The Philadelphia Eagles are unmatched in drafting and developing interior defensive linemen in the NFL right now.
The Eagles turn their 1st-round picks into stars — see defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter both signing lucrative contract extensions.
The Eagles turn their later-round picks into stars — see 2021 3rd-round pick Milton Williams leaving for a 4-year, $104 million free-agent contract with the New England Patriots following a Super Bowl win in 2024.
All signs point to Moro Ojomo being the next man up.
That’s why Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox put him at the top of his list of the NFL’s “Most Important” free agents headed into next year’s cycle.
“After extending both Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis, the Philadelphia Eagles may not be able to afford keeping fellow defensive lineman Moro Ojomo,” Knox wrote on September 12. “Ideally, Roseman will find a way to keep Ojomo in the fold. While he isn’t as recognized as Carter or Davis, the 2023 seventh-round pick has developed into a key cog in the defensive rotation. He appeared in all 34 games over the past two seasons, and he played 66 percent of the defensive snaps in 2025. Last season, Ojomo also racked up 38 tackles, six sacks, and 21 quarterback pressures. Still only 25 years old, he’ll draw a ton of interest if he reaches the open market.”
From 7th-Round Pick to Possible Massive Payday
Ojomo’s rise to a massive payday would be incredibly rare considering where he started to where he might end up — he was a 7th-round pick (No. 249 overall) in the 2023 NFL Draft and is in the final season of a 4-year, $3.94 million rookie contract in 2026.
Big money might not be there for him in 2027 after a couple of big-money deals in 2026. Davis signed a 3-year, $78 million contract extension on March 7.
The Eagles followed that with a record-setting 4-year, $152 million contract extension for Carter on July 28.
Moro Ojomo Called ‘Secret Superstar’ for Eagles
The truth of the matter is that Ojomo outplayed both Davis and Carter at times last season, when PFF’s Zach Tantillo labeled Ojomo the team’s “Secret Superstar” in 2025.
“Ojomo announced himself on the biggest stage — the Eagles’ Super Bowl win over the Chiefs — and carried that level of play into the 2025 season,” Tantillo wrote. “He ended the year with a higher PFF overall grade than Jalen Carter’s 71.0 and a higher PFF pass-rush grade than Jordan Davis’ 71.1, both first-round picks. That production showed up in the box score, as well, as Ojomo recorded 54 pressures, the second most on the Eagles and the sixth most among all interior defenders. He also notched six sacks, the second most on the team.”
Ojomo, 6-foot-3 and 292 pounds, was waiting in the wings to take up the slack for Williams. As late as November, NFL.com’s Kevin Patra put Ojomo on his list of 10 NFL players who were quietly having Pro Bowl seasons.
“Helping fill the hole left by Milton Williams, Ojomo has been a revelation,” Patra wrote on Wednesday, November 19. “Pro Football Focus charted the third-year pro with 35 QB pressures, tied for the third-most among interior defenders through Week 11. He’s tied with Williams, coincidentally, and Chris Jones. The 6-3, 292-pound defensive tackle pushes the pocket, netting four sacks in 10 games after putting up a goose egg in his first two seasons … Ojomo is the latest example of the Eagles filling a gap with the next man up and watching him soar.”
Rising Eagles Star Called NFL’s ‘Most Important’ Free Agent