Denver Broncos Targeting Philadelphia Eagles' Defensive Player of the Week

The NFL's Reigning Defensive Player of the Year said the Eagles' cornerback "is very feisty."

Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell goes through a drill during a Week 5 practice. / Ed Kracz/Eagles on SI

PHILADELPHIA – The Denver Broncos found their quarterback of the future last year when they drafted Bo Nix 12th overall. Had they not needed one, who knows, maybe Quinyon Mitchell would have been their pick at that spot. Instead, the cornerback was still available to the Eagles when they arrived at the 22nd pick.

“We liked him,” said Denver coach Sean Payton, whose team will be at Lincoln Financial Field to play the Eagles in a 1 p.m. kickoff. “I’ll tell you what, you can see the marked improvement from last year (to) this year. He (plays) the best receiver at times. He’s got good length, he runs well. I mean he’s impressive on tape.”

Especially that tape against the Bucs, when Mitchell had a career-high five passes defended and won his first NFC Defensive Player of the Week award, becoming the first player from Toledo to ever to do that.

Imagine a Broncos cornerback duo of Mithell and Patrick Surtain, II, who was taken ninth overall in 2021 and is the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

Quinyon Mitchell Playing With Confidence And Swagger

Quinyon Mitchell goes through practice with his Eagles teammates in Week 5. / Ed Kracz/Eagles on SI

“I watch a lot of film on the young corners,” said Surtain. “That’s kind of crazy to say right now because I still feel young. I think he’s a great corner. He has it all. He possesses the skills (and) traits that you look for in a corner. He’s very feisty. He has great feet, great fundamentals. I think he’s going to be a great corner for years to come.”

The Broncos aren’t the only who thinks so. The Eagles do, too, of course. Mitchell just turned 24 in July and has to be in the group of players who will line up at general manager Howie Roseman’s door when contract extension time arrives perhaps as early as the spring of 2027. Cooper DeJean won’t be far behind him.

He and Mitchell might already be the best cornerback tandem in the league. DeJean tied a career-high with nine tackles in the Eagles 31-25 win over Tampa Bay last Sunday. He and Mitchell have become good friends since arriving together in the same draft.

“His confidence and his swagger he plays with on the field, he’s really fun to watch,” said DeJean. “The way he covers guys and lets them know, you can tell he’s fearless on the field which gives confidence to every single one of us DBs in the room. You see him play with confidence, gives us confidence.”

Mitchell is one of the quieter players on the team. He doesn’t say much in interviews, and he might just be the same off the field when he’s hanging out with teammates.

“Q is very to himself, quiet, kept, and I think that’s a great thing,” said Adoree Jackson. “He’s able to go out there and put the work in. His confidence shows. You guys probably have seen the most personality you’ve seen from Q since he’s been here, but at the same time that goes with the preparation. The confidence comes from prepping throughout the week. I’m always excited for Q.”

Jackson has been in the league since 2017 and he never won a player of the week award, but he’s happy for Mitchell.

“That (bleep) is fire,” he said. “That’s one of those things where you can’t help but smile and be happy for a person, especially the way he carries himself.”