The path Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter is currently on likely leads to just one place — becoming one of the highest paid defensive players in NFL history.
One of the handful of people who have a direct hand in helping Carter get to that point is venerated Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. According to him, Carter still has much to prove — despite coming off his first NFL All-Pro nod and being the best defensive player on a Super Bowl-winning team in just his second season.
“The good news about Jalen is twofold,” Fangio said on June 3. “One, he played very well for us last year, and two, he can still improve a lot.”
That Carter dominated in the fashion he did in 2024 and the general consensus about him still not tapping into his full potential is a scary thought for opponents.
“Nothing he’s doing surprises me,” former Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter said on Philadelphia’s SportsRadio 94 WIP. “Word is on the street, he doesn’t even know how to play the position yet. From guys I talk to inside, he doesn’t even know how to play the position yet. He’s just playing off of raw talent. The sky is the limit for this kid, I’m excited about his future.”
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Carter Compared Himself to $158.5 Million DT
Carter’s goals seem to be very clear when it comes to his own future — he compared himself to the game’s top interior defensive linemen in Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones and New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence.
Jones is the highest paid interior defensive lineman in the NFL after he signed a 5-year, $156.75 million contract extension in March 2024. Jones is also a 3-time Super Bowl champion, 6-time NFL All-Pro and 6-time Pro Bowler.
The Eagles beat the Chiefs, 40-22, in Super Bowl LIX on February 9 — a game in which Philadelphia led 34-0 at one point. Carter finished the regular season with 42 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 12 TFL, 16 QB hits, 6 pass deflections and 2 forced fumbles in 16 games.
From Pro Football Talk: “I wanted to be the best at what I do, try to be the best. I’m not there yet. I still got a lot of people in front of me that’s obviously been in the league a couple (more) years, got years of experience on me. But I’m just going to keep grinding every day. Not just me by myself working on specific things to get better, just being around the team having the guys support me also makes me also be one of the best in the league.”
Carter Once Projected as No. 1 Overall Pick
At the University of Georgia, Carter was the best player on teams that won consecutive College Football Playoff national championships following the 2021 and 2022 seasons, earning unanimous All-American honors in 2022.
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Carter was widely projected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft but saw his draft stock plummet following a serious off-field incident that dropped him into the Eagles’ laps with the No. 9 overall pick, where he signed a 4-year, $21.8 million contract. The No. 1 pick in 2023, Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young, received a 4-year, $37.95 million contract.
Jones’ received $90 million guaranteed as part of his mega-contract and we can make a logical conclusion Carter’s next contract might hit $100 million in guaranteed money.
