While Jalen Carter performed like one of the NFL’s best defensive tackles in 2025, one coordinator still questions the effort level at times from the Philadelphia Eagles star.
“He flashes 10 times a game but gets dragged far too often by average players,” the coach told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
The remark came as part of Fowler’s annual positional rankings. Carter was listed in third for the second straight year.
However, opinions varied on the two-time Pro Bowler, with Fowler writing that “a few voters said Carter is not the best defensive lineman on his own team.” That distinction was reserved for Jordan Davis, who ranked 10th.
Carter’s numbers from 2025 (33 tackles, three sacks and five tackles for loss) don’t jump off the page because he missed six games. His shoulder trouble likely limited his impact on the field in the second half as well.
Still, the 25-year-old garners a ton of respect around the league. One coach labelled him a “problem” and “game-wrecker” for opposing offenses.
Carter will eventually have to shoulder the expectations that come with being among the highest-paid interior defenders in the league. He’s eligible for free agency in 2028 after the Eagles picked up his $27.1 million fifth-year option. Spotrac values him at $30.2 million, which would put him third at the position in terms of earnings.
Once he’s making that kind of money, it’s going to become a bigger problem if Carter keeps getting pushed around by “average players.”
