Does Eagles’ trade for CB Michael Carter II foreshadow Cooper DeJean moving outside?

Howie Roseman’s wound reopened Wednesday afternoon when he finally scratched his trademark trade itch, which had scabbed over in the 50 days since he acquired running back/all-world kickoff returner Tank Bigsby back on September 9. This time, his acquisition is ex-Jets cornerback Michael Carter II, set to arrive in Philadelphia along with a 2026 seventh-round pick in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick and wide receiver John Metchie, now the middleman in a trade centipede after his two-month stint with the team after he was acquired with flotsam for Harrison Bryant and jetsam.

Carter II, 26, is an interesting addition to an Eagles secondary that seems to have a glaring hole to fill. None of the trio of Adoree’ Jackson, Kelee Ringo and Jakorian Bennett has yet suitably papered over an imaginary “Throw it here!” sign opposite Quinyon Mitchell. Roseman knows Eagles fans have spent the first half of the season lamenting the departure of Isaiah Rodgers, who left despite the Eagles’ very, very, very, very, very serious, unquestioned effort to retain him. In lieu of an obvious solution on the outside, Roseman has now imported Carter II, whose history suggests he’s more nickel-only than the nickel itself (75 percent copper, in fact).

A fifth-round pick in 2021, Carter II quickly emerged as a full-time player for the Jets defense and became known as one of the league’s best inside cornerbacks. At 5-10, 184, he is said to have man-coverage chops even if his first-percentile arm length (29 1/8 inches) help leave his ball production wanting. Feistiness in run defense comes with the package, even if his closest observers say his play has dropped a touch over the past two seasons despite a shiny contract extension signed in 2024.

If we assume Roseman is now done addressing the secondary before next Tuesday’s trade deadline, there are three possibilities for how the Eagles view this addition. The first is that Roseman and Vic Fangio are so fed up with their crop of outside cornerbacks that Carter II will soon be installed as the primary nickel cornerback to allow Cooper DeJean to move outside, thereby weakening the Eagles at two positions but potentially improving the quality of the weakest link in the group. The second is that someone in the building thinks Carter II can actually compete on the outside despite his lack of experience there. The third is that Roseman simply saw an opportunity to bolster the group’s depth and acquire someone for cheap who just gives Fangio another option.

We’ll find out soon enough.