For better or worse, football is a young man's game, and the Carolina Panthers are seemingly well aware of this. They impressively struck the perfect balance between youth and talent this offseason with the acquisitions of star linebacker Devin Lloyd and outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips.
Coming off their first NFC South championship since 2015, the Panthers splurged on Lloyd and Phillips. The context and actions suggest they're trying to compete sooner rather than later. However, the club managed to thread the needle of adding legitimate difference-makers without accelerating its timeline, as Mike Sando of The Athletic highlighted.
Sando praised Carolina for "pushing hard to improve the defense without getting older," highlighting Lloyd and Phillips.
"The Panthers dove headfirst into free agency by spending $30 million per year for edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and $14 million annually for linebacker Devin Lloyd," Sando wrote ($). "That type of financial investment often signals a win-now mentality, but Phillips (age 26) and Lloyd (27) should be in Carolina for years to come. That makes sense for a team that won its division with an 8-9 record but probably isn't a true contender right now."
Panthers found the perfect way to improve without sacrificing the future
While the aggressive approach didn't come cheap, it did set the Panthers up for the present and the future. They understand their status as a rising franchise, and perhaps more notably, the pace at which the group is growing. Lloyd and Phillips fit the window of contention, which is why Sando tabbed this roster construction strategy his "favorite" move Carolina's made in recent months.
A Panthers squad that entered free agency without much cap space at their disposal found a way to move some money around and make a splash. They brought in Lloyd and Phillips, who are firmly in their primes, to anchor the front seven of a stop unit that's generating buzz.
Lloyd is coming off a true breakout campaign with the Jacksonville Jaguars, showcasing his high-end athleticism and versatility. He recorded 81 tackles (six for loss), 10 quarterback hits, seven pass deflections, five interceptions and 1.5 sacks across 15 games in 2025. His efforts yielded an elite 89.1 overall Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade, which ranked third among 88 qualified linebackers.
Meanwhile, Phillips gives Carolina a much-needed pass-rushing boost. He finished ninth and sixth, respectively, among all edge defenders in total pressures (76) and sixth in hurries (60) last season, per PFF. His presence on the perimeter should create exploitable matchups for others.
Together, Lloyd and Phillips figure to make life easier for an opportunistic Panthers secondary led by two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaycee Horn. They are the linchpins of a burgeoning defense that also made meaningful improvements via the 2026 NFL Draft.
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