Report: Bears To Sign Pernell McPhee
(CBS) The Bears will sign outside linebacker/edge rusher Pernell McPhee to a five-year deal worth around $40 million when free agency officially opens Tuesday afternoon, the Baltimore Sun reported Monday morning. The deal includes around $16 million in guaranteed money, according to the Sun.
The 26-year-old McPhee has spent his entire four-year career with the Ravens. He had 7.5 sacks last season despite playing about half of Baltimore's defensive snaps, as he was behind Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil on the depth chart. He also had 64 quarterback pressures and 24 quarterback hits, according to the Sun.
The 6-foot-3, 280-pound McPhee has the versatility to line up anywhere on the defensive line as well as at outside linebacker, and he'll join a defense transitioning to a 3-4 base under new coordinator Vic Fangio. He was originally a 2011 fifth-round pick by the Ravens and had six sacks as a rookie. McPhee attended Mississippi State.
McPhee has played in 60 of Baltimore's 64 regular-season games over the past four years, but he's only made six starts. His 27 tackles last season were a career-high.
McPhee will likely start at outside linebacker for the Bears and also be moved around situationally.