Michael Carter Ii Showing Off His Versatility And Value In Training Camp

Michael Carter II showing off his versatility and value in training camp originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Michael Carter II takes pride in being versatile.

And that versatility has him standing out with the Eagles during this training camp.

“That was kind of my staple in college,” Carter said. “Playing everything. And I’m grateful that I’ve earned the trust and still earning the trust of [Joe Kasper] and Vic (Fangio) and even the guys in the defensive room in general, wherever I’m at, to align them. They can trust me to do the right thing and go full speed and just help the team any way I can.”

Carter, 27, has mostly played nickel cornerback in his NFL career, but the Eagles this offseason have him cross-training at the safety position, where he got some first-team reps on Saturday. They also use him as the sixth defensive back when they go to their dime package.

As Fangio point ed out, that’s three different positions that Carter is playing in this training camp.

“I think he’s had a very good camp and has done nothing but helped himself and not eliminating himself from anything,” Fangio said.

The Eagles acquired Carter during last season from the New York Jets during last season. Even though he didn’t have a large role, Carter fit in well in the locker room. And then this offseason, the Eagles and Carter agreed to terms of a renegotiated deal to keep him in Philly for the 2026 season.

Carter isn’t that far removed from when he signed a big contract with the Jets in 2024, making him the highest-paid nickel in the NFL. He wants to prove to everyone he’s still that guy, and he liked the situation in Philly.

“I think really, man, I just wanted to be a part of something special,” Carter said. “I really feel like when I got here, it was really rejuvenating last year. I wanted to stay a part of that. I think being with Joe, being with Vic and being in this system, learning from guys like Drew (Mukuba) and Marcus (Epps) and Coop (DeJean). When I got here, those guys helped me out a lot. I feel like we can all do something special together.”

It seems somewhat unlikely that Carter will be able to wrestle away the starting safety job from Epps, but that is still very much an ongoing competition. 

And no matter what happens with that job, Carter appears to be a valuable piece of the puzzle. If he’s not a starter, he’s still going to be a backup at both nickel and safety and will likely see the field when the Eagles go to their dime defense.

Carter feels like his cross-training at safety has been going well. He’s been getting some extra time with Kasper to learn the nuances of the position. The biggest change — aside from the depth where he plays — has been the added communication. An important part of playing safety is to make sure everyone is lined up properly at the snap.

In any given practice, Carter will line up at all three of those positions from period to period.

“It can be a lot,” Carter admitted. “You just have to kind of compartmentalize everything.”