How much is Jalen Carter's lingering shoulder injury affecting his performance?

Carter has popped up several times on the injury report with the shoulder but hasn’t missed any games with it yet.

By Reuben Frank • Published December 3, 2025

Jalen Carter hasn’t looked quite right all year, and in the loss to the Bears he played only 70.1 percent of the Eagles’ defensive snaps, his 3^rd-lowest over the last two years.

Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said Wednesday the shoulder injury Carter first suffered before the start of training camp remains an issue and is affecting his play and his playing time.

Carter missed the first three practices of training camp with a shoulder injury and has popped up several times on the injury report with the shoulder but hasn’t missed any games with it yet.

He appeared on the injury report with the shoulder prior to the Cowboys opener and the Rams and Broncos games, and he was listed as limited the first day of practice before the Rams and Broncos games. But even in the weeks he wasn’t on the injury report, he hasn’t seemed like quite the player he was last year. He missed several series against Tampa with the shoulder, playing a season-low 47 snaps. He also missed the loss to the Giants with a heel injury.

Because they don’t play until Monday night, the Eagles won’t have an injury report this week until Thursday.

"He does have a shoulder issue,” Fangio said. "He's been playing with it. You know, late in the (Bears) game, he had a great play with it. But yeah, it's definitely something there.”

Carter on Friday picked up his second sack of the season as well as two tackles for loss and two pass breakups. But he was ineffective vs. the run, and the Bears rushed for 281 yards – 10^th-most against the Eagles in their 94-year history.

Carter, a Pro Bowler and 2^nd-team all-pro last year in his first year as a starter, is down across the board in his production this year. His Pro Football Focus run defense grade ranks 94^th out of 117 interior linemen who’ve played at least 200 snaps. Overall, he ranks 55^th out of 117.

Asked how Carter played Friday, Fangio said: "Yeah, it was a lot like the rest of us, you know? Some good, some not good. I think we were all guilty of that.”

Overall, Carter’s snaps have dropped from last year. Carter played 79.4 percent of the Eagles' defensive snaps last year, and he's played 71.6 percent this year. 

With Carter struggling with the shoulder Friday and the defense on the field for a season-high 87 snaps, Jordan Davis played a season-high 59 snaps, 2^nd-most of his career; Moro Ojomo matched his career high with 62 snaps; and Byron Young played a career-high 38 snaps.  

Fangio said rookie 4^th-round pick Ty Robinson could get some playing time Monday night against the Chargers. Robinson has played only 35 snaps this year. He’s been inactive in all four games since the bye week.

https://www.nbcsportsphiladelphia.com/nfl/philadelphia-eagles/jalen-carter-shoulder-injury-vic-fangio/698451/

Carter definitely hasn't looked as good this year. If he's a liability right now, they should consider resting him for a week or 2....same with Dickerson/Jurgens.

I'd like to see more of Robinson just to get an idea if he can be a player for us.

8 minutes ago, EaglesAddict said:

Carter definitely hasn't looked as good this year. If he's a liability right now, they should consider resting him for a week or 2....same with Dickerson/Jurgens.

I'd like to see more of Robinson just to get an idea if he can be a player for us.

Yes! Crazy how we draft him relatively early (4th rd) and he hasn't sniffed the field with how much we rotate the DL. And add Bennett and Bigsby to the list of players I'd like to see more of.

17 minutes ago, time2rock said:

Yes! Crazy how we draft him relatively early (4th rd) and he hasn't sniffed the field with how much we rotate the DL. And add Bennett and Bigsby to the list of players I'd like to see more of.

It's mind boggling why Bigsby isn't involved more. In that regard, I think it has more to do with the coaching staff giving favoritism to the star veteran (Barkley) and giving him the respect for prior accomplishments vs what's best for the team right now. Many coaches do this kinda thing...it's a like a "respected vet" thing.

On defense, I actually trust that Fangio plays the best guys. If we aren't seeing Bennett or Robinson, more than likely it's for a good reason. That said, sometimes what coaches see in practice could end up being completely different when those same players are in a live game (i.e., maybe they're better "gamers" than practice players). I'd like to see more of them too, but I'll trust Vic's judgement far more than the offensive side.

Probably will end up getting surgery after the season

Curious how this impacts his contract

He had procedures on both shoulders and is week to week according to what I've read. Hopefully just cleaning out some bad cartilage. Time will tell.