Jalen Carter has returned to the Philadelphia Eagles’ practice field this week after missing the last three games, and he says he’s ready to face the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.
Back in Action
The 24-year-old defensive tackle was a full participant in Wednesday’s practice. After a month-long procedure on both shoulders, he told reporters, “It feels better,” and added, “I can’t get too excited because I’m still working on it every day, still getting the strength back and stuff like that. I had a couple times where I strike the O-lineman and gave me some good knock-back to where I could really test out the shoulders and they felt pretty good.”
Procedure Details
Carter didn’t know the exact name of the procedure, but said he received multiple shots in both shoulders. He admitted that he will likely need to revisit these shoulder injuries in the offseason, yet the shots were a way to get him back on the field and playing at a higher level in 2025. “But I’m always going to play 110 (percent),” he said. “Try to give it my all out there.”
The Eagles had decided to have the Pro Bowl defensive tackle undergo the procedure on both shoulders with the aim of having him return as a healthier version of himself for the stretch run and the playoffs. He had been trying to play through the season with injuries to both shoulders but clearly wasn’t himself, and the low point came in the Eagles’ 24-15 loss to the Bears on Nov. 28.
“You could just see it on my film,” Carter said. “I think it was just the best decision. We talked about it. We talked about the little shot and what it did to help certain people on the team. I just feel like it was the right decisions.”
Season Impact
Carter’s 2023 first-round pick status had set high expectations for 2025 after two strong years to start his career. But the season has been uneven: he missed the entire opener after being tossed for spitting on Dak Prescott, missed the first Giants game with a heel injury, and has now missed the last three games with shoulder injuries that have already slowed him down for most of the season. Despite the missed time, he was named to his second-consecutive Pro Bowl on Tuesday.
“It’s different,” Carter admitted. “It’s my second time ever getting hurt during the season. I had one in college, a little MCL that happened in a game and stuff like that. But it’s different, especially being in the league. College, it was cool or whatever but in the league is different. You want to get out there for your family and your team and the organization, the fans and all. You want to get out there but you can’t rush the process. You don’t want to rush it and hurt it even more. It’s different but I’m taking it day by day.”
Eagles Without Carter
Without Carter for the last three weeks, the Eagles’ defensive line has still performed well. Jordan Davis, Moro Ojomo, and Byron Young have held down the defensive tackle position, while Brandon Graham bumped inside to pick up three sacks. Carter has praised his teammates’ play in his absence and is looking forward to adding to their success.
Looking Ahead to the Bills
The upcoming Sunday game against the Bills and reigning NFL MVP Josh Allen will be a tough test. “[Allen] a dawg man,” Carter said. “I remember we played him two years ago and I missed a sack on him. So I gotta get that back. He’s tough, hard to bring down. Tall as heck, he can move. He’s just a dawg, man. We just have to go out there and play with our energy and play together.”
Key Takeaways
- Carter has returned to practice after shoulder shots and is ready for the Bills game.
- He received multiple shoulder shots, will likely revisit injuries in the offseason, and aims to play at a higher level in 2025.
- Despite missed games, he was named to his second-consecutive Pro Bowl and remains a key player for the Eagles.
The Eagles now have their star defensive tackle back on the field, setting the stage for a showdown with the Bills this Sunday.
