Vic Fangio says Jalen Carter’s shoulders are “fine” after the Eagles defensive tackle missed a month late in the 2025 regular season following surgical procedures on both shoulders. As the offseason ramps up, Fangio points to a strong lifting routine—while con
Eagles fans may have been watching the calendar just as closely as the depth chart. Late in the 2025 regular season. Jalen Carter missed a month of football after undergoing surgical procedures on both of his shoulders. Now. with the offseason program in full swing and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio speaking with reporters. the question has turned from availability to assurance.
Fangio’s answer came bluntly. “I think his shoulders are fine,” he said last week when asked about Carter’s health. Fangio added that Carter “had a good offseason of lifting. ” explaining that he “started that earlier than normal for him” and that the team can “see the difference” in his progress. Fangio concluded with a clear comparison to where things stood before: “I think he’s in a better spot now than he was.”.
Those shoulders matter because Carter remains central to the Philly defense. He’s continued as a key piece up front, and the report frames him as arguably the best interior defensive lineman in the league—exactly the kind of player teams build around.
But Carter’s recovery update lands in the middle of a separate, louder storyline: money and leverage. In March. after the Eagles signed defensive tackle Jordan Davis to an extension with a new-money average north of $26 million. it was reported—via a leaked report—that the Eagles were getting calls about a potential trade for Carter. With Carter’s early-career exploits setting his 2027 fifth-year option at $27.1 million, a new deal can quickly become expensive. The franchise tag number for 2028, based on his fifth-year option, would be at least $32.52 million.
The tension here is simple and uncomfortable: great players cost more the longer a team waits. and the Eagles historically don’t move slowly when it comes to securing foundational talent. Carter became eligible for a new deal in January, yet he still does not have one. That gap is part of why speculation continues—whether Carter wants significantly more than the Eagles are willing to pay. and whether the earlier reports about trade calls will keep surfacing.
For now, Fangio is asking everyone to focus on the present. Carter’s shoulders may be “fine,” but in a league where contract timing can change everything, the offseason’s next steps are what will decide how long that assurance lasts.
Jalen Carter Vic Fangio Philadelphia Eagles shoulder surgery NFL offseason Jordan Davis extension defensive tackle 2025 season contract franchise tag trade rumors