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Pernell McPhee Contract: Newest Redskins defender signs team-friendly deal

By Jacob Camenker

CHICAGO, IL - NOVEMBER 27: Pernell McPhee #92 of the Chicago Bears grabs onto Derrick Henry #22 of the Tennessee Titans in the third quarter at Soldier Field on November 27, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - NOVEMBER 27: Pernell McPhee #92 of the Chicago Bears grabs onto Derrick Henry #22 of the Tennessee Titans in the third quarter at Soldier Field on November 27, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /
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Pernell McPhee officially signed with the Washington Redskins on Monday. The details of his contract are stunning to say the least.

Lost amid the calamity of the Su’a Cravens trade was some news regarding the newest member of the Washington Redskins. The contract details of Pernell McPhee, who agreed to sign with the team on Monday afternoon, were reported. And needless to say, the deal is one of the most team-friendly contracts of the entire offseason.

As expected, the Redskins and McPhee did agree to just a one-year deal. This type of “prove it” contract makes a lot of sense, as McPhee has dealt with injuries over the course of his career and he is going to be a rotational player in Washington. So, a one-year arrangement seemed to make the most sense.

That said, the terms that McPhee agreed to are somewhat shocking. McPhee agreed to a deal that’s worth a meager $1.8 million for the one season with just $350,000 in guarantees. That’s a crazy low amount of money for a player of McPhee’s caliber.

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When healthy, McPhee is a solid, well-rounded starter. He’s equally good against the run as he is against the pass, and he can put some heat on opposing quarterbacks. McPhee was a good rotational rusher in Baltimore, and he had 7.5 sacks in his final season with the club. That was probably his best year, as he stayed healthy and was very impactful.

With the Bears, McPhee struggled more to stay on the field. He missed a total of 12 contests in his three years in Chicago and wasn’t always fully healthy. Still, he had 16 sacks over the course of three seasons and was very consistent when he played. That’s a huge thing, because consistency is key for the backup edge rush role on the Redskins.

While McPhee may not play a full 16 game slate, he is well worth this contract. He profiles as a high-level backup, and the best years of his career came when he was a rotational man in Baltimore. Perhaps limiting his total snaps will give him a chance to stay healthier moving forward.

Next: Why the Su'a Cravens trade was a sensible move

Regardless, landing McPhee for just $1.8 million is a steal, and it’s possible that Junior Galette will land close to double or even triple that. So, the Redskins made a low-cost, lateral move and gave themselves a chance to find some other talent with their remaining cap space. That’s a good move at the end of the day, and McPhee could become a great player in Greg Manusky’s defense.

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