The Carolina Panthers had a primary target in mind when the legal tampering window opened. Jaelan Phillips was their No. 1 option, and general manager Dan Morgan was not going to let him slip through the net this time.
Phillips signed a four-year, $120 million contract with $80 million guaranteed to join the Panthers. If that sounds like a lot, it is. But the veteran edge rusher is already leaving a mark that goes beyond the field.
With a big price tag comes great responsibility. Phillips is taking the initiative, catching teammates off guard with his exceptional tone-setting traits in practice and doing whatever he can to set a good example for the other young edge rushers in the room.
Nic Scourton already blown away by Jaelan Phillips at Carolina Panthers OTAs
It's early days, but Scourton has already taken a substantial amount from Phillips' first few weeks with the club. He's studying film and watching everything, from the explosiveness to the resilience and everything in between.
"I think for Jaelan, he is so strong mentally, like, a very mentally strong guy, a great leader, he's been around for a little minute. I say in terms of like ball, though, obviously different archetypes. He's 6-5, I'm 6-3, but it's just, really just his set line. Like, man, he gets up on guys quick with those long strides, and he can power you.
"He can go inside, he can take you outside, I mean, he's just ridiculous, and I break down his tape a lot because I want to see who I'm rushing by."
Everyone knows Phillips has talent. The former Miami Hurricanes star doesn't have the sack numbers, but he generates pressure at will and defends the run effectively in a 3-4 base scheme. His arrival is a bar-raiser in no uncertain terms, which hasn't gone unnoticed by players like Scourton.
While most expect Scourton to start opposite Phillips, that is not set in stone just yet. Patrick Jones II is back from injury and looking to return to the same spot. Though Princely Umanmielen is seen more as a pass-rush specialist for the rotation, he'll have ambitions to become much more.
Either way, Phillips is the undisputed alpha. He's the marquee splash that made Carolina's intentions about winning now abundantly clear. That is a lot of pressure, but it's nothing a player this talented cannot take in his stride.
Judging by the impact he's made on Scourton and everyone else, optimism couldn't be much higher. And if Phillips was aiming to make an early statement, it's safe to say he achieved this objective.
Add us as a preferred source on Google