The Philadelphia Eagles have dropped two straight games and sit with a 4-2 record. The loss to the New York Giants on Thursday Night Football was a disappointment, and the cornerback room continued to be a letdown that needs to be solved.
CB Kelee Ringo got torched by backup wide receivers, highlighting just how badly the Eagles need reinforcements in the secondary, which was only amplified when Quinyon Mitchell went down with a hamstring injury. The Eagles need to make a move in the secondary before the Nov. 4 trade deadline and should acquire New York Jets CB Michael Carter II, who ESPN's Rich Cimini expects will receive plenty of interest in the coming weeks.
"He got a sweetheart deal 13 months ago from former general manager Joe Douglas -- a three-year, $31 million extension. Since then, he has battled injuries and hasn't played well," Cimini wrote. "New general manager Darren Mougey drafted Malachi Moore and recently traded for Jarvis Brownlee Jr., both of whom play nickel. The writing is on the wall."
Eagles Trade for Michael Carter II in Projected Trade
The Eagles desperately need to get some reinforcements in for the secondary, and that's where Carter can step in. He's currently dealing with a concussion, but is a player who's signed through the 2027 season, giving Philadelphia a long-term solution.
In this projected trade, the Eagles would send over a 2026 fifth-round pick to New York in exchange for Carter.
In a new scheme under Steve Wilks this season, Carter II has struggled, but previously, he was a staple playmaker for New York. In 64 career games with the Jets, he has finished with 222 total tackles, 10 TFLs, 26 pass breakups, and two interceptions.
Carter lines up primarily in the slot, which is where the Eagles like Cooper DeJean, but adding the Jets CB would let the Eagles rotate between him and DeJean, keeping the duo fresh. While disrupting DeJean's groove may not be what Philadelphia would prefer, that should be the approach with how badly the CB2 spot has been with Ringo and Adoree' Jackson.
Carter has two seasons with a coverage grade of 71.2 or better on Pro Football Focus and is an incredibly smart player. He would be someone who could step in and give the Eagles better play at corner, which is an area they can't afford to just stand pat and not make a move.
Six weeks into the season, and Philadelphia seems to regret letting Isaiah Rodgers walk in free agency. The Eagles can't dwell on what-ifs forever, though, and that's why trading for Carter makes sense if they want to turn their secondary's performance around.