The Philadelphia Eagles just made Jalen Carter the highest-paid interior defensive lineman in NFL history. That’s a lot of money for a guy who plays in the trenches. But it also sent a pretty clear message about what the front office thinks of its young defensive core.
And if you’re wondering whether Cooper DeJean or Quinyon Mitchell might get squeezed out when their turn comes, the team’s general manager made it simple on Wednesday.
“We have some game-changing players and people that are part of this organization and we don’t intend to lose,” Howie Roseman said at training camp. “So, I would say to our fans, if you’re wearing a jersey with some of those guys, with those names on the back, we fully intend for those guys to be here.”
Mitchell and DeJean are next in line
Brooks Kubena of The Athletic put it bluntly on X: after the Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter extensions, the logical next two players due for big paydays are Mitchell and DeJean. The Eagles have essentially rebuilt their defense through the draft under Nick Sirianni, and now the bill is coming due.
Kubena asked Roseman how all this spending on defense would affect roster management on the offensive side. Roseman’s answer was straightforward — the team rewards its own people first.
“If you do well, you’ll get rewarded,” Roseman said.
Mitchell could reset the cornerback market
Mitchell has already established himself as one of the top shutdown corners in the league. Playing on the outside, that position has only become more valuable as passing games get more sophisticated. It’s starting to feel less like a question of whether the Toledo product gets a monster extension and more like a question of how much he resets the market next offseason.
DeJean is a different kind of weapon. He’s spent most of his time in the nickel, a role that has turned into a premium position in today’s NFL. DeJean and Seattle’s Nick Emmanwori have helped turn the slot corner into a featured role rather than an afterthought. If DeJean keeps playing at this level in 2026, he should expect a deal that reflects his value.
The Eagles have two young stars in the secondary and a GM who just told everyone he’s not planning on letting them go. That’s about as direct as it gets.
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