The Philadelphia Eagles got a half-season of high-level football from edge rusher Jaelan Phillips after a 2025 trade with the Miami Dolphins.
In exchange, Phillips wound up with the deal of a lifetime — a record-setting 4-year, $120 million free-agent contract from the Carolina Panthers that is the largest contract for any player, ever, in franchise history.
Not everyone thinks that’s going to go well.
Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon predicts signing Phillips is the 1 NFL big-money move that will “backfire” in 2026 — a contract that included $80 million in guaranteed money.
“A rebuilding team that struggled to generate pressure defensively last season was looking for a game-changer on that side of the ball in its quest to further support hopeful franchise quarterback Bryce Young,” Gagnon wrote. “Phillips is due to count $32.5 million against the salary cap in 2027, and there’s really no painless way for the Panthers to bail on this in the next three years. Considering that we’re talking about a 27-year-old with 28 total sacks and zero All-Pro or Pro Bowl nods in five good-not-great seasons, there’s a damn good chance Carolina regrets that.”
Major Pressure for Jaelan Phillips in Carolina
Other than Young, no player will be under more pressure to perform in a Panthers uniform in 2026 than Phillips.
According to The Athletic’s Joseph Person, Phillips’ deal comes with the expectation he will lift a defense that squeaked into the playoffs last season to 1 that dominates the up-for-grabs NFC South Division in 2026.
“The Panthers made Phillips the highest-paid player in franchise history with a four-year, $120 million contract, a high price for a player who hasn’t notched more than seven sacks since his rookie season,” Person wrote. “(General Manager) Dan Morgan and (head coach) Dave Canales are betting that Phillips’ pressure rate will result in more production for everyone after the Panthers tied for 30th in 2025 with 30 sacks.”
That’s a big bet — and 1 that history tells us won’t likely pay off.
Eagles Don’t Have Clear Star at Edge Rusher
There is nothing certain about the future for the Eagles at edge rusher, although they’ve spent the offseason trying to solidify what was mostly a weak spot in 2025.
First, the Eagles traded their 2026 and 2027 3rd-round picks to the Minnesota Vikings for Pro Bowler Jonathan Greenard. Philadelphia promptly signed him to a 4-year, $98 million contract extension — likely the money they were willing to spend on Phillips.
After Greenard, the Eagles could have a rising star in 2024 3rd-round pick Jalyx Hunt, who became the 1st player in franchise history to lead the Eagles in sacks (6.5) and interceptions (3) in 2025.
Beyond those 2, there’s veteran edge rusher and former 1st-round pick Nolan Smith Jr., who took a big step backwards in 2025 by missing 5 games due to injuries.
Smith had a breakout season in 2024 with career highs in sacks (6.5) and TFL (8), but saw those numbers fall to 3.0 sacks and 1 TFL in 2025 — he’s also now dealing with the added pressure of an untimely offseason arrest.
The best move for the Eagles if they want to have a dominant edge rusher in 2026 might still be via a trade — look for general manager Howie Roseman to possibly try and do something with the 2028 1st round pick they obtained from the New England Patriots in the A.J. Brown trade.
Former Eagles Star’s $120 Million Move Predicted to ‘Backfire’