5 biggest surprise players (both good and bad) for the Eagles in 2023

Nice surprises: Jalen Carter

Once upon a time, not too long ago, Jalen Carter was considered the best player in the NFL Draft before character questions resulted in a jeopardized draft status. He landed in Philly and looks like a star in the making. Most importantly, he has shown great character.

He hit a rookie wall, possibly because he has never played this much, but this looks like a selection that will pay off and even more so than we expected.

Nice surprises: Braden Mann

After watching the punter, of all people, come up small in big moments (Arryn Siposs), anyone brought in would be a breath of fresh air. Braden Mann is better than advertised though.

Some of our friends in New Jersey who self-identify as New York Jets fans told us we'd be disappointed, but they were wrong, thankfully. We're pretty pleased with the product. It feels good to be confident in your punter's ability to boom one.

Very honorable mention: Tyler Steen

Earning playing time will be a tough ask for Tyler Steen unless Jason Kelce retires and Cam Jurgens slides over to play center. Then, maybe Tyler can compete for the right tackle position.

He makes our list based on his lone start this season. He played well versus the Dallas Cowboys, and we'll never forget him jumping on that fumble to potentially save a game.