Entering the 2026 NFL offseason, the Philadelphia Eagles were widely expected to work out a new contract extension with star defensive tackle Jalen Carter.
With the offseason getting close to coming to an end, no deal has materialized between the two parties. There have been a lot of reports and speculation about Carter’s future, but the Eagles do not seem to be in a hurry to lock him up long-term.
Keeping that in mind, a new report has come out about a major concern Philadelphia has with a potential Carter extension.
According to Sports Illustrated’s John McMullen on June 15, the Eagles are still concerned about Carter’s maturity and health status.
“Carter and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, are aiming to reset the market — a tougher negotiation than many realize,” McMullen wrote. “While Carter’s elite talent is unquestioned, the Eagles remain concerned about lingering maturity issues and health questions.”
What Kind of Contract Is Jalen Carter Targeting from the Eagles?
The latest projections for Carter’s potential extension are somewhere between the $35 to $40 million annually mark. That is a big investment for a team to make in any player.
Since being drafted with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Carter has shown off superstar talent and potential. However, there have been some lapses in maturity that have been made clear, with one of them being him being ejected for spitting at Dak Prescott.
Carter has played in 44 games across his three seasons with the Eagles. He has racked up 108 total tackles to go along with 13.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and 13 defended passes.
Those numbers give reason to believe that Philadelphia will extend Carter at some point. Losing him would be a brutal blow to the front of the Eagles’ defense.
That being said, it’s clear that the team is playing it slow. Philadelphia doesn’t need to rush an extension and might want to see what Carter does to begin the 2026 season before making a final decision.
Howie Roseman Has Been Busy This Offseason
As the Eagles continue to ponder what they want to do with Carter, they have been busy in other areas.
Of course, the big storyline entering the offseason was the future of star wide receiver A.J. Brown. He has been traded to the New England Patriots in a deal that included a first-round pick in 2028. Plenty of other moves have been made by Philadelphia as well.
Among those moves were the additions of cornerback Riq Woolen, wide receiver Hollywood Brown, cornerback Jonathan Jones, wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks, and running back Dameon Pierce.
More than likely, the Carter extension talks will remain ongoing. A deal between the two sides still seems to be the most likely outcome, but the Eagles do have concerns about investing heavily into him at this point in time.
Eagles Have Major Concern About Potential Jalen Carter Extension