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The Carolina Panthers went against their usual operating method this offseason, spending big money in free agency to bring in linebacker Devin Lloyd and edge rusher Jaelan Phillips. While Lloyd is a good pickup with a pretty fair market contract, it doesn't take a ton of imagination to foresee the Philips deal—a four-year, $120 million pact—aging poorly for them.
Here's how the signing could backfire on the Panthers, according to Brad Gagnon at Bleacher Report:
To be fair, Phillips has displayed a high level of potential in the past—especially early on in his NFL career with the Miami Dolphins. He posted 8.5 sacks in his rookie campaign and followed that up with 7.0 in his second.
But given his injury history (12 games played between 2023 and 2024) and his recent lack of old-fashioned production, Phillips may have a difficult time living up to that investment.
Phillips' average of $30 million per year puts him in some rare company, tying him with Jonathan Greenard for the ninth-highest annual salary among edge rushers. Everyone above him on that list (Will Anderson, Micah Parsons, Aidan Hutchinson, T.J. Watt, Danielle Hunter, Myles Garrett, Maxx Crosby and Nick Bosa) are all stars with multiple Pro Bowl appearances under their belts.
For Phillips' contract to be worth it, he's going to have to at least come close to 10.0 sacks per season—a mark he has yet to meet over his five-year career. If he doesn't, then this could be a big roll of the dice that the Panthers might want back.
Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers' Jaelan Phillips investment could backfire, says analyst
Continue reading...
Here's how the signing could backfire on the Panthers, according to Brad Gagnon at Bleacher Report:
To be fair, Phillips has displayed a high level of potential in the past—especially early on in his NFL career with the Miami Dolphins. He posted 8.5 sacks in his rookie campaign and followed that up with 7.0 in his second.
But given his injury history (12 games played between 2023 and 2024) and his recent lack of old-fashioned production, Phillips may have a difficult time living up to that investment.
Phillips' average of $30 million per year puts him in some rare company, tying him with Jonathan Greenard for the ninth-highest annual salary among edge rushers. Everyone above him on that list (Will Anderson, Micah Parsons, Aidan Hutchinson, T.J. Watt, Danielle Hunter, Myles Garrett, Maxx Crosby and Nick Bosa) are all stars with multiple Pro Bowl appearances under their belts.
For Phillips' contract to be worth it, he's going to have to at least come close to 10.0 sacks per season—a mark he has yet to meet over his five-year career. If he doesn't, then this could be a big roll of the dice that the Panthers might want back.
Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers' Jaelan Phillips investment could backfire, says analyst
Continue reading...
