PHILADELPHIA — Howie Roseman is running out of cash, and the bill for the 2026 offseason has arrived. The Philadelphia Eagles general manager faces a suffocating salary cap right now. To keep defensive anchors like Jaelan Phillips, Reed Blankenship, and Nakobe Dean, the Eagles must find money fast. The easiest solution? The Eagles cutting Michael Carter II to immediately free up $8.7 million in cap space.
Last October, Roseman panicked. The secondary bled yards, Adoree’ Jackson struggled early, and the Eagles needed a quick fix. Philadelphia shipped wide receiver John Metchie III and a 2027 draft pick to the New York Jets for Carter. The front office expected a lockdown slot defender. They got a special teams ghost instead. Walking the sidelines at Lincoln Financial Field last December, you could almost feel the frustration radiating from Carter. He kept his helmet strapped, waiting for a tap on the shoulder that rarely came.
The $8.7 Million Mistake
Carter never found his footing in Vic Fangio’s defense. He logged just 20% of the defensive snaps over eight games, recording a measly 10 tackles. Rookie sensation Cooper DeJean locked down the nickel spot, completely erasing Carter’s path to the field.
When Carter actually lined up in coverage, opposing quarterbacks attacked him without mercy. He surrendered 11.2 yards per target and a blistering 102.7 passer rating. Pro Football Focus slapped him with a dismal 48.6 coverage grade, ranking him 108th out of 118 qualifying cornerbacks with 250+ snaps. You simply cannot pay over $10 million a year for a backup who gets torched when his number is called.
Still, you have to feel for Carter. He battled through back issues in 2024 and was widely viewed as a top-tier nickel in New York before the trade. Football is a harsh business, and sometimes a change of scenery just doesn’t click. Roseman tried to patch the defensive backfield through sheer volume last season—trading for Jakorian Bennett and taking a wild swing on Jaire Alexander before the veteran stepped away from the game. None of it stuck. Now, releasing Carter is a simple math equation.
“We considered moving Cooper [DeJean] around. But when you have one of the better players at a certain position, and it’s an important position where you get involved more, you hate to take a really good player at one position to maybe not be as good or impactful of a player at another position.”
— Vic Fangio, Eagles Defensive Coordinator
Playoff Implications / What’s Next
Dumping Carter’s bloated contract is just step one. Roseman needs every dollar he can scrap together to retain edge rusher Jaelan Phillips, who transformed the pass rush after his November arrival, and tight end Dallas Goedert. The Eagles also desperately need to re-sign Adoree’ Jackson to secure the boundary opposite Quinyon Mitchell.
The NFC East forgives no one. Dallas still wields Dak Prescott. Washington features a lethal Jayden Daniels. Up in New York, sophomore quarterback Jaxson Dart looks incredibly dangerous under the fierce direction of newly hired head coach John Harbaugh. If Philadelphia wants to survive this division gauntlet in 2026, they need elite outside coverage and a relentless pass rush.
Carter simply does not fit the blueprint. Look for Roseman to officially cut ties before the new league year opens in March, taking the $8.7 million and running straight to the negotiation table with his core free agents.
