Michael Carter II has turned training camp into a showcase for exactly what he says he brings best: flexibility.
The Eagles have spent the summer moving him around, and Carter has responded by flashing value at nickel corner, safety and in dime looks as the sixth defensive back. That kind of usage has made him one of the more notable names in camp, especially with the team testing how far his range can go.
“That was kind of my staple in college,” Carter said. “Playing everything.
And I’m grateful that I’ve earned the trust and still earning the trust of [Joe Kasper] and Vic (Fangio) and even the guys in the defensive room in general, wherever I’m at, to align them. They can trust me to do the right thing and go full speed and just help the team any way I can.”
Carter, 27, has built most of his NFL résumé as a nickel corner, but this offseason the Eagles have also worked him at safety. He even picked up first-team snaps there Saturday, a sign that the team is serious about finding out how much he can handle. Fangio said Carter is operating in three different spots this camp, and the coach clearly likes what he’s seen.
“I think he's had a very good camp and has done nothing but helped himself and not eliminating himself from anything,” Fangio said.
The Eagles brought Carter in during last season from the New York Jets, and even with a limited role, he settled in well inside the locker room. That comfort level carried into the offseason, when both sides agreed to a renegotiated deal that keeps him in Philadelphia through the 2026 season.
Carter isn’t far removed from signing a major contract with the Jets in 2024, when he became the highest-paid nickel in the NFL. He’s trying to remind people he’s still that player, and Philadelphia gave him a place he wanted to stay.
“I think really, man, I just wanted to be a part of something special,” Carter said. “I really feel like when I got here, it was really rejuvenating last year.
I wanted to stay a part of that. I think being with Joe, being with Vic and being in this system, learning from guys like Drew (Mukuba) and Marcus (Epps) and Coop (DeJean).
When I got here, those guys helped me out a lot. I feel like we can all do something special together.”
The safety job is still open enough to watch, though Epps remains the favorite to hold onto it. Even if Carter doesn’t win that battle, the Eagles still have a clear use for him. He can back up nickel and safety, and he should be in the mix when they go to dime.
For Carter, the learning curve is real, especially at safety, where the job asks for more communication and more control over alignments before the snap. He’s been spending extra time with Kasper to get comfortable with the details, and each practice can send him bouncing from one spot to another.
“It can be a lot,” Carter admitted. “You just have to kind of compartmentalize everything.”
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