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The Panthers signed a former Miami Dolphins pass rusher
The NFL’s legal tampering period of free agency is fully underway, and the Miami Dolphins have not wasted any time making their first big acquisition. After announcing the release of former quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, the team agreed to a three-year contract with the top free agent quarterback Malik Willis.
Additionally, the Dolphins traded defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick in exchange for a seventh-round pick from the New York Jets. The Dolphins had spoken publicly about likely trading Fitzpatrick, despite the defensive back being selected as a Pro Bowl alternate during the 2025 season.
However, one of the biggest contracts of free agency was signed by a player who was traded by the Dolphins during the 2025 season.
Former Miami Dolphins Player Lands $120 Million Contract
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Carolina Panthers had signed former Dolphins first-round pick Jaelan Phillips to a four-year, $120 million contract with $80 million in guarantees.
Phillips spent the first four and a half seasons of his career with the Dolphins after being drafted with the No. 18 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. After a 2-7 start by Miami in the 2025 season, Phillips was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles for a third-round pick. While the Eagles tried to re-sign the edge defender, the Panthers outbid them in free agency.
The Athletic’s Daniel Popper, who ranked Phillips as the No. 2 free agent in this class, graded the Panthers’ signing a B-. He wrote, “Young, ascending edge rushers who hit the open market get paid. That is a truism of NFL free agency. And that is what happened with Phillips, one of the best players in this year’s class. Phillips is still on the rise as a player, and the Panthers likely think he will turn into a top-10 edge rusher over the length of this deal.
He does have an injury history, so this comes with some risk. Still, Phillips is an explosive athlete who can set the edge in the run game and create pressure with his short-area burst, especially when driving inside on swim moves. He also has real coverage ability, a valuable extra part of his skill set for a creative defensive coordinator in Ejiro Evero. The Panthers had to pay a premium, but they got a really good player in Phillips.”
Jaelan Phillips’ Miami Tenure
There were no reports about the Dolphins looking to negotiate a contract extension with Phillips prior to the trade, but it seems unlikely Miami could have matched Carolina’s offer due to their salary cap situation.
Phillips is not the first former Dolphins player to sign with the Panthers, as he will join guard Robert Hunt, who signed a five-year, $100 million contract in Carolina after the 2023 season. Unfortunately for Miami, they were never able to get a full healthy, dominant season out of Phillips aside from his breakout 2022 campaign. During the 2022 season, Phillips was graded as the sixth-best edge defender by Pro Football Focus.
Injuries derailed him in 2023, as he suffered a torn Achilles in the second half of the season. Prior to his injury, Phillips had notched six sacks in his final five games. He would then suffer another season-ending injury in the 2024 season, before finally being traded in 2025.
Jose Esquer Jose Esquer is a Mexican-American sportswriter and communications student based in San Diego, CA. His work spans football, basketball, baseball, and soccer. He has written for platforms like RotoWire and DolphinsTalk. You can find him on Twitter/X @JEsquer8, usually talking Dolphins, world football, or both. More about Jose Esquer
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