Philadelphia Eagles OTAs have come and gone, leaving more questions than answers, but a concern has arisen regarding one of the team's best players.
During the two days of the Eagles' mandatory OTAs, star defensive tackle Jalen Carter only took part in individual drills and did nothing with the team, with Bryon Young filling in for him in the starting lineup. Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni was asked about the situation, but he wouldn't go into detail about what happened or what the thinking was.
"I'm not going to get into all those different things," Sirianni said via 94 WIP reporter Dave Uram. "Right now, I've been able to work some individual scenarios on individual practices, and that's where he is. Everybody's in a little bit different boat right now of where they are in the offseason, and that's where Jalen is."
Nick Sirianni stays mum on why Jalen Carter only did certain drills
Many are starting to wonder whether Carter is still not 100% from last season, as he suffered a heel injury earlier in the season and also injured both shoulders, resulting in him missing six games. Reporters follow up with Sirianni to ask if Carter has recovered and is healthy.
"You know, he's worked really hard to continue to get himself into the best position he can possibly be in to go into training camp, and he's continuing to work with that."
Of course, Sirianni sticks to the canned response of saying little despite speaking. That is usually an indicator that there is more to the story than what is being said.
Carter is entering a massive 2026 campaign after making his second straight Pro Bowl in just three NFL seasons. The Eagles picked up his fifth-year option on his rookie deal, as he is due to make $27.1 million in 2027, but the team has to decide whether to give him a contract extension before or after the 2026 season.
This latest development on Carter potentially not being 100% healthy could now factor into the Eagles' decision on a contract extension. Philly could be hesitant to do anything until they know what is going on with Carter and whether he can bounce back from a "down" 2025 season.
Read more: Jalen Hurts closed out Eagles OTAs in the worst way possible
There's no doubt in anyone's mind that Carter is one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL, and his next contract is about to break the bank for the Eagles. It's now all a matter of whether he is healthy or if his shoulders are still enough of a concern to hold back on committing to him in the future right now.
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