Jordan Davis contract projection: Eagles DT could cash in despite inconsistency

Jordan Davis contract projection: Eagles DT could cash in despite inconsistency
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The Jordan Davis contract extension conundrum is looming over the Eagles offseason. How much should we expect him to get paid?

Howie Roseman has been meticulously crafting the Philadelphia Eagles roster for 2025 and beyond, with an eye on competing for multiple Super Bowls in the coming years. There have been a number of high-profile extensions and additions this offseason, and things aren’t likely to slow down anytime soon.

Roseman’s success as a cap manager goes hand-in-hand with his success in the NFL Draft, and that means a number of promising young players will soon come up for contract extensions. Perhaps the most difficult decision among them could involve 2022 13th overall pick Jordan Davis, who has been an inconsistent but supremely talented defensive lineman through the first three years of his career.

Davis played a rotational role in his rookie season as an impactful run-stuffer, but wound up missing four games and ultimately fell short of expectations. 2023 was much better, as Davis was an above-average run defender and pass rusher while playing 45% of the total snaps in a deep Eagles rotation and starting all 17 games. 2024 seemed to be a step back, as Davis played just 37% of the snaps and regressed significantly as a pass rusher and was merely average as a run defender.

The Eagles will need to make a decision on whether or not to pick up the fifth-year option for Jordan Davis over the coming months. That option is expected to cost approximately $12.9 million, per Over The Cap. Given the inconsistency in Davis’ career so far, that might be the most prudent course of action for the Eagles. Philadelphia could keep Davis under contract for an additional year at a fairly high rate, but without the risk of a long-term commitment. It also doesn’t preclude the team from extending Davis during the next 12 months.

Whether the team decides to pick up the option or not, an extension will certainly be on the table in the near future. For the purposes of this projection, let’s assume Davis returns to roughly his 2023 form this season: a very good run defender with some pass rush juice who still has plenty of room for growth in his game.

What would a contract extension for Jordan Davis look like?

Unlike the Jalen Carter contract we took a look at earlier, Jordan Davis is likely to be looking for something more in the mid-range of interior defensive line contracts. It’s important to remember that good nose tackles (and run defenders in general) don’t always deliver big numbers on the stat sheet, but can be critical for creating opportunities for the rest of the defense. Davis looks like one of those types at this stage of his career.

Given his incredible tools and talent along with his age – Davis will be 26 heading into the 2026 season – it’s likely that the NFL will be willing to pay more than Davis’ production would otherwise...