Over the next few weeks leading up to training camp, we’ll be counting down the top 25 most important Eagles for the 2024 season.
25. Brandon Graham
24. Nakobe Dean
23. Milton Williams
22. Jake Elliott
21. Nolan Smith
20. Cooper DeJean
19. Reed Blankenship
18. Tyler Steen
17. Devin White
16. Quinyon Mitchell
15. Jordan Davis
14. Landon Dickerson
13. C.J. Gardner-Johnson
12. Dallas Goedert
11. Josh Sweat
10. Bryce Huff
9. Cam Jurgens
8. Saquon Barkley
7. Darius Slay
6. DeVonta Smith
5. Jalen Carter
Through the first half of last season, Jalen Carter wasn’t just one of the best rookie defensive tackles in the NFL; he was one of the best defensive tackles, period.
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While his play certainly tailed off, along with the rest of the defense, there was no denying the All-Pro level we saw from Carter early in his rookie season. The No. 9 overall pick showed why he was considered by many to be the best overall player in last year’s draft class.
His lackluster second half cost Carter the Defensive Rookie of the Year title (Houston’s Will Anderson took it) but the future appears extremely bright for the young defensive stud. If he can find consistency, there’s a very good chance Carter could become a Pro Bowler or even an All-Pro in Year 2.
After the retirement of Fletcher Cox this offseason, the Eagles are counting on Carter making that jump.
And Carter, 23, has been really focusing on one thing as he gets ready for the 2024 season.
NFL
“It’s been a lot on conditioning,” Carter said at OTAs. “Really, I’d like to be more conditioned than working on technique because we got all year for technique stuff. We work on technique everyday in practice with our hands, working on pass rushes and stuff like that.
“But you really don’t work on conditioning a lot. But I did more conditioning than I did hand movement and some of the stuff like that.”
It’s probably wise for Carter to focus on conditioning because the Eagles are going to need him to eat way more snaps in 2024. As a rookie, Carter played 563 snaps (48%), which ranked second among the Eagles’ defensive tackles behind just Cox’s 684 (59%). But with Cox gone, Carter will probably see a big increase.
And there’s a chance Vic Fangio doesn’t use a rotation as much as we’re used to around here. In Miami last season, top interior lineman Christian Wilkins played 894 snaps (81%).
In addition to a new defensive coordinator, Carter also has a new D-line coach in Clint Hurtt. Hurtt got to know Carter in the pre-draft process when Hurtt was the DC with the Seahawks. He confirmed that Seattle’s No. 5 pick came down to Carter or Devon Witherspoon, who ended up being the selection.
But because of that interest, Hurtt had a relationship with Carter before taking the job with the Eagles.
“He’s maturing, coming along,” Hurtt said of Carter.I’ve been really pleased with the development so far through the offseason program.”
Hurtt clearly sees the potential in Carter and so does the rest of the league.
In their rankings of the top defensive tackles going into the 2024 season, ProFootballFocus listed Carter at No. 9:
“For the first half of his rookie season, Carter looked like he might rival the best defensive tackles in the game right out of the gate.
“Through Week 8, Carter boasted a 91.6 PFF overall grade to trail only Dexter Lawrence. His second half of the season was less consistent, but he was still a wrecking machine when at his best.
“Overall, Carter finished with 50 quarterback pressures and an 84.6 PFF pass-rushing grade. If he takes a step forward in his second year, the rest of the league needs to look out.”
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