Report: Former Bears edge rusher Pernell McPhee visiting Redskins

The Washington Redskins are currently looking for a veteran backup at the rush linebacker position in wake of the loss of Trent Murphy. According to reports, they are bringing in Pernell McPhee for a visit.

After staying quiet in the first week of free agency, the Washington Redskins have come alive as of late. On Sunday, they had free agent defensive lineman Johnathan Hankins and cornerback Orlando Scandrick visit the team. With remaining cap space available, it’s likely that the Redskins will be able to add a quality player or two as they look to improve their roster.

Their latest player on this quest to improve their roster is Pernell McPhee. The former Bears and Ravens rush linebacker is visiting the team Sunday into Monday, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. This is a smart move by the Redskins for a couple of reasons.

The first is that McPhee has been a fairly consistent edge rusher during his career. In each of the past four seasons, McPhee has recorded 21.5 sacks, with at least four sacks each year despite playing a full season just once. In 2017, McPhee logged four sacks with the Bears and generally was a solid rotational player. That figures to be the role that McPhee will play with the next team he’s on.

More from Riggo's Rag

The one major concern with McPhee in the past has been his durability. In the past three years, McPhee has missed 12 games and hasn’t always been 100 percent when on the field. That has impacted his ability as a pass rusher at times, but in a backup role, injuries will be less of an issue.

The decision to bring in McPhee could also give the Redskins a better sense of the what the market for rush linebackers is at this point in free agency. The team has been trying to bring back Junior Galette on a deal, but they haven’t been able to do that yet as the two sides are far apart in terms of money. McPhee’s value could help them make a decision as to whether they want to pony up and pay Galette a lucrative deal, or settle for a cheaper, lower-level veteran.

If McPhee can stay healthy, the 29-year-old from Mississippi State would be a quality rotational player. He is a solid fit in Greg Manusky‘s defense, and his experience would be appealing. In the event that Galette leaves, McPhee would be a nice replacement option that would allow the team to keep the position as a strength without spending a draft pick on the position.

Next: Comparing Redskins targets DRC and Orlando Scandrick

We’ll keep you updated on McPhee’s visit and the other visits that the Redskins have. As it stands, it appears that they are going to be active heading into the second week of free agency. And that’s great news for the team and their fans.

Home/Commanders Free Agency