Eagles Jalen Carter: 'I Want To Be The Best'

Jalen Carter was one of the best defensive players in the NFL last year. That’s not good enough for the Eagles defensive tackle, drafted ninth overall and now about to enter his third season.

“This is what I wanted to do,” said Carter after Tuesday’s OTA practice in South Philly. “I want to be the best at what I do. I want to be the best. I’m not there, yet.”

He’s getting close. He was second in the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year voting two years ago. Last season, he was a Pro Bowler, though he didn’t participate in the festivities because he was busy helping the Eagles win Super Bowl LIX, and a second-team AP All-Pro.

First-team All-Pro honors went to the New York Giants’ Dexter Lawrence, the Kansas City Chiefs' Chris Jones, and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Cameron Hayward. Carter said he watches films of them and others.

“I still have a lot of people in front of me who have been in the league a couple more years who have experience on me,” said Carter, who just turned 24 in April. “But I just keep grinding every day. Not just me by myself working on specific things to get better but just being around the team and having the guys support me will help me be one of the best in the league.”

Vic Fangio will help him get there, too. The defensive coordinator is a fanatic about conditioning, and Carter takes his message seriously. Fangio is also a technician when it comes to fundamentals and technique.

Carter played 831 defensive snaps, just 62 percent, after a rookie season where he played 563 (48 percent) because of the presence of Flather Cox. Carter could top 1,000 snaps this year.

“I’m having fun out there,” he said. “If I could play every down, I’d love it but if I have to get out because I need a break or something I know the next guy will step up for me.”

Fangio believes he’s ready for the 1,000-snap possibility.

“He’s a young pup,” said the DC, noting that the two plays he made at the end of the Rams’ Divisional round win came on his 68th and 69th plays of the game.

Here’s what else you have to love about Carter. He was asked if he is viewing this season as a contract year.

“Not really,” he said. “Money’s good and all that but after we won that ring, you saw how we all looked. That’s better than just one person getting paid… I’m just grinding every day to try to get another Super Bowl.”