No matter how good an NFL general manager may be, they still have to operate within the constraints of a hard salary cap. The revenue pie may be growing every year, but there is still not enough money to go around, especially when it comes to paying good players great money. No team may be more up against it defensive than the Philadelphia Eagles when it comes to retaining its Georgia draft picks.
Chase Senior of Chat Sports did a great job of outlining the financial problems at hand for the Eagles.
It's not possible for the Eagles to pay:
— Chase Senior (@Chase_Senior) March 8, 2026
- Jordan Davis $26 million
- Jalen Carter $30+ million
- Quinyon Mitchell $30+ million
- Cooper DeJean $25 million
- AJ Brown $32 million
Somebody big is getting moved at some point. Eagles also really like Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith.…
With Jordan Davis getting a three-year extension worth $78 million and $65 million of that being fully guaranteed, that could prove problematic for the Eagles being able to afford two of his past and present teammates in Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith. Carter is going to command over $30 million in average annual value on his new deal. Philadelphia really likes Smith, who they must extend as well...
The Eagles will need to figure out how to pay Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, and AJ Brown, too.
Philadelphia Eagles are not going to be able to afford all its Georgia stars
Because Davis is entering his fifth NFL season out of Georgia, it served Roseman to get out ahead of this and extend the former unanimous All-American. The tricky part now is figuring out how to afford both Carter and Smith after him. They were both first-round picks out of Georgia in the 2023 NFL Draft. This will be their fourth professional seasons with the Birds since turning pro. What to do here...
As painful as it may sound, the trade rumors surrounding Carter are just not going away. He is a tremendously talented player, but a bit of a loose cannon. He is developing a reputation as the Gen Z version of Ndamukong Suh. Suh got paid the big bucks ahead of year six out of Nebraska by the Miami Dolphins. Somebody will pay for him. Smith will be able to be retained for a cheaper amount...
In the end, Philadelphia has hit on a boat load of its defensive draft picks under Roseman. While DeJean and Mitchell hail from other schools, Davis, Carter, and Smith are all Georgia guys. What is important to understand is Philadelphia now has to make sure it can continue to hit on its future mid-to-late first-round picks, but the bulk of them coming on the offensive side of the ball. It is what it is.
Right now, look for Philadelphia to possibly field offers on Carter this offseason to save some cash.