Report: Philadelphia Eagles Hesitant to Pay Jalen Carter

According to Albert Breer of SI, the Philadelphia Eagles are hesitant to pay Jalen Carter. 

The Eagles have already picked up the fifth-year option on Carter, who will make $27.1 million in 2027 if he isn't extended before then.

"They are hesitant to pay him," Breer wrote. "Philadelphia is telling you what you need to know with its actions. The Eagles have always been aggressive paying their own, in large part because they know that the earlier you do the deal, the better the price you’ll get. It’s a strategy that takes commitment from ownership, which Philly clearly has (some owners would rather keep money in their accounts until the summer), and has served the team very well over the years.

"So the fact that we’re into June without Jalen Carter having a deal is notable. And I’d guess if they do one now, before his fourth season as a pro, then it’d come with flexibility for the team. If Carter won’t give them that flexibility now, maybe he’ll just wait another year. Which would make this a little like the George Pickens situation in Dallas—where a team might want to see a little more from a player, just from a character perspective, before committing long term."

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. 

The Eagles better be careful here. They don't want things to get ugly with Carter, who is one of the best players in the NFL. 

"He disrupts the game, he's smart, and he plays hard," Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said of Carter. "There aren't many like him out there and I'm glad he's on our side."

"He's one of the most dominant players in the league, if not the most dominant that I've seen," former Washington Commanders Offensive Coordinator Kliff Kingsbury said late in the 2025 season about Carter. "He can wreck a game by himself. 98 is as good a player as there is in the NFL right now."

The Eagles traded A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots this offseason. No one expects Carter to get traded, but he might hold out for a new deal. 

Philadelphia won the NFC East again last season but lost to the San Francisco 49ers at home in the wild-card round of the 2026 playoffs. Fangio will be back next season after considering retirement this offseason.

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.

Those numbers won't be high again if Carter isn't playing, though.  

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