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By Logan Brown
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The Carolina Panthers made waves in the early hours of the legal tampering period in NFL free agency by agreeing to terms with edge rusher Jaelan Phillips to a massive deal, according to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
Philips has agreed to a four-year, $120 million deal with the Panthers, turning his back on the Philadelphia Eagles, who acquired Phillips at the trade deadline last season from the Dolphins. The star edge rusher was widely expected to return to the Eagles.
The Eagles recently agreed to a contract extension with defensive tackle Jordan Davis. They were reportedly making progress toward a deal with Phillips, but now all attention will turn toward defensive tackle Jalen Carter as negotiations continue.
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Phillips, a former first-round pick in 2021 by the Dolphins, is one of the most highly coveted players on the open market this offseason despite having a history of devastating injuries. He has torn both his Achilles and ACL during his pro career, but his sack production is what Carolina is betting on.
Entering his age-27 season, Phillips’ best days might still be ahead of him. He had five sacks last season with the Dolphins and Eagles. He tallied 15.5 total sacks in his first two seasons in Miami.
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The Panthers needed more pass rushers to remain contenders in the NFC South. While Phillips’ numbers have dipped in recent seasons due to injury, 2025 was a sign that he could get back to his peak potential. The Panthers are betting on that upside and will depend on him in a wide-open division race next season.
The deal for Phillips reportedly guarantees $80 million to the edge rusher over the course of the deal. The agreed-upon deal cannot be finalized and signed until Wednesday.
The Eagles now have to turn their attention to retaining Carter, and the team could also jump into the sweepstakes for edge rusher Trey Hendrickson in free agency.
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