Not many defensive tackles have come into their first two seasons in the NFL and have been as dominant a presence as Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter has, but the team is glad he did.
The former ninth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft played a critical role in last year's Super Bowl run for the Eagles, especially in pass-rushing situations. Carter will be the first to tell fans that he has some things he needs to improve on, but everyone knows he's only going to get better.
While the rest of the NFL agrees that he's one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL, there is one other thing everyone can agree on: he's grossly underpaid. That won't last long, though.
Carter must get paid like the best and eventually will
Bleacher Report writer Alex Kay looked at the most underpaid players in the NFL at each position. Carter was the top pick at defensive tackle with an average salary of $5.5 million.
"The Philadelphia Eagles leveraged one of the most ferocious defensive fronts the league has seen into a Super Bowl victory last season. At the center of it all was Jalen Carter, the team's standout defensive tackle who changes the game with his presence.
The 24-year-old emerged as a full-time starter during his stellar sophomore campaign. While he only amassed 4.5 sacks (down from six as a rookie), he earned Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors for his consistency throughout the 831 offensive snaps he saw the field for across 16 regular-season contests.
While he was an integral part of the Lombardi Trophy-winning effort, he's being paid like a replaceable backup. His contract ranks just 43rd among interior defensive linemen, well behind position leader Chris Jones and his historic $31.8 million AAV deal.
If he continues on his current trajectory, it would be shocking if Carter doesn't become the second defensive tackle to breach the $30 million mark."
During his young career, Carter was the runner-up for the 2023 Defensive Rookie of the Year award, a 2024 Pro Bowl selection, and a 2024 All-Pro selection. Pro Football Focus had Carter as the fifth-ranked interior defensive lineman in the NFL.
There has been considerable discussion this offseason about Carter's next contract. Something to keep in mind is that he's only entering the third year of his rookie contract. The Eagles could do something similar to Carter that they did with his teammate Jordan Davis this offseason and opt into his fifth-year clause on his rookie contract for being a first-round pick.
Carter will ultimately command more money than Davis, as Carter is in a league of his own at defensive tackle. The next contract could be worth between $30 million and $ 40 million per year for Carter. That's a big reason Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has not been as active in trading or signing big-name free agents in anticipation of extending Carter's deal.
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This is all talk that will happen next offseason, but it will be something Roseman and company will have to keep in the back of their minds in 2026 because Carter 100% deserves to get paid the big bucks.