Updated

Updated · NBC Sports · Jun 20

Titans Finalize Jeffery Simmons' 5-Year, $105.8 Million Deal With $60.2 Million Guaranteed

Updated

Updated · NBC Sports · Jun 20

Titans Finalize Jeffery Simmons' 5-Year, $105.8 Million Deal With $60.2 Million Guaranteed

Q: Simmons' contract just shattered the market. Which NFL defensive star will be the next to demand a $100 million payday?

Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter looks like the strongest bet to be the next defensive player to push for a $100 million deal. The logic is straightforward: Simmons’ new extension reset the interior-line market at $35.3 million per year with $100 million guaranteed, and the additional reporting points to Carter as the player most widely viewed around the league as next in line for a record-setting contract. He is described in the sourced material as “the best young defensive tackle in football,” with expectations that his next extension could land in the $32 million-to-$35 million annual range. Over three or four years, that easily clears $100 million. Carter also fits the profile teams pay for at the top of the market: elite production, youth, premium position value and franchise-building upside. Simmons’ deal gives Carter’s camp a fresh benchmark, especially if Philadelphia moves before the 2026 season or soon after. Other names are in the conversation, but they appear a step behind. Quinnen Williams is cited as a candidate for a new deal north of $30 million annually, which would also put a nine-figure contract in play. Dexter Lawrence has leverage because of his contract dissatisfaction and All-Pro résumé, but the reporting tied most directly to the “next record-setting” expectation points to Carter. So if the question is who is most likely to be the next defensive star demanding a $100 million payday, Carter is the clearest answer.

3 articles · Updated · NBC Sports · Jun 20

$60.2 million is fully guaranteed at signing in Jeffery Simmons' finalized contract, which is structured as a new five-year deal rather than the initially reported three-year extension.
The agreement carries a $35.276 million new-money average, pushing Simmons past Chris Jones and setting a new pay benchmark for defensive tackles.
$90 million is effectively locked in over the first three years, with the third season becoming guaranteed after Year 1 and another $10 million guaranteed into a fourth season.
No per-game active roster bonuses were included, a notable departure as teams including Tennessee have increasingly used them in veteran contracts.
Simmons, coming off his first All-Pro season in 2025, becomes the first defensive tackle to secure $100 million in total guarantees at signing.