Panthers' biggest signing named one of the NFL's worst from this offseason

When you fall behind the competition in the NFL, it can be a long and difficult process to catch up. Just ask the Cleveland Browns, who have appeared in a grand total of three playoff games over the last 24 years.

The Carolina Panthers haven't fallen that far, but they did just emerge from a 10-year stretch of missing out on the playoffs. A seven-year run of bad draft classes played a big role in that, and the team didn't do much better in free agency.

Unfortunately, that element may have carried over to the tenure of general manager Dan Morgan. In his first year on the job, he splurged on guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis—a pair of deals may eventually sour given their age and the position they play. Last year's signings of defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton and outside linebacker Pat Jones II didn't go too well either.

This spring, it looks like the Panthers may be in for more of the same. The biggest ticket item that they signed in free agency was former Miami Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Jaelan Phillips—who grabbed himself a four-year, $120 million deal.

For their trouble, Bleacher Report has named this move as one of the 10 worst free-agent signings from this offseason:

But the fact that only New York Giants edge-rusher Abdul Carter had fewer sacks last year with more than 50-plus pressures isn't the only issue with Phillips. His pass-rush win rate last year with the Philadelphia Eagles was under 10 percent, and he has a lengthy injury history—he ruptured his Achilles tendon in 2023 and tore his ACL the following year...

Phillips posted 15.5 sacks and 41 quarterback hits in his first two seasons with the Dolphins. But as B/R's Gary Davenport alluded to, his production has significantly dropped off ever since.

Last year, he managed just 5.0 sacks, seven quarterback hits and four tackles for a loss over a full 17-game slate. Those generally are not the kind of numbers that earn you a $100 million contract, but Phillips is lucky that he met the Panthers when he did.

Until they become consistent contenders, the Panthers may have to keep overpaying for free agents. Charlotte is far from a destination city for NFL players, which makes it difficult to attract big names.

Hopefully, Phillips can find a fresh spark and get back to the high level he was playing at early in his career. But he's going to have to find a gear we haven't seen from him yet in order to justify this contract.

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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Jaelan Phillips contract earns Panthers spot on NFL's worst moves list