A record number for a defensive tackle
The Philadelphia Eagles agreed to a four-year, $152 million extension with Jalen Carter on Tuesday, the same day the team reported for training camp. The deal carries $106 million guaranteed and can climb to $160 million with incentives. At roughly $38 million per year, Carter becomes the highest-paid defensive tackle in NFL history.
For context, no interior lineman had crossed the $35 million-a-year threshold before this offseason. Carter has now reset the ceiling for his position and tied himself to Philadelphia through 2031.
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Why the Eagles moved early
Carter arrived as the ninth overall pick in 2023 and became a cornerstone almost immediately, anchoring one of the most feared defensive fronts in the league. Extending him two full years before his rookie deal expired removes the kind of contract standoff that has soured other camps around the league this summer.
The guarantee structure matters as much as the headline figure. With $106 million locked in, Carter gains security that most defensive players never reach, and the Eagles keep a disruptive interior presence in his prime years.
The market keeps climbing
Defensive tackle pay has surged over the past two seasons, and Carter’s number will frame the next round of negotiations across the league. Every star interior lineman who signs after him now has a fresh benchmark to point at.
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