“He has to play with the right mindset to reach his potential, or come close to reaching his potential,” the Philadelphia Eagles‘ defensive coordinator, Vic Fangio, said about Jalen Carter ahead of the 2025 season. That same week, however, Carter drew criticism after spitting on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott before enduring an underwhelming season that also included multiple injuries.

Carter is now entering the fourth year of his rookie contract. And while he has clearly maintained the organization’s trust, defensive line coach Clint Hurtt has issued a warning to the young tackle before the Eagles consider his next contract extension.

“He has to be consistent with doing little things,” Hurtt said in May, addressing Carter’s development. “We’ve all talked about the talent and the overall potential that he has … but it’s the consistency of doing these small things the right way all the time. That’s a big piece for him.

“And then obviously the maturity of don’t do anything [to hurt the team],” Hurtt added. “There’s an edge. There’s always a fine line. The edge and the tenacity that he plays with, you want guys like that. I would rather coach guys [that] you got to kind of pull the reins on a little than guys you got to kind of kick in the a** to get them going. But he has to understand — and it comes with maturity — there’s a line we cannot cross if it’s hurting our team. And he’s growing through those things. He has [grown].”

Carter had a notable rookie year, recording 33 combined tackles and 6 sacks. A year later, during the Eagles’ Super Bowl run, he recorded 42 tackles and 4.5 sacks. So, talent was never an issue for Carter. In the 2025 season, however, his performance took a hit, amid major injury concerns and on-field controversies.

He recorded just 3.5 sacks and missed five games after suffering shoulder and hip injuries. However, his on-field issues led the Eagles to become concerned about his overall development. For starters, in 2024, he was flagged for three unnecessary roughness penalties and eight total penalties.

During the same season, Philly benched him for the first defensive series against the Atlanta Falcons in a disciplinary move. Then, after an open-handed blow against the Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship game, the league fined him for more than $17,000. Last but not least, he was ejected with just six seconds into the 2025 season opener against the Cowboys after spitting on Prescott.

On paper, the talent is there. But in reality, Carter has occasionally struggled with discipline, consistency, and maturity. That said, Carter is expected to have a better season in 2026 after recovering from his shoulder and hip injuries, as well as gaining the organization’s trust after his on-field controversy. And at the same time, the Eagles also have to consider his contract extension with his rookie contract set to expire in a couple of years.

The Eagles could wait one more year to extend Jalen Carter

Jalen Carter became eligible for a contract extension this offseason. But the DT will remain in Philly through the 2027 season after the Eagles have exercised his fifth-year option. However, the way things are shaping up, Carter’s contract extension could become one of the biggest storylines in Philly heading into the training camp.

Per reports, Carter was available during the OTAs and the mandatory minicamp. However, the 25-year-old didn’t participate in the team drills. For now, it’s still not clear whether it was due to his contract extension strategy or his shoulder surgery. But when head coach Nick Sirianni was asked about Carter’s situation, he declined to comment.

“I’m sorry, I’m not going to get into all those different things,” Sirianni said last month. “Right now, I’ve been able to work some individual scenarios and individual practices, and everybody’s in a little bit different boat right now of where they are in the offseason, and that’s where Jalen is right now.”

Earlier this offseason, the Tennessee Titans reset the market when they signed defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons on a three-year, $105.8 million contract extension, with an average annual salary of $35.27 million. Now, the Eagles either could make Jalen Carter the highest-paid DT in the league with a $36 million per year deal, or they could wait one more year to figure out his development.