Eagles Have One Of NFL’s Most Underpaid Stars

The Philadelphia Eagles are going to open up the checkbook if they want to keep one of the National Football League’s best defensive players.

Jalen Carter is entering his third NFL season and will be eligible for a contract extension afterward. Carter is a superstar and already has proven to be one of the NFL’s most dominant defensive players. Aaron Donald even shared earlier in the year that he thinks Carter is like him. Carter is a superstar and Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay said he is the league's most underpaid defensive tackle.

"Average Annual Salary: $5.5 million," Kay said. "The Philadelphia Eagles leveraged one of the most ferocious defensive fronts the league has seen into a Super Bowl victory last season. At the center of it all was Jalen Carter, the team's standout defensive tackle who changes the game with his presence. The 24-year-old emerged as a full-time starter during his stellar sophomore campaign. While he only amassed 4.5 sacks (down from six as a rookie), he earned Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors for his consistency throughout the 831 offensive snaps he saw the field for across 16 regular-season contests.

"While he was an integral part of the Lombardi Trophy-winning effort, he's being paid like a replaceable backup. His contract ranks just 43rd among interior defensive linemen, well behind position leader Chris Jones and his historic $31.8 million AAV deal. If he continues on his current trajectory, it would be shocking if Carter doesn't become the second defensive tackle to breach the $30 million mark."

At this point next year, this likely won't be the case any longer.