BREAKING: Baltimore signs former-Raven Pernell McPhee
On May 16th, 2019, the Baltimore Ravens were reported to bring back former edge rusher Pernell McPhee, who left via Free Agency back in 2015.
After losing both Terrell Suggs and Za’Darius Smith this off-season via Free Agency, the Baltimore Ravens were a tad thin at edge rusher. To help fix this issue, the team signed edge rusher Pernell McPhee, who spent the first four seasons of his career (2011-2014) with the Ravens.
McPhee is almost entirely similar to a player who Baltimore just lost this season in Za’Darius Smith. Ironically, Smith was drafted in 2015 after McPhee departed Baltimore to be his replacement. Seems somewhat poetic…
Former Ravens’ LB Pernell McPhee, who left to go play in Chicago and Washington, is returning to Baltimore on a one-year deal, per league source. McPhee has 31 career sacks and six forced fumbles, and Ravens looking for some more.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 16, 2019
Pernell McPhee was the team’s fifth round selection back in 2011 out of Mississippi State. Baltimore has always been known as a team that can take late round picks and develop them into studs, and McPhee is one of the best examples of this. After a breakout 2014 season that saw McPhee accrue 7.5 sacks as the team’s third-string edge rusher (behind Suggs and Elvis Dumervil), he left via Free Agency to join the Chicago Bears. McPhee signed a five-year $40 million contract.
When McPhee was healthy, he was a stud for the Bears, racking up 14.0 sacks in 36 games. Not quite the production worthy his contract, but he was still an effective player. McPhee was cut after 2017 and spent last season with the Washington Redskins, where he didn’t record any sacks.
Since leaving Baltimore, Penerll McPhee’s only real issue has been staying healthy. When he’s healthy, he’s a great leader and edge setter, something the Baltimore Ravens are in need of right now.
The signing of McPhee presents a low-risk, solid-reward outcome for Baltimore. While there aren’t contract details released as of writing this, it can be assumed McPhee signed for the veteran minimum. With that in mind, holding onto him for the course of the 2019 season could prove valuable, as the Ravens can have him start and give the younger players, especially Jaylon Ferguson, better time to develop.
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The Baltimore Ravens undoubtedly needed some bodies to add to their edge rushing core. While Matt Judon is good enough on his own to start, a constant rotation of Ferguson and underwhelming guys like Tyus Bowser and Tim Williams would’ve been problematic for Baltimore. With the signing of Pernell McPhee, the Ravens have more insurance at the position in a proven vet who has played here before.