Eagles' CB Moves About Options For Vic Fangio

The Eagles are keen on Carter as an Avonte Maddox-like player with inside versatility to help in the slot and at safety, which are often mirrored positions in Fangio’s scheme.

In the slot, Carter brings experience behind Cooper DeJean, something that Fangio did not feel comfortable with before Carter was acquired from the New York Jets for receiver John Metchie and a swap of Day 3 2026 draft picks.

Eagles senior personnel executive Joe Douglas drafted Carter as the GM of the Jets, and safeties coach Joe Kasper had Carter in college at Duke, so there is a lot of familiarity with what Carter could potentially add on and off the field.

“Michael's another guy that we knew really well coming out of college,” Roseman said. “... Joe Douglas is here, and he had a lot of experience with [Carter]. 

“When you go and you watch someone and then you go talk to someone who's been with someone, someone whose opinion you trust, whether it's Vic or Joe or [Passing Game Coordinator/Defensive Backs Coach Christian Parker] CP with Jaire. You see things the same way and they're telling you about the person that makes you more confident in what you're getting.”

If Carter replicates what he was earlier in his career as a slot with the Jets, that could mean a DeJean move outside the numbers full-time.

What’s more likely, however, is an ability to better match up the versatile DeJean with X and Z receivers outside of base looks.

More so, if rookie Drew Mukuba makes a few too many mistakes, Carter could add versatility with the coverage ability Fangio likes opposite Reed Blankenship on the back end.

Alexander is strictly an outside option, but one with a high pedigree and demonstrated performance as a second-team All-Pro in 2020 and 2022.

Life moves fast in the NFL, and Alexander hasn’t looked the same in recent years while battling injuries. 

The connection with Alexander is Parker, who was getting his start as a quality control coach in Green Bay when Alexander was one of the best cover corners in football.

For now, Alexander gives Fangio a fourth dart while looking to find some consistency in the nickel defense opposite Quinyon Mitchell.

And it took little to get the veteran with Roseman sending a 2026 sixth-rounder to Baltimore for Alexander and a 2027 seventh-round selection.

Between Kelee Ringo, Adoree’ Jackson, Alexander, and perhaps Jakorian Bennett, the odds increase that one of the four eventually reaches competency as Philadelphia makes its annual run to the postseason.

“What we're really trying to do is we're trying to be able to match up with all kinds of shapes and sizes at the wide receiver position in the secondary,” said Roseman. “When you have guys who can do that, it just gives you so much flexibility when you're going to play different teams and the different types of receivers they have, different types of tight ends, even backs coming out of the backfield.”