Inside The Eagles Locker Room: What Did Jalen Carter Say About His Status For Week 2

There is more injury news, too, including updates on Drew Mukuba and Jonathan Greenard, as well as on the offensive line.

Sep 13, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter (98) prepares to rush against Washington Commanders offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. (72) during the second half at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

PHILADELPHIA – Scanning the field for jersey No. 98 and you see it, you see him, Jalen Carter, all the way on the other end of the field, so far away you’d need the vision of an owl to see it clearly. Then, you see something else, and there’s no need to squint. It’s a cast on his right hand, about a quarter of the way up his forearm. It gleams in the midday light, bright yellow.

It’s protecting an injured wrist suffered against the Commanders. Will it keep Carter from playing in Week against the Tennessee Titans?

“Still out there practicing and ready to play,” said Carter after practice. “I feel good. I'm playing this week, and that's the big part. That's the main thing right there, playing.”

Carter lost games last year with shoulder injuries. He says he won’t let the wrist injury set him back. He will play with the cast, though.

“It's just a cast and I'm still gonna strike, grab, and play the run and, pass rush,” he said. “That's pretty much it. I can't let it affect me.”

What Carter didn’t want to say is exactly why he has to wear the cast. He didn’t want to say whether the wrist was broken or sprained.

“I don't even know,” he said. “If I were to get into all that, if y'all wanna know, y'all can ask the guys around, but I like to keep my personal stuff personal.”

Carter played 94 percent of the defensive snaps in the season-opening win over the Commanders, making three tackles, with a forced fumble, and a blocked PAT.

“It feels good,” said Carter. “Good treatment in there. You know them guys, they treated me right in there; just get me ready for the game we got this week.”

CONCERNING

While Carter was reassuring everyone in the locker room that he would play, there was no such positive energy coming from safety Drew Mukuba. He wasn’t seen during the first 15 minutes or so reporters are allowed to watch practice, and listed as not practicing on the injury report. He was seen in the locker room afterward with a compression sleeve on his left leg.

He was asked how he felt as he was walking out, and he said, ‘Good.’ He held up both thumbs when he said that. It didn't seem super convincing.

What's Going On At Left Guard?

Could this be what the left side of the Eagles' offensive line looks like - Drew Kendall next to Jordan Mailata - with Landon Dickerson expected to miss at least a month? | Ed Kracz/Eagles on SI

SUPER CLOSE

Those are the words of edge rusher Jonathan Greenard, who has yet to make his Eagles’ debut due to a pec strain.

“I think ultimately now I'm on the back end of where it's trajecting pretty good; really, really good,” he said. “The early days of it being sore, stiff, things of that sort are past. Now, just getting back stronger and getting back stacking days so I can continue to do the job more than just one time. Obviously it's gonna be a long season.”

Greenard was asked how tough it’s been watching while he tries to be patient with wanting to show Eagles fans what he is capable of.

“Yeah, especially when I ain't played ball since December.,” he said. “I mean, anybody would be pissed off about that. So, I was just mad at, obviously, the timing of the injury, but at the end of the day, everything happens for a reason.

“All I can control is moving forward to my next step, and I feel like they've done a great job here with the rehab process. I'm feeling better. I'm getting, getting more and more confident in it, to where I can eventually get out there.”

NOWHERE TO BE SEEN

Many of the offensive linemen weren’t in the locker room after practice, so nobody could ask Fred Johnson about what was seen at practice. He lined up during warmups at left guard. Was it a harbinger of what could happen on Sunday with Landon Dickerson out? Don’t count on it. It felt more like the Eagles were trying to keep everyone off balance by showing that look, though one can't be 100 percent sure.

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