Jalen

Carter

It’s not a major surprise given how Carter needed offseason surgery on both of his shoulders and didn’t look anything like 2024 Jalen Carter down the stretch last season. The Eagles likely want to see a healthy season before committing. Carter did not participate in team drills at mandatory minicamp and the Eagles have him under team control through 2027 via the fifth-year option. This could be a standstill to keep an eye on for a while.

Carter is participating in individual drills. He sat out for a month of the 2025 season after undergoing procedures on both shoulders last year. Late in May, Eagles DC Vic Fangio said Carter “had a good offseason of lifting” and that Carter’s shoulders “are fine,” so Carter’s limited participation is unlikely to be health-related. Eagles coach Nick Sirianni gave a non-answer when asked if this was injury-related or perhaps contract-related. We suspect it is the latter. The front office picked up Carter’s fifth-year option last year, keeping him under contract through 2027. He has a $3.7 million salary this year and a $27.1million salary next year. He is likely seeking a rich, long-term investment from the team. It remains to be seen how this will pan out, but GM Howie Roseman is a very savvy salary cap manager.

Carter missed a month of football last season due to having surgery on both of his shoulders. Speaking with the media, Fangio said Carter appears fine and that the star lineman has “had a good offseason of lifting,” which Fangio believes he began earlier than usual. Carter totaled 33 tackles, three sacks, and five TFLs in 11 games for the Eagles last season, and has remained a key piece of the defense since being drafted No. 9 overall in 2023. It sounds like he should be in good shape for the start of training camp for a defense that ranked fifth in points allowed and 13th in yards allowed last season.

Carter is one of two Eagles players to have his fifth-year option picked up this offseason, with LB Nolan Smith also having his option exercised. Carter has been a disruptive force for the Eagles since being drafted by them in 2023. The former ninth overall pick has tallied 13.5 sacks and 25 TFLs in 43 career games, and earned Second-team All-Pro honors in 2024. He has also been named to back-to-back Pro Bowls. The decision to pick up Carter’s option means he will remain under contract with the Eagles through the 2027 season.

The phrasing is always important on these — that the Eagles have received trade calls does not necessarily mean that they’re interested in moving Carter. But if Philadelphia decides it isn’t interested in extending Carter’s contract, it would make some sense to deal him in the wake of Jordan Davis’ contract extension. We’d be surprised if the Eagles didn’t extend Carter, because as has been pointed out several times during the A.J. Brown sweepstakes, GM Howie Roseman isn’t in the business of getting rid of good players.

Carter, Nakobe Dean (hamstring), Marcus Epps (concussion), and Jaelan Phillips (ankle) all were taken off the final injury report and will play against the 49ers. EDGE Azeez Ojulari (hamstring/IR) is questionable, but practiced in full today and looks likely to join them. The Eagles will summon all the defensive firepower they have against the 49ers.

Eagles LB Nakobe Dean (hamstring), S Marcus Epps (concussion), OLB Azeez Ojulari (hamstring) and OLB Jaelan Phillips (ankle) are all practicing fully. Carter’s continued participation is a good sign. Hopefully, he upgrades to full participation on Friday. The Eagles face the 49ers on Sunday.

Eagles LB Nakobe Dean (hamstring) and S Marcus Epps (concussion) were limited as well. Carter and Dean are seemingly on track to play. Epps is best viewed as questionable at this time. The Eagles face the 49ers’ talented, yet somewhat banged-up offense on Sunday.

Carter, Jaelan Phillips (ankle), and Nakobe Dean (hamstring) were all ruled out and should all get better around the time Philadelphia’s first Wild Card playoff report comes out. Until then, it will be Philadelphia’s reserves dealing with Josh Johnson, Chris Rodriguez, and “Bill” Croskey-Merritt. Week 18 is here.

We already expected the Eagles to rest most starters this week. Hopefully, this is just not a serious issue. The Eagles have locked up the NFC East’s title already. Eagles LB Jaelan Phillips (ankle) and LB Nakobe Dean (hamstring) are also rehabbing injuries.