Redskins Sign LB Pernell McPhee
The Redskins have officially signed free agent edge rusher Pernell McPhee, the club announced today.
McPhee, 29, was released by the Bears earlier this offseason after a disappointing three-year run in the Windy City. Chicago inked McPhee to a five-year deal prior to the 2015 campaign, but he was only able to stay healthy for 36 games over the past three years. The former undrafted free agent still managed to post 12 sacks during his time with the Bears, and he was effective when able to stay on the field.
Despite his question marks, McPhee still ranked as the No. 4 edge rusher heading into the free agent period. While that ranking was due in part to McPhee’s talent, it also spoke to the lack of pass-rushing options on the free agent market. Among PFR’s top-15 edge rushers, only three — Kony Ealy, Connor Barwin, and Junior Galette — are still without a contract.
Washington won’t ask McPhee to serve as a starter, as he’ll instead provide rotational snaps behind Preston Smith and Ryan Kerrigan. McPhee has shown the ability to line up from several different areas of the field in the past, and keeping his playtime low could help stave off further injuries. The Redskins don’t intend to re-sign fellow veteran Junior Galette, so McPhee will immediately step into Galette’s role as the Redskins’ third pass-rusher.
Before signing with Washington, McPhee also took a meeting with the Falcons.
Redskins Won’t Re-Sign LB Junior Galette
The Redskins have informed free agent edge rusher Junior Galette that he will not be re-signed, as Washington senior vice president for personnel Doug Williams told Liz Clarke of the Washington Post.
“I did tell him we were going in another direction, and he was very thankful,” Williams said. “He had two Achilles’ injuries, and we stuck by him. We gave him a chance, and he’s very appreciative of it. He told me, ‘Thank you. If it wasn’t for you, I don’t know whether I’d still be here,’ so it was a good conversation.”
Galette, of course, was once a double-digit sack force with the Saints from 2013-14, but injuries and off-field issues have turned him into more a rotational player. After suffering those aforementioned torn Achilles tendons in both 2015 and 2016, Galette finally got in a full season with the Redskins in 2017, and played extremely well on 37% of the club’s defensive snaps.
While he only posted three sacks, Galette managed 25 pressures and graded as the league’s No. 30 edge defender among 106 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. Reports recently indicated Washington was working to retain Galette, but Redskins always expected another team to make a better offer. Washington has already lost one free agent pass rusher this offseason, as Trent Murphy inked a three-year deal with Buffalo.
Galette, who turns 30 years old on Tuesday, isn’t wanting for interest, as he’s reportedly drawn the eye of both the Rams and Browns.
Redskins Likely To Sign LB Pernell McPhee
Free-agent linebacker Pernell McPhee informed the Falcons, following a visit with them, that he intends to sign with the Redskins, sources told Jordan Schultz of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). ESPN’s John Keim also reported that a deal between McPhee and the Redskins is likely, though nothing is official yet (on Twitter).
The former Bears edge rusher had visited with the Redskins earlier in the week. We had McPhee ranked as the No. 4 edge rusher available in this year’s free-agent class and he was the top player still available at the position based on our rankings.
Washington had extra cap space thanks in part to trading for Alex Smith and letting Kirk Cousins walk in free agency. McPhee joins linebacker Zach Brown (three years, $21MM) and cornerback Orlando Scandrick (two years, $6.85MM) as the team’s free-agent signs on defense.
The Redskins were projected to go with Ryan Kerrigan and Preston Smith at outside linebacker prior to the news of McPhee’s likely addition. Defensive tackle looks to be next up on the team’s offseason wishlist as they’ve hosted free agents Sylvester Williams and Bennie Logan for visits.
McPhee, 29, struggled to stay on the field in three seasons with the Bears, missing a total of 12 games in his time with the team. Last season, he appeared in 13 games and recorded four sacks. The Bears cut McPhee in late February after signing him to a five-year deal prior to the 2015 season.
McPhee was one of the most sought-after free agents in the 2015 offseason. He was coming off a career-best 7.5 sacks in 2014 with the Ravens and had missed just four games in his four-year tenure with Baltimore. The Ravens originally took McPhee in the fifth round of the 2011 draft out of Mississippi State.
Redskins Could Seek To Extend Rather Than Add In Free Agency
- By trading for Alex Smith rather than re-signing Kirk Cousins, the Redskins saved $10MM in cap space this year. In a mailbag piece, ESPN’s John Keim points to the team’s lack of spending this offseason as an indication of its desire to extend players currently on the roster. Some of those players who could be extended include Preston Smith, Jamison Crowder, Brandon Scherff and Matthew Ioannidis.
Rams, Browns Interested In Junior Galette
The Rams and Browns both have interest in Redskins free agent edge rusher Junior Galette, according to Chick Hernandez of CSN Washington (Twitter link). While Los Angeles and Cleveland are indeed eyeing Galette, neither club has made an official offer, reports John Keim of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Galette, of course, was once a double-digit sack force with the Saints from 2013-14, but injuries and off-field issues have turned him into more a rotational player. After suffering torn Achilles tendons in both 2015 and 2016, Galette finally got in a full season with the Redskins in 2017, and played extremely well on 37% of the club’s defensive snaps.
While he only posted three sacks, Galette managed 25 pressures and graded as the league’s No. 30 edge defender among 106 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. Reports last week indicated Washington was working to retain Galette, but Keim says the Redskins expect another team to make a better offer. Washington has already lost one free agent pass rusher this offseason, as Trent Murphy inked a three-year deal with Buffalo.
The Rams make sense as a Galette destination not only because they need edge rushing help (especially after trading Robert Quinn), but because Los Angeles coaches Sean McVay and Joe Barry each worked with Galette in Washington. If signed by the Rams, Galette would likely be in for a major role, as the club’s current crop of outside linebackers — Matt Longacre, Samson Ebukam, and Carlos Thompson — don’t offer a ton of experience.
The Browns, too, have connections to Galette, as front office consultant Scot McCloughan brought Galette to Washington as the Redskins’ general manager, while defensive coordinator Gregg Williams held the same title in New Orleans during the early portion of Galette’s career. Cleveland ranked 17th in adjusted sack rate a season ago, and its only free agent addition on the edge (thus far) is former Bengal Chris Smith, although the Browns did attempt to trade for Quinn.
NFL Contract Details: Scandrick, Shelby, Latimer, Wynn
Let’s take a look at the most recent new contracts around the NFL:
- Orlando Scandrick, CB (Redskins): Two years, $6.85MM. $1MM guaranteed. $1MM signing bonus (Twitter link via John Keim of ESPN.com).
- Derrick Shelby, DE (Falcons): One year, $3.25MM. $2MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com).
- Cody Latimer, WR (Giants): One year, $2.5MM. $2.47MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com).
- Marshall Newhouse, T (Bills): One year, $1.5MM. $500K guaranteed. $500K signing bonus. $250K available via playing time incentive (Twitter link via Mike Rodak of ESPN.com).
- Kerry Wynn, DE (Giants): One year, $1.25MM. $500K guaranteed (Twitter link via Raanan).
- L.P. Ladouceur, LS (Cowboys): One year, $1.015MM. $630K guaranteed. $90K signing bonus. Minimum salary benefit (Twitter link via Todd Archer of ESPN.com).
Contract Details: A. Smith, Pugh, Curry, ASJ
Let’s take a look at the details of a few recently signed NFL contracts:
AFC
- Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE (Jaguars): Two years, $10MM. $4MM guaranteed. $3.21MM signing bonus. $500K 2019 option bonus. $500K annually available via catch, playoff, and touchdown incentives (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Adrian Clayborn, DE (Patriots): Two years, $10MM. $5.5MM guaranteed. $4MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Ben Volin of the Boston Globe).
- Albert Wilson, WR (Dolphins): Three years, $24MMM. $14.45MM guaranteed. $4.5MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Marcus Gilchrist, S (Raiders): One year, $4MM. $3.85MM guaranteed. $1.85MM signing bonus. $1MM available via playtime, interceptions, and Pro Bowl incentives (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Tramaine Brock, CB (Broncos): One year, $3MM. Fully guaranteed. $1MM signing bonus. $1MM available via playtime incentives (Twitter link via Mike Klis of 9News).
- Seantrel Henderson, T (Texans): One year, $4MM. $1MM guaranteed. $500K signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
NFC
- Alex Smith, QB (Redskins): Four years, $94MM. $55MM guaranteed. $27MM signing bonus (Twitter links via Tom Pelissero of NFL.com and Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com).
- Justin Pugh, OL (Cardinals): Five years, $45.025MM. $15.75MM guaranteed. $10MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle).
- Vinny Curry, DE (Buccaneers): Three years, $23MM. $6.5MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times).
- Zach Brown, LB (Redskins): Three years, $21MM. $10MM guaranteed. $4.5MM signing bonus. $1MM annually available in Pro Bowl, All-Pro incentives (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Ed Dickson, TE (Seahawks): Three years, $10.7MM. $3.6MM guaranteed. $2.6MM signing bonus. $1.1MM annually available via catch, yards, and Pro Bowl incentive (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Aaron Lynch, LB/DE (Bears): One year, $4MM. $1.25MM guaranteed. $1MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
Redskins Host DT Sylvester Williams
The Redskins hosted free agent defensive lineman Sylvester Williams on Tuesday, according to JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington (Twitter link), while the club also has interest in fellow defensive tackle Bennie Logan but has yet to schedule a visit, per John Keim of ESPN.com.
Washington is clearly seeking to improve the interior of its defensive line after ranking 29th in rush defense DVOA and dead last in adjusted line yards in 2017. Williams and Logan join Johnathan Hankins as notable defensive tackles on the Redskins’ radar, as the former Colts defender met with the club on Sunday. Keim recently reported Washington isn’t interested in investing heavily in it defensive line, but Williams and Logan could each be available on one-year deals.
The Redskins are “working hard” to sign Hankins, tweets Finlay, so Williams and/or Logan might not be of interest to the club for much longer. On the other hand, neither of Washington’s 2017 defensive tackle additions — Stacy McGee and Terrell McClain — made much of an impact during their respective first seasons in the nation’s capital, so one or both could be released.
Indeed, Washington altered the contract of defensive tackle McClain in a way that will make him easier to release, as Keim writes. Previously, McClain’s $3.25MM base salary was scheduled to become fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the 2018 league year, but Washington has since made that salary guaranteed for injury only. As such, the Redskins should be able to cut McClain at any point prior to the start of the regular season without being on the hook for his salary (provided he doesn’t get injured between now and then).
Williams, meanwhile, started 11 games and made 15 total appearances for the Titans in 2017, his first campaign outside of Denver since the Broncos made him a first-round pick in 2014. Last season, Williams played on roughly a third of Tennessee’s defensive snaps (third-most among the club’s defensive linemen) while posting 12 tackles. Pro Football Focus graded him as the league’s No. 67 interior defender among 122 qualifiers, assigning much better marks against the run than the pass.
Logan, 28, has caught the Redskins’ eye in the past, as he took a meeting with the team last spring before ultimately landing a one-year, $8MM pact from the Chiefs. Washington should have a good idea of Logan’s capabilities, as he played against the Redskins twice per year as a member of the Eagles from 2013-16. Last season, Logan appeared in 15 games and played on 55% of Kansas City’s defensive snaps, acting as a serviceable run-stuffer during that time. Washington could have competition for Logan, as he met with Seattle earlier today.
Redskins To Sign Orlando Scandrick
Orlando Scandrick‘s free agency stay did not last long, and he’ll be seeing his longtime employer twice next season. The Redskins and a the recently released cornerback agreed to terms on Monday, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets.
Washington authorized a two-year deal with Scandrick, whom Dallas cut over the weekend after 10 seasons. The contract carries a max value of $10MM. This comes after Scandrick spent the previous two days visiting the Redskins.
The Redskins also looked into recent Giants cut Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, per John Keim of ESPN.com (on Twitter), but learned that 10-year veteran’s asking price was too high.
The Cowboys made Scandrick a March cut, which was a long-rumored move. Despite the cornerback already having 10 years of NFL experience, 2018 will only be his age-31 season. He functioned as Dallas’ primary slot corner for many years, and after the Redskins included ascending slot stopper Kendall Fuller in their trade for Alex Smith, Scandrick may be set to fill that role.
A 2008 fifth-round pick, Scandrick played a key role on the past several Cowboys defenses. He started 11 games in 2017. He’ll join a Redskins team that lost Fuller and may well see Bashaud Breeland defect as well. Breeland was set to sign with the Panthers, but a non-football injury scuttled that deal to leave him in free agency for the time being.
With only Josh Norman previously locked in as a key contributor, the Redskins were thin at cornerback. They drafted Fabian Moreau in last year’s third round and could address the position further in the upcoming draft. However, the Cowboys making the decision to cut their longest-tenured defender changed the Redskins’ plans at this position.
Jets To Meet With Terrelle Pryor
The Jets will meet with Terrelle Pryor this week, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. His visit will take place after his current meeting with the Seahawks wraps up. 
Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson is doing his best to help bring Pryor to the fold, but the Jets have more dollars to spend. The Rams also have some interest in Pryor and the Browns may be interested in a reunion.
If Pryor is looking at another one-year prove-it deal, he may see Seattle as his best opportunity to re-establish himself as a high-end wide receiver. Then again, the Seahawks did sign Jaron Brown in the wake of Paul Richardson‘s departure, so there might not be a huge role waiting for him in Seattle.
Meanwhile, things are pretty wide open for the Jets. Quincy Enunwa figures to return under the second-round tender, but it remains to be seen how he’ll perform following last year’s neck injury. Robby Anderson, Jermaine Kearse, Jalin Marshall, and ArDarius Stewart are on hand, but Pryor could join the Jets as one of their top pass-catching options, particularly with tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins out of the picture.