Jalen Carter Signs Record $152M Eagles Extension, Ending 49ers and Raiders Trade Rumors
Jalen Carter and the Eagles agreed to a four-year, $152 million extension worth up to $160 million, ending trade speculation and making him the highest-paid defensive tackle in NFL history.
The Jalen Carter trade rumors are officially dead. The Philadelphia Eagles and their star defensive tackle agreed Tuesday to a four-year extension worth up to $160 million, ending a contract standoff that had fueled weeks of speculation involving the 49ers and Raiders. The deal, worth $152 million with $106 million guaranteed, makes Carter the highest-paid defensive tackle in NFL history.
Carter’s camp, led by agents Drew and Jason Rosenhaus, confirmed the numbers to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The 25-year-old was drafted No. 9 overall out of Georgia in 2023 and quickly became one of the league’s most disruptive interior linemen, earning Pro Bowl nods in both 2024 and 2025. The Eagles had already exercised his fifth-year option back in April, but that move alone left Carter playing out 2026 on a below-market number while trade chatter swirled around his uncertain long-term future in Philadelphia.
Record-Setting Numbers for a Position Group on the Rise
Carter’s new deal carries a $38 million average annual value, eclipsing the mark Jeffrey Simmons set with the Tennessee Titans earlier this year at $35.2 million and blowing past Chris Jones’ $31.75 million with the Chiefs. The extension keeps Carter under contract through the 2031 season, a stunning turnaround for a player who, just weeks ago, appeared to be a genuine trade candidate as the front office weighed the cost of extending him. The Eagles announced the news directly, posting “JC is here to stay!” alongside confirmation that the sides had agreed to terms through 2031.
The timing matters. Carter is coming off a down year by his standards, appearing in 12 games in 2025 (playing in 11 after an ejection before the first defensive snap of Week 1) while battling shoulder and hip injuries that limited his effectiveness. He finished with 33 tackles, three sacks and seven passes defended, a step back from the six-sack, breakout form he flashed as a rookie. Even so, the Eagles clearly still view him as a foundational piece up front, betting big on his talent over his 2025 numbers. For bettors tracking Philadelphia’s win total and division odds into training camp, locking down a former top-10 pick at his best position group signals real front office confidence, a dynamic worth watching as sportsbooks continue to shape their DraftKings promo code futures markets ahead of Week 1.
What the Trade Buzz Was Really About
The Raiders and 49ers rumors that circulated through the offseason stemmed largely from reporting that the Eagles were hesitant to commit to a second monster contract on the interior of their defensive line. Philadelphia had already extended fellow defensive tackle Jordan Davis in March on a three-year, $78 million deal with $65 million guaranteed, and absorbing another top-of-market contract for Carter carried real salary-cap consequences. That hesitation, paired with Carter reportedly attending offseason workouts but sitting out team drills, was enough to spark trade talk, including specific scenario chatter involving Las Vegas given front-office ties and Carter’s college connections there.
None of that materialized. Instead, the Eagles doubled down on their defensive line, pairing Davis and Carter as two of the best-paid interior defenders in football heading into 2026. For a defense that leaned heavily on its front four during Philadelphia’s playoff runs, keeping both former first-round talents locked up long-term removes one of the offseason’s biggest lingering questions.
What Comes Next for Carter and the Eagles
Carter now heads into training camp with his financial future settled, freeing him to focus entirely on bouncing back from an injury-shortened 2025. His career numbers, 13.5 sacks and 108 tackles across 44 games, still rank among the most productive marks for any interior defender since the 2023 draft class entered the league, and the Eagles are wagering that a full offseason and a healthy body get him back to that level. With Carter and Davis both signed long-term, Philadelphia’s defensive front projects as one of the more expensive, and potentially most talented, position groups in the NFC heading into the season.