Panthers’ high-priced defensive additions wasted no time making their presence felt during the first day of OTAs
The Carolina Panthers splurged this offseason on two high-priced defenders in linebacker Devin Lloyd and pass rusher Jaelan Phillips, and the two are already making big impacts after just one day at OTAs.
Carolina Panthers general manager Dan Morgan made two massive swings this offseason on the free agent market when he reeled in pass rusher Jaelan Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd, two top-level athletes with the potential to transform the team’s defense.
It’s fitting Morgan was so aggressive with those two signings after missing out on defensive tackle Milton Williams the year before, who left Carolina at the altar in favor of signing with the New England Patriots and reaching a Super Bowl in his first season.
With the additions of Phillips and Lloyd, the Panthers are banking on those two players being able to elevate the defensive side of the ball into of the league’s top units. And it only took one day at organized team activities for the two to make immediate impacts.
Devin Lloyd is quickly getting acquainted with his new home with the Carolina Panthers
Lloyd signed a three-year, $45 million deal with the Panthers after spending the first four seasons of his NFL career with the Jacksonville Jaguars. It’s the first fresh start the 27-year-old has received since first entering the league as a rookie in 2022.
“It’s a day-to-day process,” Lloyd said Tuesday. “I think everybody just has to get a feel for each other, and trust is built over time — my trust in them, their trusting me. It’s just a process, and it takes time. I think ultimately it’s just being your authentic self and not being anybody that you’re not. And over time, we just get a feel for each other.”
On the field, Lloyd quickly adapted to his new leadership role in the second level of Carolina’s defense, playing alongside returning linebacker Trevin Wallace, who was sporting a red non-contact jersey.
“I think what I’ve seen from Devin is just being in the right place at the right time,” Panthers head coach Dave Canales said. “What I have seen from Devin is just conscientiousness, communication, and really being in the right place at the right time.”
Lloyd was one of the first players on the field during the first day of OTAs on Tuesday, showcasing the level of dedication he brings to Carolina that helped him go on to earn Pro Bowl and second-team All Pro honors last season.
Jaelan Phillips introduces himself to the rest of the team while reuniting with a former teammate
As for Phillips, the Panthers signed him to a massive four-year, $120 million contract, the largest deal ever given out to a free agent in franchise history. After spending time with the Miami Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles during his first five seasons, Phillips is ready to prove he’s capable of being a top pass rusher other teams need to account for.
“A lot,” DC Ejiro Evero said when asked what Phillips can bring. “He’s really really fast. There’s not a lot of humans in the world that are that big and can move the way that he does. The first thing that stands out about him is the football character. The way he is in the classroom, he’s a great teammate, he’s great to hang out with. When it’s time to do the work and be about the business, he’s certainly the best at that. When we talk about getting on the grass and doing the fundamentals drills, he’s A-plus in that aspect as well.”
Even without pads on, Phillips introduced his teammates to the level of aggressiveness and the high tempo he brings to every single drill. It’s a trait veteran right guard Robert Hunt remembered vividly about Phillips after being his teammate and practice rival during their time together in Miami.
“He’s been that way since the day I met him,” Hunt said. “He only knows one speed. And I told everybody when we got him that he’s who you want on your team. He’s never going to change who he is. He’s going to go full speed. So from today, from now, from first day until we’re done playing. So, you gotta love what Jaelan stands for.”
After adding Lloyd and Phillips, there’s plenty of early optimism about the team’s defense as we get closer to the 2026 season. But, as Lloyd explained, “talk is cheap” this early in the offseason.
“It’s about what we do at practice and how we continue to get better every day, and then ultimately what we do on game day,” Lloyd explained. “So today was a great start. I think we had a great practice, and it was a step in the right direction. We’ve got to just continue to build off today.”