Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell spreading his wings
Second-year star relishing expanded role
From The Reporter/MediaNews Group: https://tinyurl.com/3bep3sfe
PHILADELPHIA — Quinyon Mitchell, the Eagles’ top cornerback, has looked at love from both sides now.
His love is football. And after a breakout rookie season in which he played exclusively on the right side of the defense, he has been working on becoming a “traveling corner,” following wide receiver A.J. Brown on the practice field wherever he lines up, which often means taking reps on the left side.
It is training for him to shadow opponents’ No. 1 receivers.
“It’s been really fun,” Mitchell said during the sixth day of camp at NovaCare Complex Thursday. “Each and every day, I go out and I kind of treat it like a game. (Brown) has been getting me better, but at the same time, I want to make him better. … I’m more comfortable (this year). I’m learning the system and learning where everybody’s at.
“I would love to take on that challenge, but whatever they ask of me, I’m gonna do it. It’s football and home, and that’s pretty much it. It’s something I love to do. I’m here all day. I’m always doing something, whether it’s trying to get better at my ball skills, recovering, watching film, in meetings. I just really love football.”
Mitchell, whom the Eagles selected 22nd overall out of Toledo in the 2024 draft, has taken over as the No. 1 cornerback after the departure of Darius Slay. It didn’t take long for him to emerge as one of the elite outside corners in the league last season, deflecting 12 passes and accounting for 46 tackles. He allowed a completion percentage of 54.7% and a passer rating of 87.2, finishing runner-up for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
But “Q” didn’t notch an interception until the playoffs — the first against Green Bay in the NFC Wild Card round, and then another against Washington in the NFC title game — despite some near misses.
“I’ve been working this offseason on (interceptions),” he said. “Every day before we go out to practice, I do something with our strength coach, Coach Fernando (Noriega). It’s just something I’ve been trying to work on each and every day. … It’s hands, eye coordination, just the feel for it.
“They got some computer screen just tracking it, and then they got this little thing where you throw it up and name a color, and I just catch the color. … It’s red, yellow and blue, and I’ve just got to catch whatever color he says.”
It’s the first time Mitchell has run such a drill, and it may be paying dividends. He picked off quarterback Jalen Hurts on Monday, the QB’s first interception thrown in camp, on a deep slant intended for Brown.
Hurts sailed a couple of throws to receiver Jahan Dotson Thursday, but overall the two have appeared more in sync than they were last year. Acquired just before the start of last season from Washington, Dotson, the former Penn State and Nazareth High School star, ended up with 19 catches for 216 yards on 33 targets, down from from 49 catches on 83 targets the year prior with the Commanders.
Second-year corner Eli Ricks pulled down Hurts’ second pick of the summer on a play down the middle.
“He’s a guy who just comes in every day and competes,” Mitchell said about Ricks. “He works. That’s really with any corner in our group. We want to be a strong group from top to bottom. We want to compete and just go out and make plays.”
The No. 2 cornerback battle carried on between Adoree’ Jackson and Kelee Ringo. Jackson began opposite Mitchell, though Ringo also got first-team reps. Jackson broke up two passes, including a near-interception of backup quarterback Tanner McKee.
Cooper DeJean got more snaps at safety in base defense before returning to nickel corner. Sydney Brown then took over for him at safety.
Brown began last season on the PUP list after tearing his ACL the previous January against the New York Giants.
“”He’s finally getting to start in the OTAs, training camp to learn his way through the system and learn how we expect him to play,” defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said of Brown. “He had no chance of that last year, so I see him getting better.”
Second-year receiver Johnny Wilson has struggled in the passing game but has shown himself to be effective as a run blocker and on special teams coverage.
Rookie fifth-rounder Ainias Smith is a potential punt returner, a role he filled in college.
“I think Ainias has done a really good job of just improving his feet, his hands,” special teams coordinator Michael Clay said. “He’s put in the work. You could definitely tell in the offseason, wherever he was training at and OTAs to now, him just being more confident, kind of just calm, cool, collected back there, which has been great. We’re excited to see maybe a little live action as we move forward with him catching and see what he can do. He was a pretty explosive returner at Texas A&M.”
DeJean handled most of the punt returning duties last year, with the now-departed Britain Covey injured. But DeJean’s role on defense is expanding this season.
“I mean, everything’s always evolving,” Clay said. “The communication between myself, (defensive coordinator) Vic (Fangio), KP (offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, (head coach) Nick (Sirianni) and (general manager) Howie (Roseman) has been fluid and everything’s been great. He’ll catch a couple in practice right here just to make sure, just knock the rust off. But when push comes to shove, we’re going to put the best 11 out there.”
NOTES: Rookie Jihaad Campbell and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. started off as the two linebackers. Lance Dixon took first-team reps on the outside. Campbell also got reps on the edge. … FB/LB Ben VanSumeren exited practice with an apparent leg injury and didn’t return. … LB Zack Baun (back contusion), WR DeVonta Smith (back tightness), S Andrew Mukuba (shoulder), Edge Nolan Smith (concussion), WR Terrace Marshall (knee), TE E.J. Jenkins (hamstring) were all out. Limited were Campbell (shoulder), DT Jalen Carter (shoulder), RB A.J. Dillon (back), C Cam Jurgens (back surgery).
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Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X at @the_defranc.