Eagles star defensive tackle Jalen Carter out Monday vs. Chargers after shoulder procedure
Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter will miss Monday’s game in Los Angeles and be considered week to week after undergoing a procedure on both of his shoulders, a source confirmed to The Inquirer Thursday.
ESPN was first to report the news on Carter, who has been dealing with a shoulder injury since the beginning of training camp. It has bothered him at times during a season that has featured a slight decline in production.
“He does have a shoulder issue,” defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said Wednesday. “He has been playing with it.”
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The Eagles were dominated by the Chicago Bears’ rushing attack Friday, and Carter was ineffective at times. He was removed from the field on some first- and second-down plays.
“There was some runs out there I got drove back or I wasn’t making an effect on the play,” he said.
“It’s my problems to deal with. I ain’t fitting to tell y’all what I’m going through.”
Apparently the shoulder injury reached a breaking point.
In October, Carter described the injury as “a little serious, but I’m working through it, fighting through it.” That came after a game in Tampa Bay in which he was forced to the sidelines for some defensive snaps due to the injury.
“Everybody has injuries, depending on if it’s small or if it’s big, but when the right time comes, if I need to stop and take a little break to work more on my shoulder, that time is going to come,” Carter said.
Two months later, his words were proven true.
It does not appear as if Carter is heading toward a stint on injured reserve, which would force him to miss at least four games. The Eagles play the Chargers Monday on the road before returning home for a game vs. the Las Vegas Raiders on Dec. 14. The Eagles’ priority will probably be getting Carter as healthy as possible before the postseason begins, but they’re currently still trying to clinch a trip to the playoffs.
Carter had a breakout 2024 season and emerged as one of the better interior defensive linemen in the NFL. He was selected to his first Pro Bowl and was named second-team All-Pro.
Fangio was critical of the shape Carter was in earlier this season, but Carter had worked his way back to a large workload after playing more snaps last season than any other interior defensive lineman. Carter has missed two games this season. He was ejected before the first snap of the Eagles’ Week 1 game vs. Dallas after spitting at Dak Prescott, and he missed a Week 6 loss to the Giants with a heel injury.
While his pressure rate has dropped (8.9% to 7.8%, according to Next Gen Stats) and he has at times not been as effective against the run, Carter’s presence is still a key factor for the Eagles. They are a much better defense with him on the field than with him off.
With Carter out, expect to see rookie defensive tackle Ty Robinson, who has at times been a healthy scratch, in the rotation for depth. Jordan Davis, Moro Ojomo, and Byron Young will likely see an uptick in snaps. The Eagles could also use Brandon Graham on the interior, especially on obvious passing downs.
The Eagles entered the 2025 season with limited depth on the interior after losing Milton Williams to free agency. They drafted Robinson to backfill, but he has played just 35 snaps. Gabe Hall made the initial 53-man roster after spending last season on the practice squad, but he has played 13 snaps and has spent most of the 2025 season back on the practice squad.
The Eagles also in August traded Thomas Booker, who could have been a rotational piece, to the Raiders for cornerback Jakorian Bennett, who has been used sparingly and also missed time due to an injury.
The depth will be tested greatly with Carter out. Davis and Ojomo have made improvements, but Young hasn’t been consistently effective when he’s on the field. The Eagles will need that to change at a critical juncture in their season.
