McPhee's "release" at final cuts turned out to be a procedural move. The 32-year-old, on-again, off-again Raven will serve as a situational pass rusher after notching three sacks each of the past two years. 

The 32-year-old was brought back on a one-year contract in March, but couldn't extend his Ravens reunion another season. A mainstay of John Harbaugh's teams since 2011 save for a half decade interlude, McPhee will probably remain on speed dial in the event of an injury or sluggish pass rush. He notched three sacks each of the past two years, though health remained an issue. 

The veteran was set to become an unrestricted free agent. A 2011 fifth-round pick by the Ravens, McPhee, 32, is Baltimore's most experienced outside linebacker and one of four players remaining from the team's 2012 Super Bowl win. In 2020, McPhee started 13 games and recorded three sacks for Baltimore. The Ravens had the league's 25th best pass rush in 2020, according to Pro Football Focus. 

For now, pass rusher McPhee is the fourth Ravens player on the list, though 1-2 more are expected to be added in the next 48 hours. It is unclear why the Ravens have not already done so. The Ravens have five player positives right now, including J.K. Dobbins, Mark Ingram and Brandon Williams. Thursday's game against the Steelers is on a knife's edge. McPhee has played 346 snaps this season, contributing two sacks and decent overall play.