Jalaen Phillips is Eager to Get Back And Help Panthers' Defense

The Carolina Panthers enter the final eight games of the season tied for first place in the NFC South. With every team having three wins, the Panthers are in position to make a run if they can get healthy.

Since the 3-2 start, the Panthers have lost three straight games and have been hit with some tough injuries. They have seen their secondary lose two starters and edge rusher Jaelan Phillips has missed some games. 

But help could be on the way.

Earlier in the week, the Panthers opened the 21-day practice window for Jonathon Brooks, Mike Jackson and Xavier Lagette. The hope is that they can return sooner rather than later to provide some much-needed help. 

Phillips has missed three games with a hamstring injury and Carolina's pass rush really struggled in that time. That included just one sack against the Denver Broncos, a game they lost in a one-score decision. The Panthers could have used his extra pass rush ability. 

As Phillips is ready to return, he told the media that he's "eager" to get back out there and make a difference. With Phillips out, Patrick Jones II got some more run and was their leader in terms of a pass rush, having the lone sack against the Broncos. 

Phillips was limited on Thursday with the Panthers in full pads at practice, so it's not a guarantee he gets out there this week. Carolina could also be playing the cautious approach as a hamstring is not easy to recover from. Any wrong misstep could be a setback for Phillips and keep him out even longer. But all signs point to him returning sooner than later. 

When Phillips does it in the field, he will do so for the first time under a new defensive coordinator. Ejiro Evero was fired a few weeks back when Phillips was hurt, so he has yet to play under interim Todd Wash, although there haven't been any drastic changes in terms of scheme or the fit for Phillips. 

His return would also be a boost for his teammates.

Devin Lloyd, who was also signed as a free agent, told Panthers.com that he believes Phillips will pick up where he left off after his injury. He sounded excited to get his running mate back out there again. 

Phillips was a big signing for the Panthers this offseason. Now, they need him out there and producing as they look to make a run at another divisional title.