Eagles' Jalen Carter Set To Return Vs. Bills

The superstar defensive tackle is ready to return after PRP treatment on his shoulders.

Oct 26, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter (98) reacts in the third quarter against the New York Giants at Lincoln Financial Field. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

PHILADELPHIA - It was no coincidence. 

The Eagles' talented defensive front withered at the seams with Darnell Wright and  Co. washing down the group again and again en route to the Chicago Bears running for 281 yards in what was literally and figuratively a Black Friday loss by Philadelphia.

Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jalen Carter had to shut it down afterward.

“I want to play blocks better and use my hands more. The shoulders was kind of restricting it, but I still tried to fight through it," Carter said. "And that’s when you seen the transition of me playing the run less and more pass rushing.”

Both of Carter's shoulders had bothered him since the offseason, and playing through the pain with a lack of flexibility and strength had finally tilted toward a negative return against the Bears.

It had gotten to the point where Carter was unable to lift or complete a simple pushup.

Temporary Fix?

Sep 21, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter (98) against the Los Angeles Rams at Lincoln Financial Field. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

“A little serious," is how Carter described the issue in October. By December it had crossed over to multiple PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) injections in both shoulders just to get him back on the field for another postseason run. 

Speaking for the first time since since missing three games while undergoing the therapy, Carter feels better but did admit that the procedures may just been putting a Band-Aid on the problem until the offseason.

The big man is not nor will be 100% this season but claims he feels good enough to get back in the lineup and give the Eagles and defensive coordinator 110% effort.

Carter returned to practice on Tuesday and Wednesday and expects to play Sunday when the 10-5 Eagles visit the 11-4 Buffalo Bills.

“I can’t get too excited because I’m still working on it every day, still getting the strength back,” Carter said. “... You want to get out there but you can’t rush the process and hurt it even more."

The Bills are a tough test. The NFL's leading rusher, James Cook, is a Carter friend from Georgia and MVP quarterback Josh Allen got the "dog" label from the talented defensive tackle.

“I remember when we played them two years ago and I missed a sack on [Allen],” Cater said. “We got to get that back.”

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