The Philadelphia Eagles took on at least some modicum of risk back in 2023 when they moved up one spot to the ninth overall pick to select Jalen Carter out of Georgia.
Whilst phenomenally talented, after a car-incident that resulted in the deaths of two students and saw Carter himself serve 12 months of probation for his role, teams had concerns about his off-the-field antics.
Yet for the Eagles, Carter has shown himself to be one of the best 3-techniques in professional football, even though his sack numbers â 13.5 over the span of his first three seasons â are far from otherworldly.
Carter has since gone on to become the highest paid DT in the NFL after securing a four-year extension worth $152 million, despite 2025 being a slight down year from the season prior.
But heading into 2026, the hopes are that the 25-year old’s arrow is only heading up. And so the Eagles were no doubt happy to hear that Carter has been doing work on himself in the offseason.
According to The Athletic’s Brooks Kubena, Carter has lost 10 lbs since last season.
Jalen Carter 10 Pounds Lighter in 2026
“Jalen Carter said he is âprobably likeâ 10 pounds lighter this year. The Eagles and Fangio have an ideal weight for Carter, but Carter has withheld the exact number because of a weight clause in his contract. (Carter is officially listed at 6-foot-3, 314 pounds.)”, Kubena wrote on Aug. 11.
“Carter said dropping more weight will help him be âless tired throughout the playsâ and âsave his energy from some plays throughout the game.â
Kubena even outlined specific scenarios and offensive schemes that could be overcome â at least in part â by Carter’s weight loss.
“The Eagles will certainly benefit from a more energized Carter. Their Week 13 loss to the Chicago Bears revealed how opponents could wear them down and push them around with a steady series of cutbacks and misdirection runs.”
Kubena also noted that the Eagles’ new offense run scheme, the eponmous ‘wide zone’, is also helping to test and help improve the endurance of Carter and other run defenders when they go up against them during practice. As will the team’s after-practice conditioning sprints, in which the Florida native finished first amongst the defensive linemen.
On paper, the Eagles have one of the better defensive lines in football. Carter and fellow first round defensive tackle, nose tackle Jordan Davis are arguably the best tandem in the NFL.
2025 also saw the ascendance of breakout 3-4 defensive end and former seventh round pick Moro Ojomo, who took over the role vacated by Milton Williams upon his departure to the New England Patriots and subsequently produced 6 sacks on the season – the first six of his career.
If Carter level-up his performance even further, the sky is the limit for the Eagles DL this coming season.
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