Panthers OLB Jaelan Phillips lays out his goal for 2026 season

Jaelan Phillips was already going to be shouldering a heavy load for the Carolina Panthers defense this year. The four-year, $120 million contract he signed in March was the biggest for player in free agency—even more than former sack champion Trey Hendrickson got from the Baltimore Ravens.

And now, after Thursday's news revealed that fellow starting outside linebacker Nic Scourton would miss the entire 2026 season due to an ACL tear, the pressure is even greater.

From Phillips' perspective, he's focused on turning his high pressure rate into more sacks. Here's what he told NFL Network national reporter Cameron Wolfe after the opening session of training camp:

“I’m trying to turn up and go crazy.”

1-on-1 with #Panthers top edge rusher Jaelan Phillips on his role in solving Carolina pass rush woes & more: pic.twitter.com/oW68npb0Dq

— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) July 24, 2026

Phillips entered the 2025 campaign with a career high of 8.5 sacks, which he posted during his rookie season in 2021. Last year, he managed just 5.0 while playing a full 17-game slate between the Miami Dolphins and the Philadelphia Eagles.

The under-the-hood numbers, however, tell a bit of a different story. Phillips tallied 76 pressures in 2025, tied for the ninth-most in the league.

To justify the contract the Panthers have given him, Phillips will have to parlay more of those pressures into actual takedowns in 2026 and beyond.

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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers OLB Jaelan Phillips lays out his goal for 2026 season