Pro Football Focus will be providing analysis for every major NFL signing and trade during the 2015 free-agency period, accounting primarily for the quality of the player and his fit with his new team, and focusing less on the financial terms of the deal.
Here is a grade for the reported deal between Pernell McPhee and the Chicago Bears, which cannot become official until Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET.
Link to grade articles on every major deal
Chicago Bears: A-minus
Chicago added a lot of players this time a year ago, but none really made the big time impact they were hoping for. Pernell McPhee might do exactly that, and he becomes the latest new face to the Chicago defense.
McPhee is an edge-rushing outside linebacker, but one who brings major versatility as an interior presence, too, as he's able to rush the quarterback from multiple spots across the formation. In 2014 he played at least 100 snaps on the left and right side of the formation, with both his hand in the dirt and rushing from a two-point stance. He played another 149 as an inside linebacker, generating pressure everywhere he lined up.
Perhaps most importantly, though, for a guy who certainly had help in the form of teammates Elvis Dumervil and Terrell Suggs, is that McPhee's best pass-rushing productivity came when lined up on the right side of the defense, going up against left tackles -- the best pass-protectors most offenses have. When rushing from the right side of the formation, his PFF Pass Rushing Productivity rating was 18.1 -- a mark that led the league among 3-4 outside linebackers.