PHILADELPHIA – Things could get scary for opposing defenses if what is being seen at times during Eagles camp translates into games. Jalen Carter is moving all over the defensive line, including on the outside at times.
“If that’s what you all see, that’s what’s gonna happen,” said the Eagles’ powerful and immensely talented defensive tackle during his first media availability at training camp this summer.
Now, it’s a matter of working on his pass rush from different angles.
“We have a lot of plays where we line up in different places, so I want to get on the other side of the line,” said Carter. “I play on the left side a lot but I’m gonna try to even it out by going on the right side, get some rushes over there, so I have to work on my moves on both sides, being comfortable. Working my hump move on the left and on the right.”
Carter had the “limited” designation removed from his name on the team’s practice report for the first time on Sunday, so he remains a work in progress. A shoulder injury forced him to miss the first three days of camp and he was listed as limited for the ensuing four practices.
It was an injury that wasn’t serious, and Carter said he wasn’t sure how it happened, calling it something that “came out of nowhere.”
The result was a late start to camp, so it stands to reason that Carter is still playing his way into shape.
“(My conditioning) is a little off,” he said, “but it’s something I’ll work on every day. As soon as I’m done with this, I’m gonna hop on the treadmill, get a couple runs in, then hop on the bike. It’s just gonna get better every day.”
While he was out, he stayed active, always around his teammates, hyping them up. On Friday, he and Saquon Barkley did some trash-talking back and forth. Now entering Year 3, Carter said the coaches and front office talked to him about being more of a vocal leader.
What does that mean to him?
“I ain’t gotta yell, have veins coming out of my face, but I’m gonna say something to get us with the energy and stuff,” he said. “…I don’t have to talk it. I can make a play, and they might feed off my energy. I also do talk a little bit. I just don’t talk when everybody is looking.
“You see that I’m passionate in practice and see me and Saquon going at it a little bit, friendly competition, but I’m just trying to bring more energy. Our group is young. Our whole defense, we’re young, so we all have to feed off each other.”
