Jalen Carter May Force the Eagles Into a $200 Million Decision

Philadelphia, PA – May 26, 2025

When the Eagles selected Jalen Carter in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, they believed they were getting a disruptive force. Two seasons and a Lombardi Trophy later, they may have landed something far rarer: a generational talent who could redefine how the league values interior defenders.

Carter hasn’t just lived up to expectations — he’s shattered them. With 10.5 sacks, 75 tackles, 25 quarterback hits, and four forced fumbles in just 32 games, the 24-year-old has become the heartbeat of Philadelphia’s defensive line. His second season earned him Pro Bowl honors and a Second-Team All-Pro nod, and more importantly, helped anchor the Eagles' march to a Super Bowl LIX title.

Now comes the price of greatness.

The Eagles have already exercised Carter’s fifth-year option, locking him in through 2026 at $12.9 million. But after the 2025 season, he becomes eligible for a contract extension — and the numbers being whispered around the league are staggering. “Carter is tracking toward a deal that could surpass every defensive contract in history,” wrote CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan. “He could very well become the highest-paid defensive player the league has ever seen.”

That’s not just media hype. The current bar is set by Nick Bosa’s $190 million and Chris Jones’ $158 million, the latter being the richest ever for a defensive tackle. Carter, if he continues to dominate at this pace, could eclipse both — potentially breaking the $200 million mark before his 26th birthday.

For Howie Roseman and the Eagles front office, the stakes are both thrilling and sobering. On one hand, you pay elite talent — especially homegrown talent — whatever it takes. On the other, committing historic money to a single defender reshapes the structure of a roster built on depth and flexibility. It’s a balancing act, and one Carter is making harder by the week.

Alongside Jordan Davis, Carter forms the most feared young interior duo in football. They’ve become the foundation of a defense that’s younger, faster, and nastier than any Eagles unit in recent memory. And while Davis remains a future extension candidate himself, it’s Carter whose rise has become too big to ignore.

“He’s unblockable. He wrecks games. And he’s only getting better,” said one NFC offensive line coach anonymously. “If I’m the Eagles, I’m finding a way to pay that man before someone else sets the market for him.”

Philadelphia has shown time and again that it knows when to act — whether drafting, dealing, or deciding. Now, it may face its most expensive and defining decision yet. Because if Jalen Carter continues on this path, it won’t be a matter of if they’ll pay him.

It’ll be a matter of how much history they’re willing to make.