The Philadelphia Eagles have been masters of roster-building for well over a decade. That is thanks largely to the efforts of general manager Howie Roseman, who likely has a spot in the Hall of Fame waiting for him. One of his most controversial moves in recent years was taking Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter in the 1st round three years ago. At the time, Carter was beset by multiple off-the-field concerns, including a hit-and-run incident that saw a fatality. Couple that with ongoing concerns about maturity issues, and it was a significant gamble taking him.
Fortunately, Philadelphia had a veteran locker room and a quality defensive coordinator (Vic Fangio) who could make it work. Carter became a key piece on their 2024 Super Bowl championship team. However, it appears things have shifted since then. The Eagles recently extended defensive tackle Jordan Davis with a massive contract. Now, some wonder if the team is willing to do the same for Carter, who has been subject to several trade rumors since March. One of them includes the Chicago Bears.
“In order to stay ahead of teams like the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers, though, Chicago needs to ensure it has as much talent as possible on its roster. One area where the Bears could use some help is at defensive tackle, so let’s take a look at a blockbuster trade pitch that would see the team acquire Jalen Carter from the Philadelphia Eagles.
Bears receive: DT Jalen Carter
Eagles receive: 2026 first-round pick (No. 25) and 2026 fourth-round pick (No. 129)“
Nothing has changed on the Jalen Carter front.
Is he still a ridiculously talented player capable of streaks of dominance? Yes. The thing is that it was also true at Georgia. Everybody remembers the setup during the 2023 draft. Chicago had traded down from #1 overall to collect a massive bounty of picks. When they went on the clock at #9, Carter was still there. They needed defensive tackle help. It felt like a perfect fit. Instead, the Bears swapped spots with Philadelphia at #10, who took him instead. Chicago went with Tennessee right tackle Darnell Wright.
Nothing has changed. The Bears do still have lingering concerns at defensive tackle. Carter is available, if you believe the rumors. Here’s the thing. Why would they pull the trigger now compared to back then? The defensive tackle is older than before, will require significant compensation to acquire, and needs a major contract extension. This overlooks the fact that he’s still been a headcase at times during his Eagles tenure. If the Bears weren’t willing before, why would they be now?
🔥 Subscribe to the Untold Chicago YouTube channel to hear Chicago legends tell stories you’ve never seen in headlines — real moments, real experiences, straight from the athletes themselves.
The Bears have no regrets about their decision.
Yes, Jalen Carter has enjoyed career success since being drafted. That was always a strong possibility given his immense talent. Even so, nothing about the past three years suggests the Bears have regrets about how they handled that situation. They got an extra draft pick out of the deal and still ended up with an All-Pro tackle to protect their young quarterback. This was a clear case of both teams winning a trade. Philadelphia got a key defensive piece to help their Super Bowl chase, while Chicago got a vital building block for their young roster.
The Carter chatter is still alive because some fans can’t let it go. They still feel the Bears should’ve drafted him and cling to the dream that the team can still somehow make it happen. Sadly, that ship has sailed. Chicago is content with their original decision and has no reason to go back on it. Carter will either stay in Philadelphia or get traded to a team that is willing to risk handing him millions of dollars. Just stop expecting the Bears to somehow have a change of heart.
