When it comes to the defense of the Philadelphia Eagles, disruption is the name of the game.
And square in the middle of all the action, always the eye of the storm, is defensive tackle Jalen Carter, who we've already tabbed as the second most important Eagle heading into 2026.
Now entering his fourth season, the star interior lineman, who recently became the highest-paid defensive tackle in history, has been taking no prisoners all summer long. His dominance over the past few months has earned defensive line coach Clint Hurtt's approval. The objective is straightforward, and according to Hurtt, Carter is well on his way to achieving it:
“Just to be a consistently dominant player,” Hurtt said. “Not just the flash plays but consistently dominant down in and down out, doing the little things the right way. I would say this training camp has been a commitment and a start of that, so that’s what I’m proud of seeing from him.”
Jalen Carter is fully capable of securing 'DPOY' honors with Eagles in 2026
There's no reason that a fully healthy and focused Carter cannot vie for defensive player of the year honors this coming season. When he's locked in, outside of Myles Garrett, there's no other defensive lineman in the game who can wreck shop quite like Carter.
Nicknamed 'The Baby Rhino' for his ferocity and brute strength, it's become apparent why so many players and front office executives were stunned when Eagles general manager Howie Roseman was able to land Carter with the 9th overall selection in the 2023 draft: He is capable of consistently causing chaos in the trenches like few others this game has seen.
Zach Berman of The Athletic also feels this could be the season it all comes together for Carter, as he forecasts a serious run at DPOY distinction for the former Georgia Bulldog:
"The Eagles might have the NFL’s best defense this season, and Carter could be their best player. He signed a deal making him the highest-paid defensive tackle in the NFL. He enters this season healthier than last year. Remember how he looked in the postseason in January 2025? Carter can have that effect all year. His statistics have not matched his impact on games in his career (13.5 sacks in three seasons), though it wouldn’t be far-fetched to see that sack number increase. It would be difficult for a defensive tackle to win the award without double-digit sacks.
"Carter’s preseason odds have been in the top 10 in this category by multiple sportsbooks. Jalen Hurts as MVP was under consideration, although I’m not sure he’ll accumulate prolific passing numbers even if the Eagles are among the NFL’s best teams. Carter leading the NFL’s No. 1 defense might be a better path to an award."
The stars are aligning for Carter, from the record-breaking contract to his return to good health to the consistently elite performance he's put forth this summer. His first two seasons suggested this type of award could eventually be on the menu, while last season left some meat on the bone.
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Carter is back with a vengeance, and as the top dog of what could be the best defense in the league in 2026, earning defensive player of the year honors appears well within reach.
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