Jalen Carter was considered a steal when the Philadelphia Eagles drafted him ninth overall in 2023. The Georgia defensive tackle had been in the conversation for the top pick before slipping down draft boards following his involvement in a street racing incident that resulted in the deaths of former teammate Devin Willock and Georgia staffer Chandler LeCroy.
On the field, he’s been nearly impossible to argue with. Carter finished as runner-up for Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2023, has earned two Pro Bowl selections, and was part of the Eagles team that won Super Bowl LIX. But the same character concerns that dropped him in the draft are now reportedly casting a shadow over his future in Philadelphia.
Eagles Hesitant to Extend Carter
The situation came into focus after Sports Illustrated‘s Albert Breer was asked whether Carter’s long-term future with the team is genuinely at risk – given that the Eagles have delayed offering him an extension and allegedly shopped him in the offseason.
Breer didn’t sugarcoat his read on the situation.
“The fact that we’re into June without Jalen Carter having a deal is notable. And I’d guess if they do one now, before his fourth season as a pro, then it’d come with flexibility for the team. If Carter won’t give them that flexibility now, maybe he’ll just wait another year. Which would make this a little like the George Pickens situation in Dallas – where a team might want to see a little more from a player, just from a character perspective, before committing long term.”
That comparison to Pickens is worth paying attention to. Dallas held off on a long-term deal there for reasons that had little to do with production – and the same dynamic seems to be playing out here.
If the Eagles did move on from Carter, they wouldn’t be doing it quietly. The New York Jets pulled a first and second-round pick from the Dallas Cowboys last year for Quinnen Williams – and Carter is three years younger than Williams was at the time of that deal. The return would likely be significant.
It’s not a straightforward call, though.
Philadelphia already parted ways with star wide receiver A.J. Brown this offseason after he requested – and was granted – a trade to the New England Patriots. Trading Carter too would mean dismantling a meaningful chunk of the core that delivered a championship just two years ago. That’s a lot of upheaval for a front office to swallow, regardless of the concerns driving it.
Carter turns 26 later this year. He’s under contract for now, but the clock on a decision is ticking.