Talks in media circles have intensified about what will happen with Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter during the next few months.
Trade rumors have been swirling throughout the offseason involving Carter, as he was at one point linked to potential trades with Maxx Crosby and Myles Garrett, and now with the San Francisco 49ers. There is also talk about Carter getting a new contract extension with the Eagles, as ESPN team reporter Tim McManus believes could happen soon, though some concerns remain.
"This is a tricky one. Carter, 25, 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. It's understandable that Carter's representation would shoot for the stars (Jeffery Simmons is now top of the market at $35 million annually), but there is risk involved from Philadelphia's perspective. The key will be finding a deal that offers big money for Carter and some protections for Philly. Ideally, they find that middle ground before training camp."
Update on Jalen Carter contract extension has some questions in there
The trade talks with Carter have been fun, but realistically, the Eagles are probably not in the market to move away from a guy who has made two Pro Bowls in three seasons. Carter is an elite talent at defensive tackle, regardless of the concerns about him. It would have to take two first-round picks to convince Eagles general manager Howie Roseman to move on from him.
Turning the attention to his contract extension, Simmons did not do the Eagles any favors with his new deal. That leaves the Eagles in a situation where they will have to give Carter the kind of money that will reset the market for defensive tackles, again, which could be in the range of $35 million-$37 million per year.
The terms of that contract are what everyone will focus on. Roseman is most likely looking at a three-year extension with Carter that will include some cap relief about a year into the extension, so that they have some kind of out on the contract. After the headache of dealing with A.J. Brown's contract, the Eagles are going to be smarter about how they tackle players' contracts, which is what Roseman does best.
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Carter is going to collect a big payday regardless of when the contract gets signed, but the Eagles should be able to get something done.
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