The Carolina Panthers signed Jaelan Phillips to a four-year, $120 million contract.
Many people believe the Carolina Panthers overpaid for Jaelan Phillips.
The Panthers signed Phillips to a massive four-year, $120 million contract. Phillips has never made the Pro Bowl and has suffered big injuries in the past.
NFL analyst Alex Kay of Bleacher Report says it's "hard to picture Phillips living up to his monster contract" in Carolina.
"The odds don't seem good of Phillips realizing that potential on a less-talented Carolina squad. Whether it's injuries or a lack of support that ultimately cause the shortcomings, it's hard to picture him living up to his monster contract."
Phillips played for the Miami Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles last season. The Eagles acquired the 26-year-old from the Dolphins in November. Phillips finished last season with five sacks, 29 solo tackles, seven tackles for loss and 14 QB hits with Miami and Philadelphia.
Phillips has 28 sacks in the NFL with the Dolphins and Eagles. His main job next season is to wreak havoc on opposing QBs.
The Panthers, under defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, run a base 3-4 defense. Phillips isn't worried about adjusting his game to a new defensive scheme.
"I've played a lot in 3-4s," said Phillips. "I definitely can say that I'm versatile in the sense that I can get down to the 3 (technique), I can play the edge. I can walk out in coverage. I can drop back to the inside backer if I need to. I've done a lot of things in a lot of different defenses.
"I think that's kind of one of the fortunate things that I've had different coordinators with different teams, different position coaches, stuff like that. So, I've had a lot of experience and been involved in a lot of different systems, so I think that I can definitely contribute in that sense of just being versatile and allowing the defense to be able to be multiple because you don't have to worry about my position."
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