After missing the first day of the the practice week, Jalen Carter returned to field on Thursday afternoon with a cast on his right wrist.
Carter fully intends to play on Sunday in Nashville.
“I look fine out there wearing it,” Carter said. “Just minor adjustments and still out there practicing. And ready to play.”
Carter, 25, injured his right wrist during the Eagles’ 24-22 win over the Commanders in Week 1. He declined to say exactly what was wrong — whether it was a sprain or fracture — but said the main point was that he’s going to play.
He was limited in practice on Thursday, but Carter he made it clear the injury isn’t going to keep him out.
“I feel good,” Carter said. “I’m playing this week and that’s the main thing right there. Playing.”
Carter had his right hand out of that cast after practice on Thursday but expects he will have to wear it on Sunday against the Titans. He doesn’t think it will bother him.
“It’s just a cast,” Carter said. “I’m still going to have to strike, grab and play the run and pass rush.”
It appears that the injury happened late in the fourth quarter against the Commanders when Carter attempted to punch the football out of the hands of Washington receiver Terry McLaurin. Right after the punch, Carter grabbed at his wrist.
With Carter good to go for Sunday, this game at Nissan Stadium will feature two of the best and highest-paid defensive tackles in the NFL. Carter and Titans All-Pro Jeffery Simmons might just be the two best DTs in the league.
And Carter is a fan of Simmons.
“Cool guy, love his game, “Carter said. “He’s a dawg. He’s one of the guys I’ve watched, such as Aaron Donald and all the other guys that everybody talk about.”
Even though Carter watches Simmons in the offseason, he’s been hard at work studying the Titans offensive linemen he’ll be facing on Sunday. The Eagles beat the Commanders in Week 1 but Vic Fangio called the Eagles’ pass rush “inconsistent” and added that it “really wasn’t good enough.”
The Eagles’ line should have another big opportunity on Sunday in Nashville against an iffy offensive line and a quarterback who likes to hang in the pocket.
“I’ll just say it was Week 1. We got 17,” Carter said. “It’s going to get better throughout the weeks and we could watch the film off Week 1 but we obviously can’t go back and change.”
This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.
