It’s one of those chicken or egg kind of questions. Was Pernell McPhee’s 2014 success a product of being surrounded by elite pass rushers and a dominant line, or did his consistent penetration open things up for the other guys? Most people would say the former, but there’s no question McPhee’s production was a major factor in the success of the defense last season.
Courtney Upshaw is tentatively expected to fill McPhee’s shoes, but as we’ve discussed before, success for the contract year player is not guaranteed. A career edge setter, Upshaw has recorded a mere 1.