Jalen Carter, the promising defensive tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles, will be sidelined during the Week 14 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers after undergoing surgeries on both shoulders. According to ESPN, the recovery timeline is weekly, but Carter aims to be close to full strength for the playoffs.

Philadelphia currently holds an 8-4 record, maintaining a 1.5 game lead over the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East standings with five games left in the regular season, positioning them as the potential No. 3 seed for postseason play.

Carter, selected ninth overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, had an impressive rookie season, earning a Pro Bowl selection with 4.5 sacks among other notable stats. However, this season has not mirrored his prior success, as he has recorded just 2.0 sacks and four tackles for loss in ten games thus far. He has managed to bat down six passes, matching his career high from last year.

Carter’s season began with controversy after he was ejected in the first game against Dallas for unsportsmanlike conduct towards Dak Prescott, leading to a financial penalty but no suspension.

With him sidelined, the Chargers will likely capitalize on the middle of the Eagles’ defense, especially after Kimani Vidal’s standout performance last week, where he rushed for a career-high 126 yards and a touchdown.