Eagles’ Jalen Carter Gets Big Injury Update Before Vikings Game
- Jalen Carter, Philadelphia Eagles' star DT, is listed as questionable with a heel injury for Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings.
- ESPN's Adam Schefter provided a significant update on Carter's status.
- Carter's potential return strengthens the Eagles' defense as they aim to rebound after recent losses.
Philadelphia Eagles fans have been waiting on word about the status of star defensive tackle Jalen Carter heading into Sunday’s matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. The Pro Bowl DT is dealing with a heel injury that forced him to sit out the defending champions’ disappointing 34-17 loss to the New York Giants in Week 6.
The Eagles felt the absence of Carter significantly against the Giants, with rookie running back Cam Skattebo scoring three rushing touchdowns in the game. Carter’s potential absence on Sunday could be a big problem again for Philadelphia against Minnesota’s running game.
Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter (98) during a game.Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Carter himself declared his intention to play on Sunday as he logged a full practice on Wednesday despite the heel issue. However, the former Georgia Bulldogs standout ended up being a limited participant for both practices on Thursday and Friday. The Eagles officially listed Carter as questionable to play against the Vikings, casting serious doubt on his availability for Sunday’s contest.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter provided a big update on Carter’s status for the Minnesota game. According to the renowned NFL reporter, Carter is good to go for Sunday.
“Eagles DT Jalen Carter, listed as questionable for Sunday due to a heel injury, is expected to play vs. the Vikings, per source,” reported Schefter on X.
This is a significant development for the Eagles, whose defense gets shored up with the return of Carter. Philadelphia should be able to better control the line of scrimmage in run defense. His inside presence should also free up the outside pass rush and help collapse the pocket, thereby applying a lot of pressure on quarterback Carson Wentz.
After winning their first four games of the season, the Eagles have lost back-to-back contests. They will be looking to get their title defense back on track against the Vikings, and Carter’s return to the lineup should help their cause significantly.
The Vikings host Sunday’s matchup at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Kickoff is scheduled at 1:00 p.m. ET.
Why the Buccaneers must watch these 3 Detroit Lions players
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers continue to defy expectations — at least the expectations that exist outside of the building. Inside the locker room, the Buccaneers have truly embraced the 'next man up' mentality, and they are reaping the rewards of buying into that train of thought.
That being said, the Detroit Lions possess one of the NFL's most potent rosters from top to bottom. And even though they are dealing with their own injury issues, they remain one of the league's most dangerous teams because of the wide assortment of talent their GM, Brad Holmes, has assembled on both sides of the ball over the course of his tenure.
In order for the Buccaneers to continue their winning ways, there are many players on the Detroit Lions roster whom they will need to prepare for. That said, we have identified three players in particular who we expect to provide the greatest challenge to the Buccaneers as they try and win a crucial NFC showdown in Detroit for the second season in a row.
EDGE Aidan Hutchinson
The last time the Tampa Bay Buccaneers took on the Lions at Ford Field was Week 2 of last season. Although the Bucs secured a hard-fought victory in the end, winning by a score of 20-16, star Lions pass rusher Aiden Hutchinson was dominant for Detroit.
The Buccaneers were without their starting RT Luke Goedeke in that contest (and will be again this time, too), and the former No. 2 overall pick out of Michigan took full advantage of his matchup with backup Justin Skule. Hutchinson finished the game with an outrageous 4.5 sacks, asserting his dominance over Skule from start to finish.
Although Hutchinson suffered a season-ending injury a few weeks after that early-season matchup, he has returned to full health with a vengeance in 2025. Through six weeks of the season, Hutch is 4th in the NFL with 6 sacks and his 95.2 pass rushing grade is the best in the NFL. Hutchinson is a ferocious defender with speed, power, and a relentless style of play that makes him a one-man wrecking crew.
RB Jahmyr Gibbs
Lions GM Brad Holmes has done a tremendous job building the Lions roster since he was hired in 2021. When Holmes made the decision to draft Jahmyr Gibbs 12th overall out of Alabama in 2023, a lot of people questioned his logic in selecting a running back not named Bijan Robinson so high. However, GIbbs has made Holmes look like a genius, as he’s proven to be one of the league’s most dynamic playmakers since entering the league.
Gibbs’ speed, elusiveness, and versatility as both an elite rusher and sure-handed receiver have added an entirely new dynamic to the Lions’ offense since he was brought into the fold. 2024 was Gibbs’ breakout season, where he erupted for 1,412 rushing yards and 16 TDs to go along with 517 receiving yards and another 4 TDs through the air.
When evaluating Gibbs’ production, what’s even more impressive is the fact that he’s managed to produce such gaudy numbers despite sharing a backfield with David Montgomery, who had 12 rushing TDs of his own last year.
WR Amon-Ra St. Brown
Although Brad Holmes deserves credit for going against the grain with his selection of Jahmyr Gibbs in the first round, his first-ever draft class was even more impressive, and it set the foundation for how the Detroit Lions have become one of the NFL’s best all-around football teams.
Holmes stole St. Brown from the rest of the league when he selected him in the 4th round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Overlooked because of his size, St. Brown’s pristine route-running, sure hands, and gritty style of play have allowed him to blossom into one of the NFL’s truly elite wide receivers.
St. Brown, who is coming off a 1,263 yard, 12 TD season in 2024, currently leads the NFL in 2025 with 6 receiving TDs already. His ability to work all areas of the field against man or zone coverages, combined with his red zone prowess, makes him an extremely difficult player to defend.
St. Brown’s toughness and blocking ability are also a huge factor in the running game, which is a rare trait for any wide receiver to possess.
