Titans Extend Jeffery Simmons for $105.8 Million, Making Him Highest-Paid Interior Lineman

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 19

$105.8 million over three new years lifts Jeffery Simmons above Chris Jones as the NFL's highest-paid interior defensive lineman on new-money average.
The extension adds to Simmons' existing deal, raising his contract to five years and $149.97 million and keeping the Titans cornerstone under contract through 2030.
Simmons had been set to earn $44.17 million over the next two seasons, and Tennessee moved early to lock up a first-round pick who has become a four-time Pro Bowler.
The 2019 draft pick is coming off a first-team All-Pro season in 2025 after earlier second-team All-Pro honors, reinforcing his status as a centerpiece of the Titans' long-term plans.