You know what doesn’t last long in the NFL? Dominance at low cost. On a rookie contract budget, the Eagles managed to assemble a Super Bowl-winning defense that resembles a Pro Bowl group. There are first-rounders everywhere. A gleaming Lombardi Trophy to show off. But underneath all of that gear, the clock is ticking.

Enter: Jalen Carter. The 2023 No. 9 pick isn’t just meeting expectations – he’s shredding them. Pro Bowl in Year 2. Super Bowl champion. Second team All-Pro. And perhaps most terrifying of all: he’s not satisfied. “I know who’s good and I know who everybody loves,” Carter said to NBC Sports. “Dexter Lawrence, Chris Jones…I see it, but at the end of the day, I’m still grinding.” Not exactly a subtle message.

Technically, the Eagles are not yet required to extend him. His rookie deal runs through 2026, and they’ll inevitably pick up his fifth-year option for 2027. But it would be a mistake to wait. They recently witnessed Milton Williams, who, let’s face it, was a rotational player, receive a $104 million contract. Carter is in another galaxy. Delay an extension, and you might be staring at a $40 million-per-year deal instead of locking him in for $30–35M now.

And don’t be mistaken: that figure is rising. Jalen Carter’s price tag might reach all-time highs for a defensive lineman if he has another Pro Bowl season in 2025. Or talents like Dexter Lawrence or Quinnen Williams reset the market in the interim. He could very well become the highest-paid DT in NFL history. And it’s not like Philly doesn’t see it coming.

That brings us to the cap. The Eagles’ estimated 2025 cap space is $31 million, according to Spotrac. Although it’s not a lot of money, Howie Roseman can do his magic with it – backloading, void years, signing bonuses, etc. He’s pulled off similar cap gymnastics with deals for A.J. Brown and Haason Reddick. Expect the same blueprint here.

And they should act now, because this current defensive core? It’s not staying cheap forever. Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Kelee Ringo, and Nolan Smith are all on rookie deals. Jordan Davis is still on his fifth-year option. Nakobe Dean and Reed Blankenship hit their contract years soon. So if Jalen Carter isn’t the leader of this D-line yet, he’s about to be.

So, what does paying Jalen Carter early look like?

Projected Extension: 4 years, $120 million ($30M per year), $72 million guaranteed, $24M signing bonus. That would land Carter just under Chris Jones’ record $31.75M APY, but it would leapfrog Christian Wilkins, both in salary and guarantees. The best part? A deal would give Philly control through 2030 and avoid franchise tag drama down the line.

Carter already played 711 pass-rushing snaps in 2024, the most of any interior lineman by 42. That’s not rotation; that’s anchor duty. And the production? Also elite. 42 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, six pass deflections, and 78 pressures. His sack total dipped to four, but his all-around impact grew. Even his win rate (12.9%) is climbing – just still a few rungs below Chris Jones (19.8%). He knows it. And he’s chasing it.

This is Year 3. Jalen Carter could explode into superstardom. And the Eagles know it. They also know what happens when you wait too long on generational talent – just ask teams that got priced out of their own stars. If they’re smart, and history says they are, they’ll strike now. Lock in Carter, ride the rookie contract wave around him, and give Vic Fangio the generational centerpiece his scheme needs.