Falcons defensive tackle Peria Jerry has announced his intentions to retire from the NFL, according to the team. News of Jerry’s decision to retire was first tweeted by Jay Glazer of FOX Sports.
Jerry, who turns 30 in August, was selected 24th overall in the 2009 draft by Atlanta. However, injuries and underwhelming production on the field prevented him from breaking through as a full-time starter until last season, when he started 14 of the club’s 16 contests.
The Mississippi product recorded 33 tackles and 3.5 sacks in 2013, but graded as just the 65th-best defensive tackle of the 69 who received regular playing time, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required). Over the course of his five seasons in Atlanta, Jerry started 29 of 64 games, making 67 total tackles and recovering a pair of fumbles.
After the Falcons overhauled their defensive line in the offseason, bringing in Paul Soliai and Tyson Jackson, among others, Jerry was expected to return to a reserve role, having re-signed with the team in March. Jerry’s minimum salary contract included a $160K roster bonus, which it appears he won’t be receiving now that he won’t be on the team’s regular-season roster.