The Eagles are 2-0 after playing twice in the first five days of the 2023 NFL season. Now they have an extended week before playing another undefeated team in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday Night football. The Birds have things to address all over their roster, but a close eye will be on a few of the rookies as Philadelphia tries for a third straight win.

Act III of the Jalen Carter Show

Jalen Carter has become appointment viewing. No, I will literally be leaning forward on my couch whenever he has been on the field. Through two games, Carter has been dominant as a run and pass defender for the limited snaps he has been on the field. The Eagles are happy to rotate him in and out to keep him fresh because they’re also getting high levels of play from Jordan Davis, Milton Williams, Fletcher Cox, and even Marlon Tuipulotu. The result is Jalen Carter bursting with energy anytime he gets snaps and the impact that has had on opposing offenses has been awesome (and devastating for them).

Carter has feasted on some weaker lines between New England and Minnesota and will get a more staunch test in Tampa Bay. The Bucs have been an early season surprise on offense as Baker Mayfield has only been sacked once and has yet to turn the ball over. The Eagles will need to disrupt Tampa’s offense and Carter should play a huge part in that. A dominant game will be another feather in the cap of an excellent rookie season.

Any chance we see more Sydney Brown?

After a rough showing by the safeties in Week 1, Terrell Edmunds and Justin Evans actually played a mostly solid game against the Vikings. Hardly perfect, but made and prevented plays in some critical moments. That being said, it still does not feel like the safeties are a position the team can depend on, even with Reed Blankenship coming back from injury.

Brown saw some limited snaps on defense against Minnesota... could that be a sign of a growing role or a flash in the pan. Fans would certainly like to see the rookie third-round pick out there, but it depends entirely on if the defensive staff trusts him yet.

Could cornerback injuries mean Kelee Ringo or Eli Ricks is next on deck?

Avonte Maddox is likely out for the entire season, giving the Eagles a conundrum at cornerback. Mario Goodrich, a second-year UDFA, struggled playing in the slot against Minnesota. Mind you, he was thrust into the game, largely facing off against Justin Jefferson, but he did struggle. Outside of Goodrich, James Bradberry saw some time in the slot during training camp and could be an option there. If that ends up happening, Josh Jobe should be playing outside cornerback. The second-year player didn’t look great against Minnesota, giving up a long touchdown to Jordan Addison, but there is reason to be confident in his growth.

In any case, the thinning cornerback group could mean we see Eli Ricks or Kelee Ringo soon. The team is another injury away from needing contributions from the rookies. Ringo is a high upside player with room to grow as a boundary cornerback while Ricks was a standout in preseason.