NFL refuses to give the Panthers needed vindication for their top free agent signing and the league may end up regretting it
The Carolina Panthers spent an enormous amount of money in free agency to acquire Jaelan Phillips and make him a Top-10 paid edge rusher. He still hasn’t earned that recognition yet as a player, but it’s coming, at least Carolina hopes so.
When the Carolina Panthers acquired edge rusher Jaelan Phillips in free agency, the team had to hand over the richest free agent deal in franchise history. That four-year, $120 million contract proved Carolina wasn’t going to be out-bid again on a player they thought highly of who could single-handedly transform the entire defense.
There is, of course, inherent risk take comes with such a signing for any player, even elite caliber players. The real question is, what kind of player are the Panthers actually paying for with Jaelan Phillips?
Top-10 edge rusher rankings leads to questions about the Carolina Panthers decision to sign Jaelan Phillips
On Wednesday, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler released the Top-10 edge rusher rankings as voted on by league executives, coaches, and scouts. A total of 13 edge rushers were discussed, counting the three honorable mentions. Phillips was not included in that group, but did receive some votes, just not enough to be ranked within that Top-13. That’s all the motivation he, and the Panthers, need going into 2026.
The Panthers are paying Phillips like he belongs in that group. His contract ranks tenth in total value, ninth in average salary per year, and tenth in total guarantees among edge rushers. Looking at the kind of player this defense needed, the Panthers had no choice but to pony up and spend big.
“At that position, you are looking for a player who can always win one-on-one rushes, who has the ability to change the math for you, who has the ability to dominate the edge versus tackles and tight ends in the run game,” Panthers outside linebackers coach A.C. Carter explained. “And also when it’s time to hit home runs in the passing game, to be able to get the quarterback down for you.”
Phillips, during his first four years in the NFL, has shown flashes that he can handle that responsibility. His 18.4 PFF win percentage ranked eighth among edge rushers with 150+ pass rush snaps in 2025. Playing opposite Nic Scourton, Phillips will get plenty of opportunities to face one-on-one situations and show dominating he can be there.
All of this sounds good on paper, and there’s a vision in place for Phillips to be a Top-10 edge rusher for the Panthers. The reality is, he just hasn’t been that kind of player yet, but that doesn’t mean he’s not knocking on the door of reaching that status.
The real breakout is imminent for Jaelan Phillips in 2026
To put things simply, the Panthers aren’t paying Phillips for the player he is, they’re paying him for the player he can be, and that player is a Top-10 pass rusher. We’ve established that Phillips has shown flashes and is in line for an opportunity to prove himself. People now just want to see him actually do it from a production standpoint.
Through four seasons, Phillips totaled 28.0 sacks and never had a double-digit sack season, which is usually the bar people look at when evaluating edge rushers.
“It’s tough because I think naturally sacks are the flashy things,” Phillips said. “Everybody talks about them, and even within my own head, it’s hard not to just focus on sacks and be like ‘Oh damn, I don’t have as many sacks.’ And so I sometimes might not feel like I’m producing as much.”
In reality, there’s more to being an elite edge rusher than bringing down the quarterback. Phillips is a disruptor, and a consistent one. His 76 pressures in 2025 ranked ninth among all edge rushers while his 60 hurries ranked sixth. Even if he doesn’t hit home at an elite rate, he’s still causing just as much chaos for quarterbacks.
“The one thing I know about myself is I’m going to get after the quarterback,” Phillips added. “I’m going to affect him, I’m going to get my hand in his face, I’m going to take the tackle back into him. I think for me, I’m excited about expanding my game and really getting that finishing aspect and turning a lot of the disruption into production.”
If he can turn that disruption into more production, the league will finally take notice and view him as the Top-10 player the Panthers are paying him to be in 2026 and beyond.