Vic Fangio explains Michael Carter II’s expanding Eagles role

The competition for roles in the Philadelphia Eagles' secondary has been one of the more intriguing storylines of training camp. Veterans, young players, and newcomers are all fighting for snaps, but one defender seems to keep finding his way into the conversation regardless of where he's lined up.

That player is Michael Carter II.

The former New York Jets defensive back was added last October as part of an in-season trade. Philadelphia added Carter and a 2027 seventh-round draft choice. The Jets landed wide receiver John Metchie and a 2027 sixth-round pick.

Carter has spent much of camp bouncing between responsibilities and has shown some versatility. Vic Fangio spoke with the media recently, and according to the Eagles' defensive coordinator, that's exactly why the Eagles continue investing valuable practice reps in his development.

Fangio was asked recently about Carter's progress after the preseason opener. He explained that the evaluation goes beyond a simple safety competition. You may have noticed. Marcus Epps didn't play while Carter got an extended look during the preseason opener.

"I wanted to see Carter get a lot of snaps at safety. Epps has played his whole career at safety. He's getting a lot of reps in practice. This is new territory for Mike, and we need to get him a bunch of reps there to really get him prepared and totally evaluated... He did fine"

That answer revealed something important. The Eagles already know what Marcus Epps is. Carter, however, remains a player whose ceiling is still being explored. Philadelphia isn't merely evaluating whether he can handle safety duties. The coaching staff is trying to determine how much versatility they can unlock.

Fangio has been consistent in his praise throughout camp. Earlier this month, he noted that Carter might be learning more positions than anyone else on the roster. Ahead of Philadelphia's first joint practice session with the Patriots, he provided a critique of how things are going.

"Michael's had a good camp so far. He might be the only guy — I'd have to think — he's learning three positions. He's playing safety, nickel, and when we do go to our six-DB stuff, he's the sixth DB in there. I think he's had a very good camp and has done nothing but helped himself and not eliminating himself from anything. Safety, he's progressing nicely."

That versatility helps explain why Carter keeps receiving opportunities. The Eagles aren't developing a backup at one position. They're developing a defender who could potentially help them in multiple packages and alignments.

The interception he snagged during practice this week generated headlines, but Fangio's comments suggest the bigger story may be what happens behind the scenes. Every rep Carter receives at safety is another chance to expand his value, and every position he masters may make it harder for the Eagles to keep him off the field.

This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Vic Fangio explains Michael Carter II’s expanding Eagles role