Jaelan Phillips, Panthers Reportedly Agrees to Contract After Eagles Stint, Updated Salary Cap

The Philadelphia Eagles traded a third-round pick to acquire Jaelan Phillips during the 2025 season. It proved to be a short relationship.

The Carolina Panthers agreed to a deal with the veteran edge-rusher for four years and $120 million, including $80 million guaranteed, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported just Sunday that a return to the Eagles looked a strong possibility:

The Panthers are projected to be just $7.3 million under the salary cap, so the contract may be backloaded, or cost-cutting maneuvers are imminent in Charlotte.

Keeping Phillips—or replacing him with a dynamic pass-rusher—was likely Philly's top priority this offseason. While the team has Nolan Smith (three sacks in 2025) and Jalyx Hunt (6.5 sacks) on the edge, they didn't have much depth beyond that, and Phillips is a more accomplished player than both.

In eight games with the Eagles last season the 26-year-old registered 28 tackles (four for loss), two sacks, seven quarterback hits, four passes defensed, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. While those numbers may not jump off the page, Phillips did rank ninth in the NFL last season with 73 pressures, per PFF.

The Eagles came into the offseason with some big-name free agents alongside Phillips, including linebacker Nakobe Dean, safety Reed Blankenship and tight end Dallas Goedert. With extensions on the horizon for younger stars like Jalen Carter, the Eagles were going to have to make some tough decisions about who to keep.

Phillips was one of the bigger names in free agency, however, and Carolina splashed out major cash to steal him from Philly.