Jalen Carter could be ready to dominate after Cowboys' quotes on Tyler Booker

The Philadelphia Eagles have the benefit of facing a wounded Dallas Cowboys team in the first game of the 2025 season. Not only do the reigning Super Bowl Champions have the luck of playing against Dallas just days after the stunning Micah Parsons trade, but they also won't have the benefit of future Hall of Fame guard Zack Martin.

All of this stands to benefit the Eagles, who have their dominant defensive tackle duo of Jordan Davis and popular All-Pro candidate Jalen Carter ready to make life hell for Dak Prescott. Carter will face off against a rookie in No. 12 overall pick Tyler Booker, making his NFL debut at right guard.

The Cowboys may sound confident in Booker making his debut against a player in Carter who could take the leap from great to elite in the 2025 season, but head coach Brian Schottenheimer may end up on Old Takes Exposed after his full-throated defense of his prized rookie lineman.

"[Booker] played against great players," Schottenheimer said. "Jalen's going to win some battles, Book's going to win some battles, and that's football, man. And if you can't get excited about that going into a matchup in a game, hey, man, and in the blocking game, how cool is that?

Eagles DT Jalen Carter could dominate Tyler Booker after confident quotes

Carter is not just a "great player" that Booker must contend with. As he showed last year, he is the type of defensive lineman who is so good that he can wreck an entire offensive gameplan if he is left unchecked. That's a tough draw for anyone, let alone a rookie many believe was overdrafted.

Dallas' once-mighty offensive line also features a thoroughly average second-year center in Cooper Beebe, a subpar right tackle in Terence Steele, and injured left tackle Tyler Guyton, who was a sack machine last season. Even without Josh Sweat and Milton Williams, the Eagles' defensive line should be a real headache for this crew.

The Cowboys might be able to minimize the pass rush impact Carter can have by leaning into their ground game. Still, it seems hard to imagine a world where a committee led by Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders can rip up one of the finest defenses in the league.

Even if Booker ends up being a worthwhile replacement for Martin down the line, his first ever matchup in Cowboys blue will come against a motivated Eagles team led by the dominant Carter up front.