August 11, 2026

Darius Cooper is flipping the Eagles' WR depth chart on its head

With DeVonta Smith and Makai Lemon sidelined in camp, Darius Cooper keeps making himself an option for Jalen Hurts.

By Nick Tricome
PhillyVoice Staff

Bill Streicher/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Darius Cooper started to turn heads last preseason, and only seems to be turning more of them with this summer's Eagles training camp.

Darius Cooper broke ahead of two defensive backs, then jumped up to grab a Jalen Hurts loft over both of their heads for a huge gain.

And it felt like the former undrafted receiver was everywhere else in between.

On Monday, Cooper turned in easily his best practice of an already strong Eagles training camp for him down at the Jefferson Health Training Complex.

Running with the first-team offense, Cooper kept working himself open, even against tougher coverage assignments like Riq Woolen and Cooper DeJean, and Hurts kept feeding him the ball for consistent completions.

The Eagles already know what the top of their wide receiver depth chart looks like, or at least want it to look like: DeVonta Smith is the star No. 1 at the top, and Makai Lemon is the rookie first-rounder they want to bring up as the No. 2 option.

But both have been sidelined for about a week now with hamstring issues.

In their place, Cooper has stepped up, and so have offseason signing Elijah Moore and trade acquisition Dontayvion Wicks.

Ideally, the Eagles would probably want these guys operating no greater than three downward on the depth chart. But because offensive coordinator Sean Mannion's new scheme is expected to put more of an emphasis on Hurts throwing the ball and spreading it around more, maybe these guys are pushing their way into roles much larger than initially thought.

Cooper has put himself at the forefront of that charge.

Colleen Claggett/For PhillyVoice

Darius Cooper has had a very good training camp for the Eagles so far this summer, but is he ready for a starting role?

"It's just having that chip on my shoulder," Cooper said last week. "Coming from a smaller school, [as an] undrafted free agent, that's kind of been my life for my whole football career, coming from smaller schools, things of that nature, but still making a name for myself. Really just staying humble, keeping my faith in everything like that and putting the work in, and God will handle the rest."

Cooper had that chip last year, when he first signed with the Eagles out of Tarleton State, and then started to raise a few eyebrows during the preseason, which earned him a roster spot for 2025.

But that chip is still there, Cooper added, knowing that the NFL hardly ever carries any guarantees.

"Look, last year's in the past, you know?" Cooper said. "This is a new year. Be where my feet are. I have the same mentality for sure."

MORE: Darius Cooper, Elijah Moore are earning their spots on Eagles first-team offense

And right now, his feet are chopping and turning into sharp cuts that are offering Hurts a quick outlet with the football, and it keeps working.

Cooper was everywhere on Monday, adding on to a camp where his No. 80 has been constantly noticeable, and always for something good.

The 24-year-old will probably move back down the depth chart once Smith and Lemon can get back on the field, but he might have already proven himself way more useful to the Eagles' first-team offense than the team, and many fans, than originally thought.