Tag: Pernell McPhee

Ravens QBs staying interception free at training camp

Through four training camp practices in pads, the Baltimore Ravens QBs haven’t thrown an interception in any team drills.

Training camp is the time when players try out new things. Quarterbacks will be a little more careless with their throws in an effort to find out what they can get away with while defensive backs will be a little more aggressive as they too need to know what will get them burned. With training camp practices being the time to press a little further, turnovers tend to come early and often. But not for the Baltimore Ravens, who have been perfect thus far in team drills.

Through four practices in front of the media, Baltimore’s quarterbacks have been interception free. That’s not for a lack of effort by the defense, however. In Friday’s practice, defenders got their hands on several passes and nearly came down with some big interceptions, according to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. Cornerback Terrell Bonds nearly had a pick-six and outside linebacker Pernell McPhee tipped a pass of his own. But at least so far, Lamar Jackson and company have remained perfect in the 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills, according to Penn Live’s Aaron Kasinitz.

With Baltimore having one of the best offenses and defenses in the NFL last season, this battle between the two sides of the ball should remain fierce. Where in previous seasons, one unit was obviously better than the other, this year the team isn’t nearly as one-sided. Those close battles should make everyone better as it sets a higher baseline of play than what the Ravens will typically see on a weekly basis in the regular season.

It’s far too early in training camp to make any definitive statements about the team. But the offense’s lack of turnovers, while the defense is tipping passes, is a positive thing. Hopefully, that translates to the regular season and we see cleaner drives from the offense and more splash plays from the defense.

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Bengals-Ravens rivalry gets added spice with Pernell McPhee’s comments

Pernell McPhee of the Ravens had some choice words for the Cincinnati Bengals.

The rivalry between the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens has been a fun one over the years.

While it isn’t Bengals-Steelers, the usual season-ending bout with the Ravens always makes for a good time. But it wasn’t really in need of any additional offseason trash talk to make it better.

Yet here is Ravens linebacker Pernell McPhee on “The Lounge” podcast,:

“When you catch whoever you catch — and there’s going to be a time when I catch whoever I catch, and I guess that’s going to be the Cincinnati Bengals — snatch one of their souls out their chest.”

McPhee was talking about how he used a timid free-agent market to motivate him, so the namedrop of the Bengals here is pretty interesting. A nine-year veteran, McPhee played seven games for Baltimore in 2019 after stints in Chicago and Washington. Prior to that, he had played four years in Baltimore.

Cincinnati hopes the return of Jonah Williams to play left tackle and uptick in competition along the line protects Joe Burrow well from the likes of McPhee and the Ravens.

If nothing else, there is some interesting locker-room fodder here for before the two link up for the first time this season in Week 5.

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Pernell McPhee motivated and ready to ‘snatch souls’ with the Ravens

After not getting much love in free agency, Baltimore Ravens defender Pernell McPhee is as motivated as ever to prove people wrong.

The Baltimore Ravens brought back pass rusher Pernell McPhee this offseason, signing him to another one-year deal. And that’s bad news for the rest of the league because McPhee is coming back motivated.

In an interview with “The Lounge” podcast, McPhee said he used free agency this offseason to light a fire in him.

“I do stuff to piss myself off, McPhee said. “Like, ‘let me see if any team out here gonna want to sign me.’ Cause I already knew I was gonna go back to the Ravens and when the Ravens reached out — cause I wasn’t reaching out to no teams — I was already training.”

“When you catch whoever you catch — and there’s going to be a time when I catch whoever I catch and I guess that’s going to be the Cincinnati Bengals — snatch one of they souls out they chest.”

McPhee rejoins a Baltimore defense that has more hope in their young pass rushers than proven production. Outside of McPhee and Matthew Judon, who was franchise tagged this offseason, Tyus Bowser has the most sacks on the team with 8.5 over the last three years. Jaylon Ferguson improved over his rookie season last year but is far from a guaranteed asset at this point. Still, the Ravens didn’t address the position in free agency or the 2020 NFL Draft, allowing their young talent the room to step up.

While the Ravens undoubtedly would love to see Bowser and Ferguson improve their production this season, McPhee is a great veteran presence that’s a proven insurance policy in case Baltimore once again struggles with getting after the quarterback.

Though McPhee’s season ended after just seven games with a torn triceps, he was still one of Baltimore’s most productive pass rushers. His three sacks ended up being tied for third-most on the team, while his six quarterback hits tied for fifth. If McPhee can stay healthy and continue that level of production, it would make him arguably the best value addition Baltimore made this offseason.

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Pernell McPhee is Ravens’ most underrated, valuable signing this offseason

The Baltimore Ravens re-signing OLB Pernell McPhee won’t win much acclaim but his production to contract ratio makes it an underrated move.

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The Baltimore Ravens were fairly busy this offseason, pulling off trades, signing their own players to long-term extensions, and grabbing some free-agent additions. But Baltimore’s latest move to re-sign outside linebacker Pernell McPhee might just be its best one.

Signing a 31-year-old outside linebacker that is coming off an injury-shortened season doesn’t typically draw many headlines. At least it doesn’t on a team with an MVP quarterback, league-leading scoring offense and a defense filled with stars like Earl Thomas, Marlon Humphrey, and Matthew Judon. While all the attention has gone to the additions of Calais Campbell and Derek Wolfe, as well as the Ravens’ 10-man 2020 NFL Draft class, it’s the less spectacular moves that often pay off the most. And the re-signing of McPhee is about as unspectacular as it gets . . . at least on the surface.

McPhee was brought in around this time last year to provide some experience to a unit that lost two of their longest-tenured and most productive players in Za’Darius Smith and Terrell Suggs. Most expected McPhee to rotate into the lineup as a backup while Tim Williams and rookie Jaylon Ferguson fought for the starting job. But McPhee set himself apart quickly in training camp and pushed himself to the front of the depth chart, getting the starting job in Week 1.

Though McPhee missed more than half the season after tearing his triceps in Week 7, he was still fairly productive in his limited playing time. His three sacks were tied for third on the team and his six quarterback hits ranked fifth, all despite missing nine games. Had McPhee managed to stay healthy and keep that level of production throughout the season, he would have finished with 7 sacks and 14 quarterback hits, which would have ranked second in both categories, right behind the now-franchise tagged Judon.

McPhee was on a one-year contract worth just $1.03 million last year, according to Over the Cap. Taking into account his injury, OTC has his 2019 valuation adjusted to $4.24 million, or a return on investment of more than 400%. Any team is thrilled if their players can even live up to their contracts, much less provide more value. But getting a veteran to outpace their contract by that much is a testament to general manager Eric DeCosta for the signing and the coaching staff for putting McPhee in the best positions to succeed.

McPhee rejoining a unit that has done nothing to upgrade this offseason should see him in a rotational role at the least. Combined with what is expected to be another inexpensive one-year deal and McPhee is once again primed to dramatically outplay his contract value. It’s these types of signings that ultimately push a team that’s close to a Super Bowl into actually playing in one.

A lot will ride on the development of young outside linebackers like Ferguson and Tyus Bowser. If one or both of them can take a step up in 2020, McPhee’s signing will be nothing more than cheap depth. But in the off chance neither takes a leap forward this season, McPhee has proven he can be an absolute steal as a starting option. If, in that case, McPhee can stay healthy, Baltimore might finally have a competent and consistent pass rush once again, making its defense about as perfect as one can get on paper.

McPhee’s signing might not be the thing fans wanted the most, or a deal pundits will think twice about, but it might just be the best one of the offseason for a team so close to a Super Bowl.

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Ravens announce signing of OLB Pernell McPhee

The Baltimore Ravens brought back Pernell McPhee after a seven-game 2019 season that saw him highly effective as a pass rusher.

A week after the Baltimore Ravens agreed to terms with outside linebacker Pernell McPhee, they announced he’s passed his physical and is officially re-signed. In order to make room on the 90-man roster, Baltimore waived wide receiver Sean Modster.

Originally brought in last season to provide veteran depth following the loss of Terrell Suggs and Za’Darius Smith in free agency, McPhee quickly got up to speed and impressed in training camp. Fellow outside linebacker Tim Williams struggled, ultimately seeing him cut early in the season, making way for McPhee to start seven games before a torn triceps put him on injured reserve.

Over seven games last season, McPhee accounted for three sacks, six quarterback hits, and nine quarterback pressures. While McPhee struggled outside of Baltimore — in stints with the Chicago Bears and Washington Redskins — the Ravens have been able to get the most out of him. McPhee has played in 63 games over five seasons in Baltimore, posting 20 sacks, 111 combined tackles, 31 tackles for a loss, and 54 quarterback hits.

Once again, McPhee joins Baltimore as it hopes to have young pass rushers take the next step. Tyus Bowser and Jaylon Ferguson started the 2019 season slowly but became more consistent in the second half, posting solid campaigns. For Ferguson, this will be his second season in the NFL and the point the Ravens will be expecting him to take a noticeable leap forward. For Bowser, this is the final year of his rookie contract and he’ll be looking to make enough waves to cash in next offseason.

Baltimore didn’t address the lack of depth at outside linebacker in the 2020 NFL Draft, using their 10 picks on other positions. But a bevy of undrafted free agents were signed following the draft, including several outside linebackers. With a history of seeing at least one UDFA make the 53-man roster, the Ravens could be hoping they’ll further bolster their depth chart with an undrafted player who explodes onto the scene.

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Ravens re-sign OLB Pernell McPhee to a 1-year deal

The Baltimore Ravens brought back OLB Pernell McPhee after not addressing the position in the 2020 NFL Draft.

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The Baltimore Ravens came out of the 2020 NFL Draft without any additional help at one of their more pressing needs: outside linebacker. While that’s a huge vote of confidence in guys like Jaylon Ferguson and Tyus Bowser, it wasn’t realistic for Baltimore to go into the season without at least one more outside linebacker that could start.

The Ravens had some options following the 2020 NFL Draft but decided to go back to a familiar face, re-signing Pernell McPhee to a one-year contract, according to a tweet from the team.

McPhee was brought in last offseason after the departures of Terrell Suggs and Za’Darius Smith. He was expected to just provide some experienced depth but the continued struggles of Tim Williams and Bowser early on forced McPhee into the starting lineup. McPhee would start the first seven games of the season, posting three sacks and nine quarterback pressures, before a triceps injury put him on injured reserve. In his absence, Bowser and Ferguson steadily improved while defensive coordinator Don Martindale turned up the pressure through frequent blitzes.

It was figured the Ravens could turn to free-agent outside linebacker Clay Matthews after showing interest in him last offseason. But with the coronavirus pandemic potentially shortening the players’ ability to digest the playbook and get on-field reps this offseason, Baltimore’s choice to go with someone that was already acclimated to the team and scheme could prove to be a wise move.

While McPhee proved to be effective when healthy, the Ravens will likely give Bowser and Ferguson a chance to battle it out for the starting job opposite Matthew Judon.

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Ranking each Bears’ free agency class under Ryan Pace

Bears GM Ryan Pace has had major hits and huge misses in free agency. But how does each of his FA classes stack up against one another?

There’s no doubt that NFL free agency is one of the most exciting time of the year for football fans. It’s the first major opportunity for teams to find new talent, shuffle their roster, and make the necessary changes to contend for a playoff spot in the season to come.

However, while a free agency class can take a team to the next level, another can cripple them financially and pull them down to the bottom of the division. When it comes to the Chicago Bears and general manager Ryan Pace, they’ve experienced both situations.

Pace, now in his sixth season leading the Bears, has had major hits and huge misses in free agency. But how does each of his free agent classes stack up against one another? Below is a ranking from Pace’s worst to best free agent groups between 2015 and 2019.

5) 2017 free agent class

Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

Key hits – CB Prince Amukamara

Key misses – QB Mike Glennon, S Quintin Demps, TE Dion Sims, WR Markus Wheaton

What a group, huh? When free agency officially opened, Pace inked Glennon, Demps and Sims to three-year deals right off the bat, possibly becoming one of the worst “big three” ever assembled in sports. Glennon, signed from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was given the opportunity to start but only lasted four games before rookie quarterback and first-round selection Mitchell Trubisky took the reins.

Demps, meanwhile, truly only had one memorable play as a Bear which took place in week one when Atlanta Falcons tight end Austin Hooper stiff-armed the veteran to the ground on his way to an 88-yard score. Demps went on injured reserve just two weeks later. Both only lasted one season in Chicago.

Sims at least made it through two seasons, but was lackluster at best. Other signings such as receiver Markus Wheaton, who caught three more passes than I did for the Bears and cornerback Marcus Cooper, who’s most memorable moment in Chicago was showboating after an interception, turning a pick-six into a pick-three.

The only true standout from the class was cornerback Prince Amukamara, who was a consolation prize for the Bears after other corners such as A.J. Bouye and Stephon Gillmore spurned them for other teams. Amukamara became a solid starter for an eventual playoff team and turned his tryout into a bigger contract. But overall, this class was a colossal failure for Pace.

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Reunion potential abound as Ravens’ free agents remain unsigned

The Baltimore Ravens could turn to their own free agents now that the NFL free agency period has slowed down and money has begun to dry up.

The Baltimore Ravens entered free agency with 13 unrestricted free agents set to hit the open market. And after the two-day legal tampering period and a full day of free agency, not many former Ravens have signed elsewhere. Only defensive tackle Michael Pierce and wide receiver Seth Roberts have agreed to terms with other teams, which seem to be partly Baltimore not being very interested. The lack of deals leaves a bunch of former Ravens available for a potential reunion.

Top among them is cornerback Jimmy Smith, who general manager Eric DeCosta had previously said the team would like to re-sign. While it was initially thought the market for cornerbacks would price Smith out of returning to Baltimore, especially after the Buffalo Bills signed Josh Norman. However, some of the deals done for cornerbacks during free agency indicate that might not necessarily be the case after all. Just take a look at these few deals for prime examples of the market being a little stunted.

If the market for cornerbacks remains a little stagnant, Baltimore might be able to woo Smith back on a short-term deal with terms they like. And if not, Brandon Carr — who the Ravens are set to let go by not picking up his 2020 option — remains a viable option to return on a more cap-friendly deal.

The same could be said for linebackers Josh Bynes, Pernell McPhee and safety Anthony Levine. All were solid players last season and with Baltimore tending to favor continuity instead of shaking the boat, all could be low-cost options that fill important roles as stop-gap solutions until draft picks can supplant them.

Bynes was a godsend last season, joining Baltimore prior to Week 5 and quickly earning a starting spot and a hefty percentage of the defensive snaps. In his very first game with the Ravens in 2019, Bynes recorded an interception in what was a very close game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. With his experience and good play came more stability not only at linebacker but on the defense as a whole.

McPhee showed he was still a capable pass rusher, actually beating out several other players including Shane Ray for a spot on the 53-man roster. Through seven games, McPhee started each one and accounted for three sacks and nine total pressures.

Levine might be Baltimore’s most versatile player. While many casual fans might not realize it by looking at his stat sheet but Levine is asked to play all over the defense and is one of their top special-teams players.

While none of these players is really at a starter caliber at this point in their careers, they all provide valuable experience and flexibility while bringing the type of familiarity with the scheme very few outside free agents would have. If the Ravens are eyeing up some low-cost veterans to help round out their roster, looking past their own free agents would be a mistake as long as the money side of things makes sense.

Baltimore was so close to a Super Bowl last season and simply bringing back most of their own guys would give them a solid roster and another good chance at a trophy. With free agency being a little slower for the Ravens’ free agents, a reunion for many of them seems to be shaping up.

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2020 NFL Free Agency: Saints options from the Ravens

The New Orleans Saints could target pending free agents like Jimmy Smith, Michael Pierece, and Pernell McPhee from the Baltimore Ravens.

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With NFL free agency nearly a month away, we are going to take a look at every team’s free agents in the days ahead. We will highlight which players could be potential options for the New Orleans Saints from every other team, with today highlighting the Baltimore Ravens and tomorrow the Buffalo Bills. We will continue following the list in alphabetical order. Here’s who the Saints could target from the Ravens:

  • CB Jimmy Smith
  • CB Brandon Carr (team option)
  • DT Michael Pierce
  • ILB Patrick Onwuasor
  • WR Seth Roberts
  • SS Anthony Levine
  • OLB Pernell McPhee
  • DT Domata Peko
  • ILB Josh Bynes
  • SS Brynden Trawick
  • SS Jordan Richards
  • WR De’Anthony Thomas
  • DT Justin Ellis
  • WR Chris Moore
  • DT Jihad Ward
  • C Hroniss Grasu
  • OLB Matt Judon
  • RT Andre Smith
  • C Matt Skura (RFA)
  • G Parker Ehinger (ERFA)
  • RB Gus Edwards (ERFA)
  • S Fish Smithson (ERFA)
  • G Randin Crecelius (ERFA)

Baltimore has 23 free agents heading into free agency in the 2020 offseason. We will pick two options that the Saints could potentially pursue this offseason in free agency. Keep in mind that New Orleans’ biggest needs lie at guard, wide receiver, linebacker, tight end, and cornerback heading into 2020.

A name that really sticks out that could benefit the Saints in defensive tackle Michael Pierce. With the uncertainty of David Onyemata and Sheldon Rankin’s futures, Pierce would make an immediate impact. Despite low sack numbers, only half a sack in 2019, his real strength lies in his run-defense. Pierce remains one of the elite options in stopping the run game, and will command a large contract. However, if the Saints can figure out how to make the cap space work, Pierce would only improve an already potent New Orleans run defense.

A low-cost option that could provide the Saints some cover is outside linebacker Pernell McPhee. 2019 seemed promising for the 31-year old linebacker until he tore his triceps in Week 7 against the Seattle Seahawks. Prior to his injury, McPhee played a large part in the Ravens defense averaging 68.5% of defensive snaps. McPhee would be a low-cost option that would fit right into New Orleans’ defensive scheme.

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