The Carolina Panthers have had one of the worst pass rushes in the NFL for the past few seasons. In recent years, general manager Dan Morgan has worked to rectify the problem with draft picks and free-agent signings.
The biggest acquisitions Morgan has made to date are the signing of former Miami Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips, who signed a four-year, $120 million contract in the offseason to become the Panthers' top pass rusher.
Is there risk involved? Always, but the Panthers' biggest free-agent investment in recent franchise memory could be the missing piece to their problem on the defensive edge that they have been looking for since trading Brian Burns to the New York Giants almost three years ago.
Jaelan Phillips gives the Carolina Panthers their missing piece on defense
The trickling effect of Carolina's pass rush issues began in 2023. Burns and linebacker Frankie Luvu were the only players having some success getting to the passer. When they couldn't, you can see the win-loss record that season.
Last spring, the Panthers drafted Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen in the second and third rounds, respectively, while signing Patrick Jones II in free agency. The latter missed much of last season with what we now know is a herniated disc, and the rookies at the time were still adjusting to the next level.
Now, with Phillips in the fold, the Panthers have a pass rusher who fits defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero's system perfectly. He's the most well-rounded rush linebacker in the game, showcasing nasty inside swim moves, speed-to-power, excellent run defense, and eye-catching coverage ability in the flats and hook-curl shell.
This is who the Panthers have been missing since Morgan decided Burns was not worth what he wanted on another deal. Phillips can be a difference-maker on the edge. Combined with the return of Jones and Umanmielen's projected growth, Carolina's pass rush may finally work itself out of the figurative gutter.
Expectations are high for Phillips to not only produce but also stay healthy, which has been his biggest issue since being drafted. A full 17-game season in a system he has known since entering the league could help the Panthers become a more complete defense this fall.
A healthy year for Phillips in Carolina could be at least 8-10 sacks, maintaining his place as one of the league's best pressure-getters with at least 60 pressures, and being an edge-setting presence that could limit damage against off-tackle or outside zone concepts.
In a lot of ways, Phillips is a complete player. He may never be one of the league's five best, but he is the missing piece to what Carolina has been searching for off the edge.
And if this scenario becomes reality, nobody will care what it cost to get Phillips into the building.
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