Eagles Defensive Tackle Aims To Take Out The Trash And Play Better

Last year's ninth overall pick and his defensive line teammates are off to a slow start, but he took accountability and talked about his team suspension and Jordan Davis, too.

Aug 1, 2024; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter (98) runs drills during a training camp practice at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

PHILADELPHIA – Jalen Carter didn’t hold back. The Eagles defensive tackle was asked point-blank during Friday’s locker room session how he would assess his play so far this year.

One word was all he needed to sum it up: “Trash.”

The ninth overall pick from last year’s draft then added: “I feel like I should be way better. I have a lot of stuff I can work on with hands and being able to read formations at the line, with a run or a pass....“I don’t want to say I’m doing good when I see on film I’m not up to the standard.”

Carter’s next chance to impact a game comes Sunday in the Superdome when the Eagles travel to New Orleans to play the Saints in a 1 p.m. kickoff on FOX.

There’s not a single Eagles fan alive who would disagree with Carter’s blunt assessment, and it’s not a good look that when you get off to a dismal start and then it comes out after the Week 2 collapse to the Falcons, that he had been suspended for the opening defensive series after being late for a team meeting last week.

Carter said it had something to do with his cell phone being unplugged. He didn’t go into much detail beyond that, but perhaps the cell ran out of charge and the alarm didn’t go off.

“I was a couple minutes late,” he said. “I need to be on time...I knew it would have some consequences. Have to man up to it.”

Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter / Ed Kracz/Eagles on SI

This is where the absence of retired Fletcher Cox is missed. Cox checked in daily with his D-line teammates, but he can no longer be counted on to do that.

Carter, who turned 23 in April, and teammate Jordan Davis need to be held accountable for their actions. Carter, at least, has talked to the media. Davis has yet to do that since the season began.

So, SI Eagles asked Carter about his friend and former Georgia teammate and what he’s been like behind the scenes and what his messaging has been.

“He’s always a positive guy,” said Carter. “You never get no negative out of him, and if you do, he’s going to fix it and be positive 10 minutes later. He’s just being positive throughout the whole thing.

“We’re not hearing anything like he’s complaining or being too sad about it and letting it affect his game. He’s just moving on, learning from the coaching and trying to get better at what we do.”

Carter has played 76 percent of the defensive snaps in two games and has four assisted tackles and one quarterback hit.

Davis, who was drafted 13th overall in 2022, has played 50 percent of the snaps and has one solo tackle, one assisted tackle, and one deflected pass at the line of scrimmage.

Both had solid training camps, but it hasn’t carried over yet to the regular season.

“We’re watching film every day, after every game, and we just try to get better every week,” said Carter. “This week we’re trying to stop the run. That’s the main goal.”

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