The Philadelphia Eagles' secondary might be even messier now that safety Marcus Epps is out. Still, it's messier and has certainly given Michael Carter II a perfect opportunity to prove himself.
Philly's safety position has drawn heavy criticism after receiving a ton of praise from Eagles reporters during training camp. It's gotten to the point that the Eagles signed Kenny Moore, a career cornerback, to train and play at safety. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has even gone as far as to rotate Carter and Epps in the starting lineup until a clear starter can be found.
That won't be necessary in Week 4, though, as Epps will not play in the game with a last-second groin injury. Carter is now in line to start for Philly, giving him a second chance to prove why he was a starter with the New York Jets and that he can hold the job for the near future.
Michael Carter II could take Eagles' safety job by the horns (if he steps up)
Carter started his career with the New York Jets as a fifth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He spent his career with the Jets as a nickel corner, and while things went well for him there, he began playing inconsistently by the end.
That's what led the Eagles to trade for Carter last year and work him in a combo nickel/safety role, like Cooper DeJean was working toward. Carter was more going to be a safety and was training to get to that point, but was on more special teams in the second half of the 2025 season.
After Reed Blankenship's departure, Carter and Epps battled it out for the starting safety job at training camp this year, and Epps won. It hasn't been easy for Epps this season, though; he's struggled to tackle consistently and has been a liability in coverage.
In the Eagles' 27-7 loss to the Chicago Bears, a new trend emerged: Epps was pulled after the first drive in favor of Carter. The two rotated, with Fangio announcing this week that it would continue until someone took the job.
Things will be different entering Week 4, though, with Carter likely starting at safety. Moore could be in line to start, but Fangio won't rush him onto the field, and it could be a while before he plays.
This season, Carter has racked up just five tackles and a passer rating allowed of 87.5. Pro Football Focus gave him an overall grade of 64.3 with only 30 total snaps on defense this season. He also has a PFF coverage grade of 58.8 and a run-defense grade of 74.0.
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Carter won't get these kinds of moments often, but he has a chance to prove himself in Week 4 against the Los Angeles Rams and steal the starting job from Epps. The bar is set pretty low, so he has every opportunity to do it.
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