Eagles trade for Jets cornerback Michael Carter II; will Cooper DeJean move outside?

The Eagles got their cornerback help before the Nov. 4 trade deadline.

The New York Jets sent cornerback Michael Carter II and a 2027 seventh-round pick to the Eagles in exchange for wide receiver John Metchie III and a 2027 sixth-round pick, the teams announced Wednesday.

The Eagles needed some depth at corner, and the Jets needed help at receiver. Metchie, whom the Eagles acquired in an August trade, caught just four passes in his limited role with the Eagles.

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Carter, a fifth-round pick in 2021, provides the Eagles an experienced nickel corner. Nearly 85% of Carter’s NFL snaps have come in the slot, and his addition begs the question: Will Cooper DeJean move outside? The Eagles have struggled to find consistency from their outside cornerback spot opposite Quinyon Mitchell.

Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said Tuesday that the Eagles have “considered” moving DeJean outside permanently. He plays outside in the Eagles’ base packages — and has 103 snaps there so far this season — but emerged during his rookie year last season as a top-tier nickel back.

“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 of a player or impactful of a player at another position,” Fangio said. “But it’s definitely something that we’ve talked about.”

The move Wednesday could signal that the Eagles aren’t just talking about it anymore.

Carter, 26, signed a three-year, $30.75 million deal with the Jets last year. According to NFL Network, Carter “agreed to delete the $5 million guaranteed for injury in his 2026 contract year to complete the trade to the Eagles.” Carter, a Georgia native who played at Duke, has two interceptions in four-plus NFL seasons. According to Pro Football Focus, Carter has surrendered just three touchdowns as the closest defender in 2,610 snaps. He has not allowed a touchdown since 2023.

Carter was, however, having a bit of a down year so far on a 1-7 Jets team. He was on pace to allow 45 receptions, his most since 2022, and his 13.7 yards per reception allowed were the most of his career. Perhaps a change of scenery was in order. Carter’s play declined in 2024 after signing his deal, but he dealt with multiple injuries, including a shoulder ailment and a concussion in 2025, which limited him to five games and a lesser role.

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It remains to be seen whether the Eagles will move DeJean outside and slot Carter in as the nickel right away. Kelee Ringo had a bounce-back performance Sunday vs. the New York Giants, but the Eagles have not yet figured out a permanent solution for the second outside spot.

Fangio said Tuesday that the plan moving forward was to see what Jakorian Bennett, who is on his way back from a pectoral injury, looks like in practice and how Adoree’ Jackson looks after coming back from a concussion “and figure it out.”

On Ringo, Fangio said the third-year corner “just needs to play and practice. Become a more instinctual football player and understand what’s happening quicker, faster, and not be surprised by things.”

It wasn’t a ringing endorsement, and the Eagles trading for cornerback help should come as no surprise. The surprise might be that they moved for a corner with limited outside experience. It’ll be up to Fangio to, as he said, figure it all out.