Why Jaelan Phillips ' $120 Million Panthers Deal Isn't Problematic

Jaelan Phillips signing isn't as bad as it seems

Dec 14, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Jaelan Phillips (50) walks off the field after win against the Las Vegas Raiders at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The biggest headline of this offseason for the Carolina Panthers was the splash signing of EDGE Jaelan Phillips. This shocked the league and had everyone buzzing after the first day of free agency, when Phillips and All-Pro inside linebacker Devin Lloyd were signed.

One aspect of the Phillips signing that drew some mixed reactions was that Carolina signed the former Philadelphia Eagle to a four-year, $120 million deal. The number does seem high when first looking at it; it's even been mentioned as one of the worst contracts in the league.

NFL Analyst Touts Jaelan Phillips Contract as Bottom 10 in the NFL

Jun 9, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers outside linebacker Jean Phillips (5) during the first day of mini camp at Bank of America Stadium practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon dropped his 10 worst contracts in the NFL list, and starting off the list at No. 10 is Jaelan Phillips. Gagnon primarily highlighted Phillips' injury history, which is completely fair. Phillips missed the majority of the 2023 and 2024 seasons with catastrophic injuries. The 2023 injury was an Achilles tear, and the 2024 injury was a partially torn ACL. Outside of head or neck injuries, those two are the worst injuries athletes can ever have.

Another negative that Gagnon brings up is Phillips' stint with Philadelphia, where he recorded only two sacks in the eight games. Phillips never really got going in Philadelphia like hes shown he can in Miami when healthy. Now that Phillips is on pace for another healthy offseason, he has the tools to prove any doubters wrong.

Why Jaelan Phillips Will be Worth the Contract

Nov 16, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Jaelan Phillips (50) against the Detroit Lions at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Jaelan Phillips finished the 2025 season ranking fourth in pressures, which is higher than some of the elite edge rushers in the NFL, such as Myles Garrett and Aidan Hutchinson. If that happens again in 2026, it'd be hard to believe that Phillips doesn't end the year with more sacks than he did last year, and potentially his first 10+ sack season.

The other reason Carolina had to make a bold move on the pass rush was because of how awful they were in 2025. The Panthers were in the bottom three in the NFL in both sacks and QB hits; that's unacceptable, especially for a GM like Dan Morgan, who was a defensive player himself in Carolina.

The pass rush hit rock bottom last season, and the Panthers still finished with a middle-of-the-pack defense. If the pass rush can even improve to a mediocre level, combined with the great secondary that Carolina has, the Panthers' defense can surely become a top-10 unit.