The Carolina Panthers are banking on their biggest defensive investment of the offseason to start looking like money well spent in 2026.
That investment is outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips, who signed a four-year, $120 million deal in March. It’s the kind of contract that invites instant scrutiny, and plenty of people around the league already think it could go sideways.
But not everyone is ready to write it off. Some believe Phillips is positioned to take a real step forward.
One of those believers is Moe Moton of Bleacher Report, who included Phillips on a list of seven NFL edge rushers “on the verge of breaking out” in 2026. Moton pointed to the flashes Phillips has already shown, along with the injury interruptions that have kept him from putting it all together for a full stretch.
If not for injuries, Jaelan Phillips may have had his breakout season years ago. As a rookie, he showed immediate promise, logging 42 tackles (nine for loss), 8.5 sacks and 26 pressures.
After a solid 2022 campaign, Phillips missed 22 games between 2023 and 2024 because of injuries, though he bounced back last year, despite some instability. The Miami Dolphins traded him to the Philadelphia Eagles.
He finished the campaign with 53 tackles (seven for loss), five sacks and 35 pressures, one short of his single-season career high.
For Carolina, the path to making that contract work won’t be about Phillips doing everything alone. Pass rush production has to come from the whole front, and the Panthers have pieces that could help him. Pro Bowler Derrick Brown and second-round pick Lee Hunter should help occupy blockers inside, while second-year outside linebacker Nic Scourton could give the other edge some needed juice.
There’s also the broader structure of the defense to consider. If the Panthers are going to consistently get after the quarterback, it has to happen with a four-man rush. Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero blitzes about as rarely as any play-caller at this level.
Phillips has already shown what the ceiling can look like, especially in his first two seasons with the Miami Dolphins and during the first half of the 2023 season before the injuries hit. If he gets back to that level, Carolina’s defense could become a serious problem for opponents.
In Other News...
Panthers Fans Have Waited A Long Time For This Backfield Twist
Training camps are opening, and for Carolina, one of the more intriguing early storylines is in the backfield. Jonathon Brooks is finally working his way back into the mix after a long stretch away, and his presence adds a different kind of pressure to a running back room that already includes Chuba Hubbard. For a team trying to sort out its offensive identity, that kind of competition matters.
Brooks path has been defined by repeated setbacks, including ACL tears in the same knee before and after he got into the league. Now the question is less about his talent than where he fits once the Panthers start sorting actual roles again. With camp beginning, Carolina has a chance to see whether this backfield can become a strength instead of just another unfinished project. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Just Got A Telling Verdict On Dan Morgans Defense Overhaul
The Panthers opened training camp this week with rookies arriving first and veterans set to follow, a familiar summer checkpoint for a team trying to turn last seasons 8-9 finish into something more lasting. Under president of football operations/general manager Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales, Carolina has spent the offseason trying to reinforce a roster that flashed enough to reach the playoffs, but still needed more help on defense to match that next step.
One national read on the work was encouraging. Veteran NFL writer Vinny Iyer gave Carolinas offseason an A-minus and slotted it ninth among the leagues 32 teams, pointing to the kind of defensive overhaul the Panthers have been chasing. The upgrade is aimed at fixing a pass rush that has lagged badly since 2023 and at giving the secondary more support, a combination that could make this camp feel a lot different if the new pieces settle in quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Morgan Just Raised Two Big Panthers Camp Concerns
The Panthers opened training camp with the kind of injury and non-football absences that can quickly reshape the first few weeks of summer work. Dan Morgan said Ikem Ekwonu and Tershawn Wharton landed on the PUP list, Jaycee Horn and Bobby Brown were placed on NFI, and Taylor Moton is on the non-football illness list, while Jaylin Guilbeau was waived with an injury designation. For a roster trying to build continuity up front and in the secondary, it is a rough way to start camp.
Brady Christensens return on a one-year deal gives Carolina some needed flexibility across the offensive line, but it does not erase the uncertainty created by the missing bodies. The quarterback room is also in a strange spot after Will Griers unexpected retirement, with the Panthers carrying three passers and no plans to add a fourth. For a team trying to get through camp without losing ground, those are two areas worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]