According to multiple media reports, soon-to-be former Philadelphia Eagles EDGE Jaelan Phillips has agreed to terms with the Carolina Panthers on a four-year deal worth $120 million, or $30 million per season.
After attempting to trade for superstar edge defenders like Myles Garrett and Micah Parsons before the 2025 season, the Eagles did eventually land an established edge rusher in Phillips, who cost a third-round pick at the November trade deadline.
In eight games with the Eagles, Phillips had 28 tackles (4 for loss), 2 sacks, 4 pass breakups, a forced fumble, and a recovery. Those are just OK numbers, but Phillips' rushes often created sacks or other plays for teammates.
Based on snap counts, Phillips was Vic Fangio's top edge defender after the Eagles acquired him. The edges' snap counts per game, from Week 10 on (omitting the Week 18 "resting starters" game against the Commanders):
- Jaelan Phillips: 52.1
- Jalyx Hunt: 37.8
- Nolan Smith: 33.8
- Brandon Graham: 12.0
Phillips was a Dolphins first-round pick (18th overall) in 2021. He played for Fangio during Fangio's one-year tenure as Miami's defensive coordinator in 2023. Phillips' career stats:
| Jaelan Phillips | Tackles | Sacks | FF-FR |
| 2021 (17 games) | 42 | 8.5 | 0-1 |
| 2022 (17 games) | 61 | 7 | 1-2 |
| 2023 (8 games) | 43 | 6.5 | 0-0 |
| 2024 (4 games) | 6 | 1 | 0-0 |
| 2025 (17 games) | 53 | 5 | 1-2 |
Phillips was having a breakout season under Fangio in 2023, when he had 6.5 sacks in 8 games, but that season was cut short by a torn Achilles. In 2024, Phillips tore an ACL that ended his season after just four games.
Injuries are not new to Phillips, who was a big-time prospect coming out of high school. He was ranked No. 2 in the nation by 247Sports, No. 3 by ESPN Recruiting, and No. 6 by Rivals. He initially enrolled at UCLA, but suffered multiple injuries, plus a moped accident that severely damaged his wrist. He actually retired at one point while in college. Phillips would eventually transfer to Miami and return to football, missing the 2019 season. He had a good 2020 season, though, and became a first-round pick.
Phillips was a good fit in Philly. Obviously, Fangio wanted him, and he is a bigger edge defender than Hunt and Smith.
• Jaelan Phillips: 6'5, 266
• Jalyx Hunt: 6'3, 252
• Nolan Smith: 6'2, 238
He brought a bit of a power element to the Eagles' edge rush, whereas Hunt and Smith rely more on their speed.
The loss of Phillips opens up a pretty big hole on the edge, but the cost the Panthers paid is nuts, and the Eagles were right not to match.
At a price tag of $30 million per season, Phillips should qualify in the compensatory pick formula in the third-round tier.
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