four years in Philadelphia, his contributions to the improvement of the defense shouldn’t be overlooked either. It wasn’t easy to face him every day in practice. Mitchell and DeJean understand the business side of the NFL, but they’ll miss Brown. “Yeah, obviously, anytime you lose a great player like him, It hurts,” DeJean said. “And he’s a great friend of mine. He was a great teammate in our locker room. But there’s a business side of this thing. Everybody did what was best for them.” There were probably things that Brown could have handled better during his time in Philadelphia, but he was very respected and well-liked in the Eagles’ locker room. And on both sides of the ball. The Eagles spent this offseason bolstering their receiver room with the impending Brown trade. They added Dontayvion Wicks, Hollywood Brown and Makai Lemon over the last few months and DeVonta Smith will take over as the top wideout on the team. While the Eagles will miss Brown, they’ll get to see him again in August when the Eagles travel to Foxborough, Massachusetts, for a couple of must-see joint practices. “Yeah, that’s my big brother,” Mitchell said. “I wish him nothing but the best. The rest is business. He helped me grow with my game and gain more confidence. So I’m thankful for him, man. And I love him as a big brother.” ...read more read less