Panthers’ prize offseason addition is already generating a label no player wants any part of ahead of the 2026 NFL season
The Panthers showed they were going all-in on the here and now back in free agency. But is there a chance that they overpaid? One outlet believes the Panthers have one of the worst contracts in the sport now.
The Carolina Panthers were a few plays away from upsetting the Los Angeles Rams in a playoff game the last time we saw them on a football field. Knowing that the NFC South remains wide open and taking advantage of their window, the Panthers brass didn’t stand pat this offseason.
Carolina was one of the most active franchises in the league during free agency, adding linebacker Devin Lloyd alongside pass rusher Jaelan Phillips, among others. But if you ask Bleacher Report, one of those players is on a horrible contract.
Jaelan Phillips 2025 stats
- 53 total tackles.
- 5 sacks.
- 7 tackles for loss.
Jaelan Phillips contract named one of the worst in the league
“Injuries cost him the vast majority of 2023 and 2024 with the Dolphins before they moved on, and he managed just two sacks in eight games as an Eagles rental in 2025. Given he has yet to earn a first- or second-team All-Pro nod or a Pro Bowl selection in five NFL seasons, it’s surprising he’s one of just 13 defensive players in the $30 million AAV club.”
“Phillips is slated to cost the Panthers $38.8 million as a 30-year-old in 2029, unless the team dumps him before then. In that case, they’d have paid him $90 million over three presumably disappointing campaigns.” – Brad Gagnon, Bleacher Report
On paper, it may seem hefty to pay a player whose best year is 8.5 sacks north of $30 million, but there are multiple factors at play here. The first is that Phillips just turned 27 years old. Sure, he’s been banged up, but he still has plenty of youth left, and he looked good with the Eagles despite some limited production.
The other factor here is the market. The best pass rushers in the league make north of $40 million per year. It’s not as if the Panthers just shelled out some huge deal to an unproven player. They paid market value, with maybe a little bit of a Carolina Tax to make sure they could land Phillips.
At his best with the Miami Dolphins, Phillips was a playmaker who was stout against the run and a power rusher against the pass. If not for some bad injury luck and a total overhaul, the Dolphins probably would have kept him around, and the Philadelphia Eagles, who are known for having an eye when it comes to pass rushers, wanted him. That says a lot.