Part of the reason why the Philadelphia Eagles didn’t try to fight harder to keep some of their defensive free agents on board was due to the fact that they had to begin thinking about the future contracts they had to put on the table.
Taking care of their younger homegrown talents will be a priority for Howie Roseman and the Eagles’ front office. As the General Manager has drafted well since the Eagles reached the Jalen Hurts era, soon it will be time to start paying younger stars some big money.
The defensive lineman Jalen Carter will be first in line. One anonymous NFL coach recently summed up the reason for that during an on-record discussion with ESPN.
“Young player with elite tools, elite instincts and game-changing play ability,” an NFL head coach told ESPN. “Think the best is yet to come from him if he can keep his life in order. Has Hall of Fame-type ability and instincts.”
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Heading into the NFL, Carter’s biggest knock was his off-field concerns. It was something the Eagles had to take a long and hard look at. Without those concerns coming out of Georgia, Carter might’ve been a higher pick. Instead, he nearly fell outside of the top 10. The Eagles made sure that wouldn’t happen.
Howie Roseman and the Philly front office called on Carter with the ninth-overall pick. He joined the team as the clock was ticking on Fletcher Cox. Since Cox was still in the building, Carter started just one game for the Eagles in 2023. Despite the lack of snaps, Carter lived up to the hype.
In 16 games, Carter combined 33 tackles, with eight going for a loss. He registered six sacks and even took one of his two fumble recoveries back for a score.
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In year two, Carter saw his snaps increase, and he became the focal point of the Eagles’ defensive front. As expected, he produced a career-high 42 tackles, with 12 going for a loss. While he picked up only 4.5 sacks during the regular season, Carter hit the quarterback 16 times. He was named an All-Pro on the Second Team.
Over two years, Carter hasn’t dealt with any off-field problems. And he’s been a problem for offenses on the field, showcasing his elite talent at the highest level. All the free agent defensive linemen with a hand in the Patrick Mahomes dominance during Super Bowl LIX got paid. It’s only a matter of time before Carter gets his.
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