Michael Carter II came to Philadelphia looking for a reset, and he found one fast enough to make staying an easy call.
The Eagles safety spent five seasons with the Jets before last October’s trade ended a run that had once put him among the league’s top nickel cornerbacks. Injuries changed that path in a hurry.
Back, shoulder and head issues derailed his last two years in New York, and after he missed three games with a concussion last season, he lost his starting job. Not long after that, the Jets moved him.
His time in Philadelphia barely registered on the stat sheet, but it clearly meant something to him. Carter liked the fit enough to take a pay cut this offseason and return. Without the restructure, his salary cap hit would have been $10.1 million; now it sits at $1.42 million.
“I just wanted to be a part of something special,” Carter said after Tuesday’s training camp practice. “I really feel like when I got here, it was really rejuvenating last year, and I wanted to stay a part of that.”
The Eagles are asking him to do more than just be part of the roster. This offseason, they moved Carter to the safety group, where he’s competing with Marcus Epps for one of the starting jobs.
For Carter, the change has been a chance to reset again. He said Philadelphia gave him room to start fresh after the injury stretch in New York, while still allowing him to lean on the reputation he built before everything got interrupted.
“I was able to start anew a little bit,” Carter said about what makes Philadelphia a good fit. “From the injury perspective, kind of slowed things down [in New York].
But it’s not like I’m super far removed from the top nickel and those things like that, where I got the big contract and everything like that. I just think being able to start new and just prove I’m still that guy.”
Tuesday’s practice offered a glimpse of why the Eagles are intrigued. Carter intercepted Jalen Hurts when the quarterback’s throw sailed over Hollywood Brown, and Carter came over the top to secure it.
“Shoot, man, I was just doing my job,” Carter said. “I just saw Jalen load up and I just went and tracked the ball. That’s really it.”
The transition to safety has come with extra work. Carter is learning the position one-on-one with defensive backs coach Joe Kasper, who also coached him at Duke. That familiarity has helped smooth the process.
The biggest adjustment, Carter said, is the communication. At nickel, he didn’t have to talk through as much with the full secondary. At safety, the view is different, and the responsibilities come with it.
“It’s cool to see everything, see a little bit more...,” Carter said about the advantages at safety. “I like the vision of everything. It’s a different point of view.”
Even with the move, Carter hasn’t been locked into one spot. He’s still getting reps at nickel cornerback, and he takes pride in being able to handle both roles. The Eagles value that flexibility, too.
“That was kind of my staple in college, playing everything,” Carter said. “I’m grateful that I’ve earned the trust and still earning the trust of JK and [Eagles defensive coordinator] Vic [Fangio] and even the guys in the defensive room in general. To be able to know wherever I am aligned on the defense, that they can trust me to do the right thing and be where I’m supposed to be and just help the team any way I can.”
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Michael Carter II has become part of that conversation after working through safety, nickel and the sixth-defensive-back role, a sign the Eagles are looking for versatility as much as they are looking for a clean depth chart. Marcus Epps remains in the mix, and Carters strong camp has at least put pressure on the status quo, even as Vic Fangio has praised how he has handled the transition. On the edge, Jonathan Greenard looks set to occupy one starting spot after his recent contract signing, so the secondary is where the most immediate questions are starting to gather. [Read more 🡒]
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