PHILADELPHIA — Jalen Carter had a goal to become NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, just missing out on that honor to the Texans’ Will Anderson Jr. What’s Carter have in store for Year 2?
Let’s just say he learned from failure.
“I keep my goals private, man, because I didn’t get my defensive player of the year,” Carter said with a laugh. “I just want to be the best. I want to connect with my team. The main goal is to win the Super Bowl.”
Carter still has lofty expectations for himself regardless if he missed his rookie of the year goal. He had a strong Year 1 with the Eagles, finishing with 33 tackles, six sacks, nine quarterback hits, two forced fumbles and a fumble return for a touchdown in 16 games. Carter was second among rookie defensive tackles in sacks, tied for second in quarterback hits and tied for first in tackles for loss (8).
That rookie campaign started off with a bang, as Carter nearly had a sack on his first NFL snap. In the first game of the 2023 preseason against the Baltimore Ravens, Carter lines up against former Georgia teammate Ben Cleveland — immediately getting into the backfield.
That set the tone for what was to come.
“I was ready to play for a long time,” Carter said. “That was the longest break I had from football since the start of my freshman year in college. So just getting back to it, I was ready, and I just made a play.”
The Eagles are adding more tools to Carter’s toolbox this time around. Early in training camp, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has had Carter line up on the edge in certain packages. Having Carter on the edge allows Jordan Davis and Milton Williams to line up inside, or have five defensive linemen on the field.
“It’s good. It’s fun,” Carter said. “I actually haven’t been on the edge that much, but I always tell them if you need me anywhere, we got a package for it when I’m on the edge, and we’ll see what happens.”
Carter hasn’t played the edge much since his high school days at Apopka High School in Florida. He didn’t know the Eagles were considering the option this summer, but it’s a welcome change.
“I got a lot of space,” Carter said. “I can line up wide where I can make the tackle set out a little farther.”
The Eagles lost their longtime defensive line leader in Fletcher Cox this offseason, leaving someone to fill the leadership void up front. Carter is embracing that challenge, chilling as the pressure is on him to have a massive second season.
Carter has been through this before.
“I’m looking forward to it a lot,” Carter said. “It reminds me when I was at Georgia. I was behind JD [Jordan Davis], Travon Walker, all of them good guys. And when them guys went into the draft, it was me and my class coming up, and we had to take that step and take a big role in trying to win another national championship.
“I look at it as the same. It’s just the league. It’s going to be way better competition.”
