Packers re-sign Perry to one-year deal
Nick Perry is getting another shot with the Green Bay Packers.
The Packers have agreed to a one-year contract with the fifth-year outside linebacker, an NFL source confirmed Thursday evening. While terms weren’t available, Perry’s price should be a bargain compared to the $7.75 million he would have cost if the Packers exercised his fifth-year option last spring.
Perry, a first-round pick in 2012, has been haunted by injuries during his first four NFL seasons. When healthy, the 6-foot-3, 265-pound linebacker has been a decent edge rusher and stout run defender with 99 tackles, 12½ sacks and five forced fumbles in 48 regular-season games.
It's just health that's plagued him so far. He ended his rookie season on injured reserve with a broken wrist and then played through a foot injury for most of 2013. Perry return to play in 15 games in 2014, but then required shoulder surgery immediately after the season. He hasn't participated in an offseason program since 2013.
Once seen as a possible starter opposite Clay Matthews, Perry has only started 16 of his 64 regular-season games. He's instead taken a backseat to Julius Peppers, Mike Neal and occasionally Matthews during the past two seasons.
A lingering shoulder injury bothered him through the latter part of last season, which coincided with a nine-game sackless streak. After finishing with 31 tackles, 3 1/2 sacks and a forced fumble in 14 regular-season games, Perry turned it up in the playoffs with eight tackles, 3 1/2 sacks and a forced fumble.
His performance in the postseason appears to have been enough to convince the Packers to bring him back. It also probably doesn't hurt that Perry ended the season the healthiest he’s been since entering the league.
The Packers have four outside linebackers under contract at the moment in addition to defensive end Datone Jones, who began lining up opposite Perry outside during the second half of the 2015 season.
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