Jalen Carter and Denzel Ward have reset the markets at their respective positions as NFL teams used the opening of training camp to settle several major contract decisions.

Philadelphia’s agreement with Carter is the largest of the latest round, with the Eagles committing another four years and $152m to the two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle. The deal can reportedly rise to $160m and contains $106m in guarantees, keeping Carter under contract through the 2031 season.

Its $38m annual average makes the 25-year-old the highest-paid interior defender in NFL history, overtaking the $35.3m benchmark established when Jeffery Simmons signed his latest Tennessee extension in June. Philadelphia had already exercised the fifth-year option on Carter’s rookie contract for 2027, giving the franchise control of the former ninth overall pick for another six seasons. The duration is every bit as notable as the headline value as the Eagles’ announcement continues general manager Howie Roseman’s policy of extending foundational players before they reach the final year of their existing deals, accepting the immediate financial commitment in exchange for avoiding a later negotiation against a potentially higher market.

Carter has recorded 108 tackles, 13.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and 13 passes defended through his first three seasons. He made the Pro Bowl in each of the last two despite undergoing procedures on both shoulders during the 2025 offseason and being limited to 11 games last season. Philadelphia now has Carter and fellow defensive tackle Jordan Davis secured through 2031, preserving the middle of a defensive front that helped carry the Eagles to victory in Super Bowl LIX.

Cleveland responded with a record of its own, agreeing a two-year, $62.2m extension with Ward. The contract reportedly includes $52.3m guaranteed and takes the cornerback through the 2029 season.

Ward’s $31.1m annual average edges him ahead of Green Bay’s Trent McDuffie as the highest-paid defensive back in the league, and marks the second time the Browns have taken Ward to the top of the positional market, following the five-year, $100.5m extension he signed in 2022. The latest agreement removes one of the questions hanging over Cleveland as it begins its first training camp under new head coach Todd Monken. Ward missed the team’s voluntary offseason programme and mandatory minicamp, although his absence was not publicly attributed to the contract negotiations.

Unlike Carter, Ward is being rewarded well into the second half of his career. The 29-year-old has nevertheless remained one of Cleveland’s most dependable defenders, earning five Pro Bowl selections and recording 18 interceptions and 104 passes defended since being selected fourth overall in 2018. No NFL player has broken up more passes during that period. His retention also offers continuity after a wider reshaping of the Browns’ defense, most notably the trade that sent Myles Garrett to Los Angeles and brought Jared Verse to Cleveland.

Minnesota’s business carried less record-breaking fanfare but secured another long-serving foundation piece as they signed right tackle Brian O’Neill to a four-year extension reportedly worth $96m, keeping him in Minnesota through 2030. O’Neill had been approaching the final season of the five-year, $92.5m deal he signed in 2021. The 2018 second-round pick has started 120 of his 124 regular-season appearances and earned two Pro Bowl selections, developing alongside Christian Darrisaw into one of the league’s more established tackle pairings.

“Brian has established himself as one of the premier right tackles in the NFL and a cornerstone of our organisation,” general manager Nolan Teasley said. “His consistency, toughness and leadership have been invaluable to our team, and we are thrilled he will remain a Viking for years to come.”

The agreement, confirmed by the Vikings on Tuesday, provides stability for an offense still working through its long-term quarterback picture. O’Neill turns 31 in September, meaning the contract represents a considerable commitment to maintaining protection rather than beginning an immediate transition to a younger option.

Minnesota also added former All-Pro safety Jamal Adams, now listed as a linebacker, as Brian Flores continues collecting adaptable defensive pieces. The 30-year-old revived his career sufficiently with Las Vegas last season to appear in all 17 games, recording 45 tackles, five tackles for loss, one sack and a forced fumble. It was his first full season since 2021 following several injury-hit years with Seattle, Tennessee and Detroit, and Adams is unlikely to resume the every-down safety role he occupied during his peak with the New York Jets and Seahawks. However, his ability to pressure the quarterback and operate around the line of scrimmage offers Flores another specialist option, particularly following uncertainty over Harrison Smith’s future. Minnesota announced Adams’ deal alongside that of running back Jordan Mims.

Miami, meanwhile, made a lower-cost addition to its pass rush by signing Clelin Ferrell, the fourth overall selection in the 2019 draft. Ferrell has never matched the expectations attached to that position but brings 98 games and 57 starts of NFL experience after spells with the Raiders, San Francisco, Washington and the Los Angeles Chargers. The former Clemson defender has accumulated 181 tackles and 21 sacks, including four sacks in seven appearances after returning to the 49ers during the 2025 season. He joins Chop Robinson, Josh Uche and David Ojabo in a Miami edge group undergoing considerable change. The Dolphins waived defensive tackle Kahlil Saunders to accommodate Ferrell on the roster.

Detroit added experienced linebacker Troy Reeder on a one-year contract. The 31-year-old has appeared in 106 games, starting 38, and is familiar to Lions general manager Brad Holmes from their time with the Los Angeles Rams. His clearest path to the roster is likely obstructed by Jack Campbell, Derrick Barnes and Malcolm Rodriguez, but Reeder will provide a vital piece for the Lions’ special teams unit in the meantime.

Elsewhere, Green Bay formally announced the three-year, $57m extension agreed with defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt earlier in July. The deal includes a reported $20m signing bonus and keeps the 2022 first-round pick under contract through 2029.