Eagles' New Acquisition Michael Carter II Aims to Fill Defensive Backfield Void - Here's Why He Matters
The Philadelphia Eagles have made a significant move in the defensive backfield, acquiring Michael Carter II from the Jets in exchange for receiver John Metchie III. The 26-year-old defensive back, also known as "MC2," has played multiple positions throughout his career and could be an ideal depth piece for the Eagles.
Carter's Background and Playing Style
Born in Durham, North Carolina, Carter started his college football journey at Duke University before being drafted by the Jets in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He primarily played nickelback but saw occasional reps as outside corner and safety. In his first year with the Jets, he became the team's highest-paid nickelback after signing a three-year, $30 million extension in 2024.
However, Carter struggled to stay healthy and saw a decrease in playing time since returning from a back injury last season. The Jets limited him to just six snaps in their latest win over the Bengals before trading him ahead of the November trade deadline.
Carter's Addition: Depth and Optionality
With Cooper DeJean already established as the Eagles' slot cornerback, Carter becomes an attractive option for depth and backup purposes. As a safety, he can fill in if Reed Blankenship or Andrew Mukuba get injured. His experience playing the slot also makes him a suitable replacement for Parry Nickerson, who is currently on the practice squad.
Carter's defensive pedigree also allows him to step in opposite Quinyon Mitchell, providing some much-needed stability against opposing teams' slot corners. While not an outside corner himself, Carter could potentially compete with Adoree' Jackson and Kelee Ringo for playing time if Fangio decides to move DeJean outside.
Evaluating Carter's Performance
Carter has been targeted 13 times this season, allowing nine receptions for 123 yards on a quarterback rating of 99.2 per PFF. In the slot, his QBR is 97.5 compared to DeJean's 86.6. While stats are important but limited context, Carter's passer rating allowed in his best seasons was 78.3 and 75.3.
Contract Status
Carter has no guaranteed money left from his extension after releasing $6 million in 2026. His base salary balloons to nearly $10 million next year, making him a prime candidate for release after the season or restructure.
Evaluating Carter's Role with Eagles
While it's uncertain whether the Eagles will re-sign Carter or choose not to prioritize him long-term due to his cap hit, he has already proven himself as a reliable backup slot corner. As a depth piece and potential nickelback if DeJean gets injured, Carter offers stability in an area of the team that struggled with consistency this season.
As practice resumes next week, Fangio will have a chance to evaluate Carter alongside other defensive backs before making any personnel decisions.
The Philadelphia Eagles have made a significant move in the defensive backfield, acquiring Michael Carter II from the Jets in exchange for receiver John Metchie III. The 26-year-old defensive back, also known as "MC2," has played multiple positions throughout his career and could be an ideal depth piece for the Eagles.
Carter's Background and Playing Style
Born in Durham, North Carolina, Carter started his college football journey at Duke University before being drafted by the Jets in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He primarily played nickelback but saw occasional reps as outside corner and safety. In his first year with the Jets, he became the team's highest-paid nickelback after signing a three-year, $30 million extension in 2024.
However, Carter struggled to stay healthy and saw a decrease in playing time since returning from a back injury last season. The Jets limited him to just six snaps in their latest win over the Bengals before trading him ahead of the November trade deadline.
Carter's Addition: Depth and Optionality
With Cooper DeJean already established as the Eagles' slot cornerback, Carter becomes an attractive option for depth and backup purposes. As a safety, he can fill in if Reed Blankenship or Andrew Mukuba get injured. His experience playing the slot also makes him a suitable replacement for Parry Nickerson, who is currently on the practice squad.
Carter's defensive pedigree also allows him to step in opposite Quinyon Mitchell, providing some much-needed stability against opposing teams' slot corners. While not an outside corner himself, Carter could potentially compete with Adoree' Jackson and Kelee Ringo for playing time if Fangio decides to move DeJean outside.
Evaluating Carter's Performance
Carter has been targeted 13 times this season, allowing nine receptions for 123 yards on a quarterback rating of 99.2 per PFF. In the slot, his QBR is 97.5 compared to DeJean's 86.6. While stats are important but limited context, Carter's passer rating allowed in his best seasons was 78.3 and 75.3.
Contract Status
Carter has no guaranteed money left from his extension after releasing $6 million in 2026. His base salary balloons to nearly $10 million next year, making him a prime candidate for release after the season or restructure.
Evaluating Carter's Role with Eagles
While it's uncertain whether the Eagles will re-sign Carter or choose not to prioritize him long-term due to his cap hit, he has already proven himself as a reliable backup slot corner. As a depth piece and potential nickelback if DeJean gets injured, Carter offers stability in an area of the team that struggled with consistency this season.
As practice resumes next week, Fangio will have a chance to evaluate Carter alongside other defensive backs before making any personnel decisions.
... like metchie's been on fire lately and they just got him back from injury 
mc2's stats are cool but not that impressive compared to other safeties in the league 
plus he's gonna be a free agent next year so i'm lowkey hoping the eagles don't prioritize him too much 
still, i guess it's good they got some depth at corner now 
he's got some experience playin multiple positions which is def an asset 
plus he's already shown himself to be reliable as a backup slot corner 
so i don't think ppl should be sellin him short just yet 
but at least he got a new lease on life and his skills are legit 
hopefully he gets the stability and playing time he needs to show off what he can do 
they're trading away metchie for him and it feels like a risk to me... Carter had some good games in the past but his stats have been inconsistent and now he's got some decent money coming off the books. might be hard for the eagles to keep him around if he's not performing well
Carter got lucky with the jets ridding him of his injury issues, now hes goin 2 get a "real" shot @ the eagles r probably 2 trade him away 4 cheap or something 
mc2 is the real deal 
but still think dejean is the starter slot corner 
. Now we just gotta see how Fangio plans to utilize him, maybe even as a nickelback? 
. You got your veteran players like DeJean who are established in their roles and want to stay on the field, and then you got your young bucks like Carter who are trying to prove themselves and get playing time 
. But it's also about making smart business decisions, considering the cap hit and the value they're getting from their players 
.