Eagles exercise fifth-year options on Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith

The Philadelphia Eagles locked up a pair of defensive starters through the 2027 season, picking up the fifth-year options of defensive tackle Jalen Carter and outside linebacker Nolan Smith on Monday.

The team faced a Friday deadline on the options for the two Georgia products.

Carter, 25, was the ninth overall pick in the 2024 draft. A Pro Bowl honoree each of the past two years, Carter is in line to make $27 million in 2027.

Smith, 25, was also selected in the first round two years ago, No. 30 overall. He is in line to receive around $13.7 million in 2027.

Both players were key performers in the Eagles' run to the 2024-25 Super Bowl championship, as Smith had four sacks in the playoff run and Carter recorded two.

Carter has 108 tackles, 13.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and 13 passes defensed in 43 NFL games (27 starts). Last season, he logged 33 tackles, three sacks and a career-best seven passes defensed in 11 games, all starts, despite being slowed by shoulder injuries.

A triceps ailment limited Smith to 12 games, all starts, last year, and he had 31 tackles, three sacks and one fumble recovery. In 45 NFL games (22 starts), he has 91 tackles, 10.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two passes defensed.

--Field Level Media