The Packers are re-signing outside linebacker Nick Perry, a source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
Perry’s third Packers contract will be worth $60MM over five years, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com tweets. Perry will receive and $18.5MM signing bonus. In terms of AAV, Perry’s deal will fall into fifth place among 3-4 outside linebackers in terms of per-year dollars. The Packers now employ two of the top-five players here, with Clay Matthews‘ $13.2MM-per-year deal ranking third in that hierarchy.
The first three years of this deal will be quite player-friendly. Perry’s total cash flow in 2018 will hit $20.8MM, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). For the first three years, that figure jumps to $39MM.
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Last year, Perry had career highs in starts (12), sacks (11) and tackles (52). Perry entered the year with only 16 starts and 12.5 sacks across 46 appearances. He entered free agency at just the right time and picked up interest from multiple clubs in need of a difference-maker in the front seven. The Falcons, Colts, and Jets were among the teams in the mix for him.
After Chandler Jones, Melvin Ingram, and Jason Pierre-Paul came off the board, Perry stood as our No. 1 edge defender on the open market. On my Top 50 list, which rates players by earning power, he was No. 18 overall.
The Packers still have free agents of their own to address, including Eddie Lacy, Julius Peppers, James Starks, T.J. Lang, J.C. Tretter, Jared Cook, and Micah Hyde. Green Bay entered today with $37MM-plus in cap space, so retaining multiple other members of this group isn’t out of the question for this build-from-within franchise. Hyde, though, is expected to depart.
This comes a year after Perry re-signed to stay in Green Bay after tepid interest elsewhere, but after a standout season that came in what amounted to a second contract year, the soon-to-be 27-year-old edge player won’t come nearly as cheap. This continues the Packers’ pattern of prioritizing their own, following re-signings of Perry in 2016 and keeping the likes of Randall Cobb and Bryan Bulaga a year prior once they became UFAs. Perry will miss officially hitting the open market by a few hours.
Sam Robinson contributed to this report.
Starks isn’t a free agent. He was released.
yeah released… meaning free to sign with anyone…. that’s the definition of free agent
Starks is a free agent.. because he got released
who really cares find something else to nick pick and bitch about
I’m guessing Kevin meant that James Starks shouldn’t be on the list of their own free agents to retain, because they released him.
Let’s celebrate Perry and not worry about Starks! Waahoo!
if you want to see how a supper bowl winning team stays in hunt every year look at the New England Patriots just signed CB Gilmore from the Bills and now it seems like there going to trade for WR Brandon cooks from the saints and the packers have done is resign Nick Perry.
change your name
I am a packers fan first and I dislike the Patriots as much as the vikings,Bears and the Lions I am just saying that the packers GM dose not use free agency and mack trades to fill key hols on the team like LB,CB and bringing in an extra pass rusher because Ted Thompson believes he can do everything through the draft.
Where was Perry ranked by all the “experts” in free agency…. #1 edge rusher… so GB signed the #1 rusher in FA. If that’s not good enough for 9 am on day 1 of free agency then nothing will be….
Well he was technically the number 4 edge rusher after Jones, Ingram and Pierre-Paul all did as Perry did and re-upped with their current teams but I get your point..Packers NEED to get DL depth and CB help should be next on the list but can’t complain at all with this start if the money is reasonable (5yr 35mil range)
Let me go ahead and burst your bubble, Perry will make more than 7 mil a year. Jamie Collins got 12 a year and he doesn’t rush the passer.
Jamie Collins is a good comp how?
Jamie Collins is a good comp cause he plays OLB, and look… 12 mil a year.. its not difficult to understand pass rushers command money and Collins set the market this year. GB did well to get perry at 12 mil.
5 years in the league and all but 1 he played every week. IMO packers over paid. Would rather seen them resign Hyde