Expect $8 to $10 million per year for McPhee

[Bhcforlife]

I like McPhee, immensely talented player, but I just have a lot of trouble seeing him as an every down guy. The question I'd ask is if a specialist is worth that price, and I would probably say yes, when you are as good at it as he can be. If a team signs him to 8-10M per and has him continue to do the same thing he did here, he'll reward them with that continued level of production. But I think if a team asks him to play every down, there is little chance that he plays like an 8-10M player.

Interesting note, in those six games McPhee started (all in 2012 when Suggs was hurt), he had 0 sacks and made little impact as I recall. For that matter, he really didn't do much in 2012 and 2013, both statistically and from my recollection of his play. Had a great rookie year then fell off until last season. Amazing what a year of production can do for your future.

[Stealthbirds80]

Harbaugh "likes our guys" and so does every other coach and GM apparently.

McPhee = 2016 3rd round comp? :ww:

Not a bad trade off considering where he was drafted. That's basically what you end up looking at.

[Paintballguy]

Not a bad trade off considering where he was drafted. That's basically what you end up looking at.

Plus consider the production he provided including being a big part defensively during the SB run. Very good value if we get a 3rd rd comp pick.

[Bawlamer]

He has a lot of talent surrounding him here. Nobody can just focus on him. Unless he goes to a defense with similar talent I can't predict he'll be as successful. We'll see. For one reason or another he's behind someone else in the line up. If we pay him that kind of money how about the guy in front of him? If that's what he wants then the FO have no choice but let him walk. I wish him success.

[Jsmoove]

we'll be good, if you have been a Ravens fan for a long time this is what happens from players to coaches, this tells you how much of a Boss Ozzie and comp is when teams stay poaching our players year after year and we still manage to churn out players even when the good ones are gone to other teams. There is a couple waiting in the wings just like Mcphee, Kruger, just like JJ, just like Adailus Thomas, just like Bart Scott, just like McCrary, Jamie Sharper, Boulware and the list goes on, we just find them. We will be ok, dean pees and the secondary is more the issue than our LB core.

[lobachevsky]

We all need to get used to this.

So long as the FO is adroit in the draft & FA signings & the coaching staff is adept at turning lower-round draftees & unheralded vets into significant contributors, the Ravens will be saying sayonara to good players year after year after year as other teams make them offers they can't refuse (& Poe's Crows can't match).

IMHO it's built into the team's approach to the NFL as currently constrained. To wit:

1. Identify 8-10 key positions/roles
2. Identify the players to fill these roles & form the core of the roster
3. Lock up these key players on long-term contracts
4. Seek draftees to make immediate impacts only in round 1 (& maybe 2)
5. Draft players in round 3 (or 2) & later who can be trained quickly to play special teams & developed into starters &/or significant role-players within 2 years
6. Two years later, draft their eventual replacements
7. Fill out the roster with economical & underappreciated FAs
8. When non-key players the team has developed leave for big paydays, wish them the best & collect compensatory draft picks

Every year former late-round draftees & bargain FAs at the ends of their Ravens contracts will be poached by teams with more cap space or greater needs. Accept it & stop complaining. It's the price of ongoing success.

[kronusthebonus]

Draft a guy in the 5th round, turn him into a star, and then get a 3rd round pick in return. I can live with that.

[Justlovemybirds]

Whoever does sign McPhee will use him as a full time starter. He's not going to go to a team that already has a Doom and Suggs.

Exactly

My point is that it's a risky proposition to sign McPhee and expect similar or increased output with a heavier workload along with the possibility of not being surrounding the by talent level of Doom, Suggs and Ngata.

[Raveninwoodlawn]

I love McPhee and I really wish there was a way to keep him...out of all our FA's, he's the one I'd want to keep the most.

But he also has bad knees...I don't think he'll be at this level for more than maybe 2 more years until his knees betray him.

I wish him all the best...he was terrific when we let him do what he does best and rush the passer as opposed to trying to make him an every down 3-4 DE.

[HKusp]

I like McPhee a lot. Is he worth $2-4 million more than Dumerville?

[GOTA]

Exactly

My point is that it's a risky proposition to sign McPhee and expect similar or increased output with a heavier workload along with the possibility of not being surrounding the by talent level of Doom, Suggs and Ngata.

If McPhee is on a team that can already get pressure he'll do okay. For example the Colts had 41 sacks last year. That's more than the Seahawks, Steelers and 49ers. It put them a 9th overall. The Colts achieved that without a single player with double digit sacks. You add McPhee to a team that has multiple guys who are already getting pressure and that pass defense that was already pretty good becomes very good.

If McPhee goes to the Falcon and they don't bring in another guy with him then it could be as you described. It depends on where he ends up.

[Beau Petard]

GOTA,
I think Lob makes some good points, especially as they relate to the Ravens and producing top quality linebackers. IIRC, Penn State was often considered one of THE places to get LBs for the pros (and yes, I'm probably showing my age), and I'd proffer that the Ravens are more or less the "Penn State" of the NFL in that scenario. As others also note, the price of success.