If all goes according to plan this season, Jalen Carter will become a very wealthy man.
The superstar Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle is expected to rank among the NFL's top five non-quarterbacks after he becomes extension eligible in 2026.
Analyst Anthony Holzman-Escareno of NFL.com predicts Carter will earn $35-plus million in average per-year value on his next deal. The list of non-quarterbackers at that AAV is just five players:
- Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson — $35M
- Raiders EDGE rusher Maxx Crosby — $35.5M
- Texans EDGE Danielle Hunter — $35.6M
- Browns EDGE Myles Garrett — $40M
- Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase — $40.25M
— Source: Spotrac.com
This is all subject to change, of course, as the NFL salary cap continues to grow annually, allowing the league’s premier players to level up. Looming extensions for guys like Micah Parsons, Terry McLaurin and T.J. Watt could soon add to the $35M AAV club.
Should the Eagles pay Carter beyond Kansas City Chiefs star Chris Jones’ current $31.75 million per year deal? If you ask Holzman-Escareno, the answer is a resounding yes.
“He’s just beginning to display the dominance he’s capable of as a player,” he wrote of Carter. “The Eagles tend to keep their stars in-house with long-term deals, so it would be no surprise for Carter to sign an extension next offseason — the first in which he’s eligible. I expect Carter’s contract to set a new highwater mark at the position.”
The Eagles already appear to be laying the groundwork for Carter’s looming mega extension. They created financial flexibility in 2026 and beyond by cutting ties with the likes of C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Milton Williams, Josh Sweat and Bryce Huff. Their only “splash moves” in free agency were extending Saquon Barkley, Zack Baun, Lane Johnson and Cam Jurgens. Also, no notable outside free agent was signed beyond the 2025 season.
Carter will need to stay healthy and continue on his upward trajectory, but he’s poised to cash in big time as one of the NFL’s top young franchise defensive linemen next spring.
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