Jalen Carter won’t be eligible for a contract extension until the 2026 offseason, but given how GM Howie Roseman and the Philadelphia Eagles have done business with their young, superstar players, the expectation is that Carter’s next deal could make him the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history.
The current number is $40 million. That’s the average annual value of the four-year, $160 million extension that EDGE Myles Garrett signed this year with the Cleveland Browns. Carter plays a different position — Kansas City’s Chris Jones is the NFL’s highest-paid defensive tackle at $31.75 million per year — but if he continues on his current trajectory, Garrett’s number could be the starting point at the negotiating table.
NFL analyst Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports agrees, calling Carter a shoo-in to reset the defensive tackle market after his dominant sophomore season with Philly.
“While helping Philly win Super Bowl LIX, Carter was a second-team All-Pro and a Pro Bowler in 2024,” Sullivan wrote. “Next offseason, Cater will turn just 25 years old, setting him up to land a contract extension that could very well make him the highest-paid defensive player in the league.”
Carter’s mega deal is definitely coming. If he can stay healthy in 2025, the only question will be: How big are the contract numbers going to be? The pending extension for Cowboys star Micah Parsons will almost certainly play a role in the answer to that question.
The Eagles’ front office appears to be preparing for it. They cut ties with a number of high-priced veterans this offseason, like C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Darius Slay Jr., Josh Sweat and Milton Williams. While they’ve extended key pillars like Saquon Barkley, Zack Baun and Lane Johnson, the efforts to create financial flexibility in future years has been evident, especially with the team’s slew of cheap, one-year deals in 2025 free agency.
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Carter was a game-wrecking force from the interior last season, racking up 75 total pressures, seven sacks and 52 quarterback hurries (including the postseason). He’s poised to put up scary numbers on his next contract as well.
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