The Carolina Panthers made a major investment in their pass rush when they signed Jaelan Phillips to a massive free-agent contract. The former Miami Dolphins edge rusher had already spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles after they traded for him this season, and hoped to keep him this offseason.
Phillips still chose the Panthers, and his explanation says plenty about how aggressive the Panthers were willing to be.
Jaelan Phillips Says Panthers’ Offer Made Free Agency Decision Easy
Phillips agreed to a four-year, $120 million contract with $80 million in guaranteed money. That structure alone points to how strongly the Panthers believed in him and how willing the franchise was to outpace other teams in both guaranteed money and long-term commitment.
Speaking about his free-agency decision, he told local Carolina media that the Eagles did make a push to retain him. The Panthers’ offer still separated itself from the rest.
“I don’t want to disclose what they’re offering or anything like that, but you know, they definitely did want me to come back,” Phillips said.
“And you know that’s something I knew after the season, that they’re going to be making a push. And ultimately, you know, Panthers just they came with more attractive offer.
“And, you know, clearly that just shows the belief they have in me, and the belief they have in their team, the word that invest and, you know, pieces to try to take this team to the next level. So, yeah, you know, it came down to it, but ultimately it was, it was kind of a no-brainer to come to the Panthers.”
Jaelan Phillips talks about how his deal was evidence of the #Panthers belief in him and their commitment to investing in the defensive unit. pic.twitter.com/jbE4UuPv7l
— Sheena Quick (@Sheena_Marie3) March 16, 2026
The Eagles had already seen what Phillips could do in their defense. The Eagles acquired him from Miami during their Week 9 bye last season. Before Phillips arrived, the Eagles allowed 23 points per game. After he joined the roster, that number dropped to 14.5 points per game during the regular season.
It would be unfair to pin that entire turnaround on one player, but Phillips clearly helped stabilize the front and gave the Eagles another disruptive edge presence. That is why the Eagles’ attempt to re-sign him matters. The Panthers still won out.
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The Panthers badly needed that type of help. According to PFSN’s Defense Impact Metric, they pressured quarterbacks on just 27.1 percent of dropbacks last season. That was the third-lowest rate in the NFL.
Phillips has not yet reached double-digit sacks in a season, but the upside remains obvious. His career high is 8.5 sacks as a rookie in 2021. Injuries shortened two of his five seasons, and he had five sacks in 2025. Even so, he has been graded as a top-25 edge rusher in PFSN’s EDGE Impact Metric in each of his last three healthy seasons.
The Panthers are betting that talent will flourish with a stronger supporting cast. Defensive tackle Derrick Brown gives the Panthers interior strength, and young edge rusher Nic Scourton flashed promise last season. Phillips now arrives as the featured edge defender the front office believes can take the unit to another level.
The contract shows the Panthers were willing to go further than the Eagles in both years and guarantees. Phillips called it a no-brainer. The deal suggests the Panthers made sure it looked that way.
