Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has never been afraid to make the uncomfortable decisions. He moved on from Carson Wentz in favor of Jalen Hurts, traded for A.J. Brown to win a Super Bowl, and then shipped Brown to the New England Patriots for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder when the relationship soured.
Now, Philadelphia is reportedly uncertain about extending Jalen Carter’s contract, and former Eagles linebacker Emmanuel Acho believes the next bold move could involve the departure of arguably the team’s most talented defensive lineman.
Why Emmanuel Acho Believes the Eagles Could Trade Jalen Carter
Acho, speaking on his “Speakeasy” show, argued that Carter’s 2026 season will determine whether Philadelphia commits to him long term or cashes in on his trade value. Given Roseman’s track record of prioritizing roster flexibility over sticking with players, the idea of a Carter trade isn’t as far-fetched as it might sound.
“I think that Jalen Carter better ball this year, or a move could be made that would really make a lot of Eagles fans disgruntled,” Acho said. “I think the Eagles feel very confident in their ability to scout defensive tackles, acquire defensive tackles, develop defensive tackles from the Fletcher Coxes to the Jordan Davis to the Jylen Carters to the Milton Williams to the Ojamos.”
“I would not be surprised if Jalen Carter does not get there where he needs to get, he’d get dealt,” Acho added. “Like Howie is not going to lose Jalen Carter in free agency. I’ll tell you that right now. Howei’s going to be like, ‘Hey, I’ll trade him for two first-round picks and let y’all deal with him.'”
The concerns around Carter are well-documented, as he played just 11 regular-season games in 2025. He battled shoulder injuries that required procedures on both sides and cost him a month of action late in the year.
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Carter’s season began with an ejection before playing a single defensive snap after spitting on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott during the Week 1 opener, an incident that resulted in his immediate ejection and a $57,222 fine, though he avoided an official suspension as he was ejected at the start of the game against the Cowboys.
For a player entering his fourth NFL season, the pattern of availability issues and questions about maturity has given Philadelphia legitimate reason to consider trading him for the right price.
Meanwhile, the Eagles rewarded Jordan Davis with a three-year, $78 million extension in March, making him the highest-paid nose tackle in NFL history.
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Philadelphia’s financial picture adds another layer, as Jalen Hurts, DeVonta Smith, Saquon Barkley, and Zack Baun are all locked into significant contracts, and both Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean will be due for extensions within the next two years.
Carter’s fifth-year option carries a $27.1 million cap hit in 2027, and any long-term extension would likely push him past $30 million annually. Paying two interior defensive linemen at the top of the market while managing extensions for a cornerback-safety duo that anchors the secondary would be extremely tough for Philadelphia, which is famous for aggressive cap management.
Carter remains one of the most disruptive interior pass rushers in football, with 13.5 sacks and 25 tackles for loss through his first three seasons. He is a two-time Pro Bowler, and according to PFSN’s DT Impact Metric, he posted an impact score of 90.7 last season, which ranked third in the league.
No team willingly trades a talented player like him, but Roseman has repeatedly shown he will move on from star players when the fit no longer works. As we approach the 2026 season, Carter’s play on the field and behavior off it will determine whether Philadelphia extends him or trades him to another team.
