Post by motm on Jan 9, 2017 16:31:00 GMT -6
General manager Ryan Pace's first order of business in free agency two years ago was signing Pernell McPhee to a five-year contract at an average annual cost of $7.750 million ($15.5 million of the deal was guaranteed).
McPhee, the highest-paid member of Chicago’s defense, spent the first six weeks on the physically unable to perform list after knee surgery robbed him of the opportunity to participate in the offseason program or training camp. He also missed Week 17 due to a shoulder injury.
In nine appearances in 2016, McPhee was primarily a rotational player, finishing with 16 tackles, four sacks and one forced fumble.
McPhee being able to return at all is impressive, but any enthusiasm is tempered by the $7.675 million in cap space he ate up. That number will climb to $7.825 million in 2017.
McPhee, who’s collected close to $16 million from the Bears, played well for a chunk of 2015 before issues with his knee wore him down. McPhee is talented, but like so many other Bears, the problem comes down to availability.
McPhee’s played in only 23 games in Chicago, collecting a total of 10 sacks. He had a career-high 7.5 sacks for the Baltimore Ravens in 2014.
Still, Pace is undeterred.
“There might not be a player I’m more proud of than Pernell and the way he’s responded from this injury and the changes he’s made, not just in the building but out of the building with his diet and his weight and his work ethic,” Pace said. “He’s one of the top leaders on this team and people follow his attitude and his physicality. I think he got healthier and healthier as the season went on. I can think of practices when we were in the indoor [facility] and I’d see him coming around the corner, with the speed, and that’s the Pernell I’m used to seeing. Unfortunately with the shoulder injury, pursuing the ball, he’s going to overcome that.
“Pernell is a professional, Pernell is a leader and I think he’s going to get healthier and healthier. To answer your question, he is worth the investment and I hope to see that more next season.”
McPhee has a $200,000 roster bonus due on June 1.
Link: www.espn.com/blog/chicago-bears/post/_/id/4704755/bears-feel-pernell-mcphee-worth-the-investment
