The Carolina Panthers could be a match for this risky $52 million player.
The Carolina Panthers may have just won the NFC South division title, but it's patently obvious that the team still has some holes it needs to address.
One of the most glaring needs for the Panthers is the pass rush, where Carolina registered just 30 sacks in 2025. That was after dedicating a good portion of last season to rectifying the problem.
But here we are again, and the Panthers badly need to add some more talent along the edge, and ESPN's David Newton has identified a potential solution for them: Jaelan Phillips.
Phillips split the 2025 campaign between the Miami Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles, finishing with 53 tackles, five sacks, a forced fumble and a pair of fumble recoveries.
The 26-year-old is hitting the open market and is projected to land a three-year, $52 million contract in free agency (via Spotrac), which comes out to $17.3 million annually.
That's a rather steep price to pay for a player with a very concerning injury history.
Phillips was originally selected by the Dolphins with the 18th overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft and displayed plenty of promise early on, accumulating 15.5 sacks over his first couple of seasons.
Jaelan Phillips. Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images.But then, midway through 2023, Phillips tore his Achilles. The following year, the 26-year-old tore his ACL.
So Phillips has sustained two of the worst injuries an athlete can imagine, and it resulted in him playing just 12 games between 2023 and 2024.
Yes, the University of Miami product actually appeared in 17 contests this past season, but there is no question he comes with some red flags.
When healthy, Phillips is a productive player, as he showed this year. He managed a 74.0 overall grade at Pro Football Focus, also tallying a 77.1 pass-rushing grade. The latter ranked 20th among 115 qualifying edge rushers.
If Carolina is going to sign Phillips, however, it must make sure that it laces the deal with incentives rather than handing the Redlands, Ca. native a whole lot of guaranteed money up front.
Based on the position in which the Panthers find themselves, Phillips may prove to be too risky of an acquisition. Carolina might be better off punting to the NFL Draft.
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