BREAKING: Philadelphia Eagles Give Jalen Carter Massive Extension

The Philadelphia Eagles are signing Jalen Carter to a four-year, $152 million extension worth up to $160 million, including $106 million guaranteed, that now makes him the highest-paid defensive tackle in NFL history, per ESPN. 

Carter now will be under contract to the Eagles through the 2031 season.

Philadelphia selected Carter with the ninth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Carter has 13.5 sacks, 66 solo tackles, 25 tackles for loss and 37 QB hits in 43 games. He made the Pro Bowl in 2024 and 2025 and helped the Eagles win the Super Bowl during the 2024 season against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Carter came in at No. 3 in ESPN's defensive tackle rankings for the upcoming season. Only Leonard Williams of the Seattle Seahawks and Jeffery Simmons of the Tennessee Titans are ahead of Carter. 

"He's a problem," a veteran NFL defensive coach said. "A game-wrecker. You feel his presence out there consistently."

Carter's 83 pass-rush wins as an interior lineman since 2023 are tied for the seventh most in the NFL.

However, he doesn't always play with force, per an NFL coordinator who spoke to ESPN. 

"He flashes 10 times a game but gets dragged far too often by average players," an NFL coordinator said.

It's good that the Eagles got an extension done with Carter before the 2026 season. After all the A.J. Brown drama from last season, the last thing Philly needed was Carter to be a distraction in 2026. 

Carter has shown that he can be one of the NFL's most disruptive interior linemen, but he's coming off a down season -- largely due to shoulder injuries -- and entered the league with some questions surrounding his involvement in a fatal crash in 2023

The Eagles, though, still felt comfortable giving Carter a lot of money. 

The Eagles' defense finished fifth in the NFL in scoring defense last season, giving up only 19.1 points per game. Philadelphia's 56.8% completion percentage allowed led the league, while its 75.4 passer rating ranked second. 

Philadelphia won the NFC East again last season, but the San Francisco 49ers beat the Eagles in the wild-card round of the playoffs. It will be interesting to see how the Eagles do in 2026.