The Philadelphia Eagles' ability to hit on NFL Draft picks over the last few years, due to Howie Roseman's willingness to bet on raw talent above all else, is perhaps the main reason they have been a pillar of excellence in the NFL. One such premium pick who has blossomed into a star is defensive tackle Jalen Carter.
Carter is dominant, but he may want a new contract soon, and that contract may be record-setting for defensive tackles after such a scintillating start to life in Philadelphia. WIP's Joe Giglio, however, appears to be one of the few around the Eagles who believe that three years of dominance and consistency are not worth locking up long-term.
Giglio isn't ready to believe that Carter is not worth extending at his current price point, taking things to the extreme when he said that he only believes the Georgia product has put together "one great year out of three" with the Eagles. Well, if you ignore the other two years outside of 2024, then sure.
WIP host believes Eagles' Jalen Carter is worth big extension
The main argument against paying Carter (which still doesn't hold up under a ton of scrutiny) is the notion that giving both him and Georgia teammate Jordan Davis multi-year extensions would be too much money tied up in the defensive tackle room. However, when you have perhaps the best defensive tackle pairing in football, that is worth keeping together.
Even in what was statistically a down year for Carter, who managed to pile up 13.5 sacks in three years with a sparkling pressure rate, he still managed to make his second consecutive Pro Bowl. The 2024 All-Pro is a key member of Vic Fangio's defense, and he has shown aptitude against elite opponents in the playoffs.
The defensive tackle market can be a tough one to navigate, as Chris Jones' $31.75 million per year contract dwarfs second-place Dexter Lawrence's $28 million per year. Even after Davis' $26 million per year deal, Carter is likely going to ask for a deal that exceeds Lawrence's on a per-year basis.
Read more: Nick Sirianni keeps it close to the vest on burning Jalen Carter question
Unless the Eagles can find a defensive tackle that can play well against the run, make life hell on opposing quarterbacks, and prove to be an All-Pro-level performer on a championship team while digging around in the couch cushions, Carter will likely be retained despite the objections of radio talking heads.
Add us as a preferred source on Google