The Philadelphia Eagles have some major decisions looming.
Linebacker Nakobe Dean, safety Reed Blakenship, tight end Dallas Goedert, and edge rusher Jaelen Phillips are all free agents in 2026. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman will need to decide which of those players to re-sign and which to allow to depart.
But beyond pending free agents, Roseman will likely have to decide which of his three talented defensive tackles he wants to make a long-term commitment to.
Howie Roseman and Early Extensions
Roseman is no stranger to early extensions. He has given early deals to quarterbacks Carson Wentz and Jalen Hurts, wide receiver DeVonta Smith, tight end Dallas Goedert, offensive tackles Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson, guard Landon Dickerson, and center Cam Jurgens, among others.
Part of the successful team-building strategy Roseman has employed over the past decade-plus has been getting early deals done for his core pieces to save some money on the total deal by working off of smaller salary cap numbers. With each passing year, the salary cap increases and players become more expensive. Roseman's early work has saved the team significant money over the years by striking while the iron was hot.
Now he has three players all set to be free agents within a 12-month period at the same position. So choices will need to be made.
Comparing The Eagles' Defensive Tackles
Here is a snapshot of Davis, Ojomo, and Carter's 2025 performances, including the playoffs, courtesy of Pro Football Focus.
Player | Total Snaps | Total Pressures | Pressure Rate | Sacks | Total Stops | Stop Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jalen Carter | 698 | 46 | 10.5% | 4 | 18 | 2.6% |
Moro Ojomo | 779 | 54 | 11.3% | 6 | 21 | 2.7% |
Jordan Davis | 715 | 28 | 7.1% | 5 | 42 | 5.9% |
Davis leads by a wide margin in defensive stop rate. That speaks to his ability as a run-stopper, working as a nose tackle and serving as the focal point of Philadelphia's defensive front. Neither Carter nor Ojomo can provide the same value as Davis in that regard.
A year ago, it would have been unheard of that Carter might be the odd man out in Philadelphia, but from a production standpoint, that might be the best path forward. Ojomo out-snapped him this year, providing better pressure and stop rates, while also getting to the quarterback more often.
Current Valuations For All Three Players
Currently I have the following projections for each of the three players along with a specific comp for each player.
Jalen Carter - $25 million APY - Leonard Williams (2020)
Moro Ojomo - $21.25 million APY - Vita Vea (2021)/Grover Stewart (2020)
Jordan Davis - $16 million APY - Dalvin Tomlinson (2021)
Carter's pass-rushing potential, combined with his draft pedigree, should keep his valuation above the other two despite the comparative lackluster production.
Davis has been extension eligible for a year now. Roseman opted not to go through with an early deal in 2025 after he became eligible, instead exercising his fifth-year option. But that was before Davis had a breakout year. The calculus has likely changed there. I would expect that Roseman will engage Davis this offseason to lock him in for the future.
The real question is which of Ojomo and Carter to invest in. And once that decision is made, whether to trade the other. Both would be sought-after pieces on the trade market. Following Philadelphia's success last year on the backs of their four-down-and-go defensive line, more defenses are driving similar success this year.
Of the eight teams that made it to the divisional round, half were powered by similar rosters. The Texans, Rams, Broncos, and Seahawks are all wreaking havoc on offenses across the league with a dominant front four. In a copycat league, more teams will want that firepower.
Ojomo has just one year left on his rookie contract. Carter has his fifth-year option, which can be exercised to keep him under team control for two years at a total cash cost of just $23,617,570. He could fetch as much as a first-round pick via trade. Conversely, Ojomo, with a year less team control, would bring back a second at best.
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If it were me, I'd work to sign Davis and Ojomo now and trade Carter for additional draft assets now. But what Roseman does will be fascinating to watch.