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Pernell McPhee

Bears LB Pernell McPhee Returns To Practice

October 14th, 2016 at 1:43pm CST by Zachary Links

Pernell McPhee is one step closer to returning to the field. The Bears linebacker has been given the go-ahead to practice, coach John Fox told reporters today. Pernell McPhee (vertical)

McPhee had his left knee operated on in February, putting his status for this season in doubt. Prior to the start of the season, Chicago put him on the PUP list. The Bears now have exactly three weeks to decide whether to activate the veteran. If he is not put on the roster in the next 21 days, he cannot play this season. With any luck, McPhee will be able to suit up on Thursday Oct. 20 against the Packers.

McPhee came to Chicago on a five-year, $38.75MM deal last offseason. Last year, he was earning every penny of that contract before his knee slowed him down.

Bears’ Roster At 53

September 3rd, 2016 at 6:50pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bears have officially reduced their roster to 53 players, and in doing so, placed LB Pernell McPhee and WR Marquess Wilson on PUP. As such, each player will be forced to miss at leas the first six games of the season.

Cut:

Waived/Injured:

PUP:

  • LB Pernell McPhee
  • WR Marquess Wilson

Braverman was the club’s seventh-round pick this year after posting a whopping 109 receptions for Western Michigan in 2015.

Moeaki has bounced around a bit since leaving the Chiefs in 2012. The 29-year-old played in 11 games for the Falcons last season, but he only hauled in three catches for 58 yards. Following a 2012 campaign where he caught 33 passes for 453 yards and a score, Moeaki has only compiled 11 catches for 192 yards over the past three seasons.

Extra Points: Bosa, 49ers, Tebow, McPhee

August 29th, 2016 at 10:55pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Joey Bosa‘s switch in lead agents helped end the stalemate between him and the Chargers, as Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune writes. Bosa’s camp shifted from Brian Ayrault to Todd France — each of whom work for CAA — after Ayrault rejected San Diego’s most recent offer. Because the club said it would only reduce its proposal from there, the agency decided to try a new strategy. “Good cop, bad cop,” one source told Gehlken.

Another key in ending the negotiations was the Chargers agreeing to language that would protect Bosa’s roster bonuses, according to Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (Twitter link). The former Ohio State Buckeye will receive 85% of his signing bonus in 2016, and the rest in 2017, per Breer, which represents a compromise between the two sides.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

  • The 49ers could choose to put quarterback Colin Kaepernick “on ice” in 2016 in order to ensure that his injury guarantees do not kick in, as Breer tweets. San Francisco would be employing a similar tactic used by the Redskins last year with Robert Griffin III. Kaepernick’s $11.9MM salary for the upcoming season is fully guaranteed, but a report this morning indicated that the club could still cut the sixth-year QB.
  • Roughly half of MLB will be represented at Tim Tebow‘s baseball workout tomorrow, reports Jon Morosi of FOX Sports (Twitter link). Prior to the start of the season, Tebow reportedly worked out for the Dodgers and the team showed some level of interest in him afterward. Of course, the former NFL quarterback faces an uphill climb as he hasn’t played baseball full-time since 2005.
  • The Bears face a decision on linebacker Pernell McPhee in the coming days, as Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune writes. McPhee, who is dealing with a knee injury, is currently on the active/PUP list, and if he doesn’t come off said list by Saturday, he’d be forced to miss the first six weeks of the season. Chicago isn’t saying much about McPhee’s recovery, but it doesn’t look like McPhee will be able to contribute by Week 1.
  • 2015 first-round pick Andrus Peat played primarily on the left side during his rookie year, so the Saints are now considering moving him from right guard to left guard, according to John DeShazier of the team’s website. If New Orleans does make the switch, veterans Tim Lelito and Senio Kelemete would keep competing for the right guard spot.

NFC Notes: Saints, 49ers, Barth, Eagles

October 8th, 2015 at 8:47am CST by Luke Adams

The Saints won’t displace Zach Hocker right now, even after auditioning several kickers, as Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports tweets. Hocker missed a potential game-winning field goal on Sunday night against the Cowboys before New Orleans won in overtime, and missed a field goal and an extra point in the team’s Week 2 loss to Tampa Bay. However, he’ll get at least one more opportunity to hang onto the job going forward.

In yesterday’s workout for the Saints, Randy Bullock hit all of his field goal attempts, while Kai Forbath missed a 53-yarder but made up for it with a 55-yard make, per Garafolo. Kyle Brindza, recently released by the Bucs, also got a look from the Saints, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

  • Head coach Jim Tomsula disputed the notion that the 49ers added inside linebacker Gerald Hodges because they’re unhappy with the way starter Michael Wilhoite has played. “There’s nothing there,” Tomsula said, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Tomsula went on to explain that the 49ers have liked Hodges since he came out in the 2013 draft. On Tuesday, San Francisco sent center Nick Easton and a sixth-round draft choice to the Vikings for Hodges.
  • Buccaneers kicker Connor Barth is happy to return to Tampa Bay, telling Fred Goodall of The Associated Press that the winding road he took back to the Bucs isn’t unusual for someone who plays his position. “You’ve got to look at as a business, and you’re kind of a consultant,” Barth said. “There are 32 jobs. It’s just a blessing to play and be one of 32 guys.” Barth was the club’s full-time kicker from 2009 to 2012.
  • According to Eagles head coach Chip Kelly, Drew Brees was a key point of reference when Philadelphia decided this offseason to acquire Sam Bradford, an oft-injured quarterback with significant potential. Brees had been considered an injury risk due to a shoulder issue when the Saints first acquired him. Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer has the details on Kelly’s Bradford/Brees comparison, along with the quotes from the head coach.
  • After signing a five-year deal worth nearly $39MM in the offseason, Bears pass rusher Pernell McPhee is off to a hot start, and joked that he wants J.J. Watt money now, as Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com writes.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Contract Details: Maxwell, Murray, McPhee

March 12th, 2015 at 3:19pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are some key details on some of the notable contracts agreed to or signed around the NFL this week:

NFC deals:

  • Byron Maxwell, CB (Eagles): Six years, $63MM base value. $25MM fully guaranteed. $6MM signing bonus (Twitter links via Tom Pelissero of USA Today and Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun).
  • DeMarco Murray, RB (Eagles): Five years, $40MM base value. $42MM max value. $18MM fully guaranteed (Twitter link via Albert Breer of the NFL Network).
  • Pernell McPhee, OLB (Bears): Five years, $38.75MM base value. $8.675MM fully guaranteed (Twitter link via Pelissero).
  • Antrel Rolle, S (Bears): Three years, $11.25MM base value. $4.9MM guaranteed. $3.9MM roster bonus in 2015 (Twitter link via Wilson).
  • Tom Johnson, DT (Vikings): Three years, $7MM base value. $2.75MM guaranteed. $1.5MM roster bonus in 2015 (Twitter link via Wilson).
  • Matt Prater, K (Lions): Two years, $4.55MM base value. Third-year team option for 2017 (Twitter link via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).

AFC deals:

Bears Sign Pernell McPhee

March 11th, 2015 at 11:36am CST by Luke Adams

WEDNESDAY, 11:36am: The Bears have officially announced their five-year deal with McPhee (via Twitter).

MONDAY, 8:22am: A year after adding veteran defensive ends Lamarr Houston and Jared Allen in free agency, the Bears are making another big splash on the open market in the hopes of improving their pass rush. According to Aaron Leming of BearReport.com (via Twitter), the team is in agreement on a five-year contract with Pernell McPhee that will be worth just under $40MM. Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun has since confirmed the deal, adding that it includes nearly $16MM in guaranteed money.Pernell McPhee

McPhee, 26, has seen his stock rise since he was drafted by the Ravens in the fifth round back in 2011. Although he only started six total regular season contests in Baltimore over the course of his rookie contract, McPhee developed into one of the league’s most dangerous pass rushers.

According to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required), the Mississippi State product racked up an impressive 64 total quarterback pressures – including 21 QB hits – in just 540 defensive snaps last season. PFF ranked McPhee second among all 3-4 outside linebackers, behind only NFL sack leader Justin Houston.

When I identified my top 50 free agents over the weekend, I listed McPhee eighth overall, suggesting that he could be this year’s Everson Griffen, who inked a five-year, $42.5MM deal last March as he made the transition from being a part-time contributor to his team’s primary pass rusher. McPhee’s deal looks like it’ll be in the same neighborhood as Griffen’s, and I’d expect the Bears intend to use him in a much larger role than the Ravens did.

The Colts had been viewed as a possible suitor for McPhee, given the Chuck Pagano connection and the team’s need for a pass rusher. Wilson tweets that Washington was also among the several teams that had interest in the four-year veteran. However, according to Wilson (via Twitter), McPhee was interested in playing for new Bears head coach John Fox, and was impressed by the Bears’ plans for him as a pass rusher.

With Vic Fangio taking over as defensive coordinator on Fox’s staff in Chicago, the Bears are transitioning from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4 scheme, so McPhee should fit comfortably. Players like Houston and Allen make far more sense as 4-3 defensive ends than 3-4 outside linebackers, so the position was one the Bears needed to address this offseason. It’ll be interesting to see what other moves the team makes to accommodate Fangio’s system, and how the carryover players adjust to the new defense.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

La Canfora On Manning, Suh, McCown, Saints

February 25th, 2015 at 2:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Weighing in on two of the biggest offseason stories, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com leads off his latest piece by looking at the Peyton Manning and Ndamukong Suh situations. In La Canfora’s view, Manning will ultimately return to the Broncos after the two sides tweak his contract a little. As for Suh, the CBSSports.com scribe doesn’t have any updates on the Lions‘ talks with the defensive star, but says he thinks the Jaguars and Raiders will be major players. For those teams to be involved in the Suh derby, he’d have to reach the open market, which would mean no long-term deal or franchise tag from Detroit.

La Canfora also passes along plenty more tidbits related to free agency, so let’s dive in and round up the highlights….

  • When it comes to the market’s top pass rushers, La Canfora thinks Pernell McPhee can reach $10MM per year, with Jerry Hughes in the $9MM range, and Brandon Graham and Jason Worilds around $7.5MM. La Canfora also believes that all four of those players will join new teams next month.
  • Free agent quarterback Josh McCown is expected to decide on his new team later this week or early next week, and could land another deal worth $5MM annually. The Bills and Browns look like the best bets for McCown, according to La Canfora.
  • The Saints are working through contract issues with about a half-dozen players on their roster, sources tell La Canfora. If things work out the way the team hopes, Marques Colston, Jahri Evans, and Curtis Lofton would likely stick around on reduced salaries, while Ben Grubbs, Brodrick Bunkley, and David Hawthorne could be let go. As for Junior Galette, La Canfora is hearing that head coach Sean Payton has “expressed a desire” to part ways with him, following his January arrest. However, Galette’s contract still contains a sizeable chunk of guaranteed money, and the team likely can’t void those guarantees.
  • Percy Harvin probably won’t accept a pay cut from the Jets, which means the team will likely cut him. La Canfora expects the wideout to gamble himself in free agency, signing a one-year deal with a team that has a good quarterback in place.
  • The Jaguars will be seeking a top pass catcher, and La Canfora wouldn’t be surprised if the team lands a player like Randall Cobb or Julius Thomas. Per La Canfora, the Packers recognize Cobb’s market could get out of hand, and may focus on re-signing other key free agents, like Bryan Bulaga and Letroy Guion.
  • Chiefs center Rodney Hudson came very close to signing a four-year extension worth $6MM per year during the season. He’s a good bet to exceed that amount in free agency, and the Raiders are one viable suitor.
  • La Canfora anticipates the Ravens will work out a restructured deal with Lardarius Webb, but isn’t as certain about Haloti Ngata, who may play for a new team in 2015.
  • The Jets would have interest in Ryan Mallett if he reaches the open market. However, the Texans have made their interest in the quarterback clear, and Mallett himself said today that he’d like to return to Houston (Twitter link via John McClain of the Houston Chronicle).

Ravens Owner, GM, HC On Roster, Free Agency

February 24th, 2015 at 3:03pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Earlier today, Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, general manager Ozzie Newsome, and head coach John Harbaugh spoke to the media in Baltimore, and Jeff Zrebiec and Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, and Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com were on hand to document the pair’s comments. Let’s take a look at the highlights, with all links going to Twitter:

GM Ozzie Newsome

  •  The Ravens have only $5.7MM in cap space at the moment, meaning the club might have to make moves to expand that figure. “We will exhaust every avenue that we have to get as much cap flexibility as we can,” said Newsome. “We’ve been working at it.”
  • Newsome said the Ravens have discussed quarterback Joe Flacco‘s cap figure for 2015, and will address it at some point. Flacco will count nearly $15MM against Baltimore’s cap next season.
  • The club is working to retain free agent running back Justin Forsett, notes Newsome. The 29-year-old Forsett is likely to draw interest from the Falcons if he isn’t retained in Baltimore.
  • It doesn’t sound like the Ravens are planning on re-signing defender Pernell McPhee, as Newsome stated “you can’t pay everyone market value.”
  • Newsome believes that embattled former Raven Ray Rice will find out before April if he’ll be able to land an opportunity with another team, and said that he was happy Rice was ultimately reinstated. Newsome also indicated he helped testify to get Rice reinstated.
  • Newsome acknowledged the team is in “wait-and-see” mode with tight end Dennis Pitta, who missed most of 2014 with a dislocated hip. The GM did indicate the Ravens would add TEs, whether through free agency or the draft.

Owner Steve Bisciotti

  • Bisciotti is aware that Baltimore might not be able to afford free agent receiver Torrey Smith, and even referenced Mike Wallace‘s $12MM per year contract as an outlier. “I don’t think anyone thinks that’s a good deal,” said the owner.

Head coach John Harbaugh

Ravens Notes: McPhee, Johnson, Flacco

February 22nd, 2015 at 8:33pm CST by Rob DiRe

Ravens pass rusher Pernell McPhee is set to be the surprise star of free agency, despite starting only six games since being drafted in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. Due to his age and versatility, Chris Wesseling of NFL.com writes that he has hit the “free agency jackpot.”

Wesseling cites reports that McPhee could be in line for a deal with between $8MM and $10MM in annual salary. That type of contract is reliant on more than one year of part-time pass rushing prowess. McPhee’s potential comes from being 26 years old, having great size at 6’3″ and 280 pounds, and the ability to line up all over the field, rushing the passer from outside linebacker, inside linebacker, defensive end, and nose tackle in 2014.

The Colts, Falcons, Browns, and Raiders are all considered potential landing spots for his services, according to Wesseling. The Ravens’ cap situation will make it nearly impossible for them to compete for his services in free agency.

Here are some other notes from around the Ravens organization as free agency approaches:

  • Since the Jets declined Chris Johnson‘s option for 2015, there has been a link made between the former 2,000 yard rusher and the Ravens. This link has been made due to the team’s interest in Johnson last offseason, writes Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. Hensley notes that the team was looking for insurance after Ray Rice‘s down 2013 season, but Johnson decided to go to the Jets where there was a clearer path to a starting job. However, this offseason the Ravens will likely avoid Johnson, who is declining and is coming off legal issues of his own.
  • Hensley also examines the contract situation of quarterback Joe Flacco, who has a large cap number that will restrict the team’s ability to maneuver the roster. Hensley writes that his cap number is manageable at $14.55MM this year, but the team will look to address it next offseason before it jumps all the way to $28.55MM, which would be the highest in the NFL for 2016.
  • The Ravens have a few needs on offense, but the biggest position of need on defense is in the secondary, specifically at cornerback. Unfortunately for them, this looks to be a limited market of available corners, and there will be plenty of suitors driving up the price of the few top options, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Wilson sees Byron Maxwell setting the market at between $8MM and $10MM per year, with other options such as Kareem Jackson, Buster Skrine, Davon House, and Brandon Flowers all falling in just behind those numbers as teams become more desperate to land a top tier corner.

AFC Links: Raiders, Thomas, Patriots, McPhee

February 21st, 2015 at 8:58am CST by Ben Levine

Following news that the Raiders and Chargers proposed a shared Los Angeles stadium, there were rumors that Raiders owner Mark Davis was using the move as leverage for a new stadium in Oakland. The owner didn’t necessarily confirm that rumor, but he did acknowledge that he’d like to keep the organization in it’s current location (via Vic Tafur of SFChronicle.com):

“That’s our No. 1 priority, to stay in Oakland, always has been and will continue to be,” Davis said. “We’re really trying to stay, and now there’s a great opportunity in Los Angeles. We need to get something done.”

Davis also touched on his relationship with Alex Spanos, the Chargers owner:

“My dad helped Alex (Spanos) get in the league, and while we have been fierce rivals on the field, we have common philosophies and goals,” Davis said. “And we have the same need. We are the two California teams that need a stadium.

“Together, we may be able to get it done.”

Let’s take a look at more rumors from the AFC…

  • As each day goes by, it sounds increasingly unlikely that Julius Thomas will return to the Broncos. Similar to many free agent departures, fingers are already being pointed, and the tight end’s agent believes the organization is to blame. “The Broncos came to me, we tried to get it done, it didn’t work,” said Frank Bauer (via Mike Klis of The Denver Post). “Does Julius love Denver? Yes. Does Julius love the fans there? No question. Does he love the organization and the community? Look at what he does for kids in that town…But for some reason people are trying to tear him down. In my opinion what they’re doing by tearing him down is pushing him away.”
  • While Patriots running backs Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley are set to hit the open market, the team has plenty of depth to compensate for their potential departure. Among that group would be Tyler Gaffney, who missed last season while recovering from an ACL injury. Ben Volin of The Boston Globe believes the team stashed Gaffney for a reason, and he’ll be given every chance to make the team’s roster in 2015 (Twitter links).
  • Patriots linebacker Dont’a Hightower underwent shoulder surgery this past week and is expected to miss anywhere from six to seven months. Jeff Howe of The Boston Herald writes that the injury could have an impact on negotiations with veteran Jerod Mayo and his $10MM cap hit for 2015.
  • It was anticipated that Ravens linebacker Pernell McPhee would be a commodity in free agency, and ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure tweets that the 26-year-old is going to be more expensive than anticipated.
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