Eagles Exploring New Role for Michael Carter II

The Philadelphia Eagles' secondary is going to look a bit different in 2026.

Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean are First-Team All-Pros who are going to play massive roles with Mitchell as the No. 1 outside corner and DeJean as the nickel. The Eagles went out and signed former Pro Bowler Riq Woolen to come in and help the team as the No. 2 outside corner. Arguably, this is the best three-man group in the National Football League.

Andrew Mukuba is going to start at safety, but there has been movement in the room beyond him. The Eagles lost safety Reed Blankenship this offseason in free agency and traded safety Sydney Brown away. The Eagles re-signed Marcus Epps after trading Brown away but that's not all. Earlier in the offseason, Philadelphia restructured Michael Carter II's deal to keep him in town. The Athletic's Zach Berman reported that Carter is going to be in consideration at safety and that he and Epps actually would be the top two options beyond Mukuba right now.

The Eagles corner could be making a change

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Jan 4, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Washington Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel (1) runs after making a catch as Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Michael Carter II (35) defends during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

"The Eagles shook up the safety spot Friday when they traded Sydney Brown to Atlanta and quickly re-signed Marcus Epps and added J.T. Gray," Berman wrote. "Mukuba is the top option and returns from a season-ending injury as a starter, but the second spot is uncertain after Reed Blankenship departed. Epps was a steady veteran following Mukuba’s injury; he had usurped Brown on the depth chart. The Eagles re-negotiated Carter’s deal to keep him around this season and are expected to give him more of a look at safety. If the season started this week with everybody healthy, they would be the top two options after Mukuba at safety."

Carter has had success as a nickel throughout his career, mainly with the New York Jets. The Eagles acquired him ahead of the 2025 NFL trade deadline, but his role wasn't massive. DeJean didn't move from nickel and Carter wasn't the No. 2 outside cornerback answer.

With Blankenship and Brown out of town and Carter's deal being updated, the Eagles need to find a way to utilize him. A move to safety could absolutely be the right way to do so, while also allowing the team to fill a roster hole without having to go out and add another player.

If Carter is the No. 2 or No. 3 safety, that makes the addition of Jonathan Jones make much more sense as well. If the top four corners are Mitchell, DeJean, Woolen and Jones and the top three safeties end up being Mukuba, Carter and Epps, that's the best secondary in football on paper.