B.J. Raji Re-Signs with Packers: Latest Contract Details, Comments and Reaction

Defense has held the Green Bay Packers back from being truly elite as of late. B.J. Raji's positional change and absence for the entire 2014 regular season is one reason the team struggled in that area.     

The free-agent defensive lineman will remain in Green Bay to try to help its front seven, agreeing to a one-year contract.  The Packers announced the deal on Tuesday.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport provided terms of the agreement on March 30:

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Raji thrived as a nose tackle to start his career, which began when the Packers chose him No. 9 overall in the 2009 NFL draft. The 28-year-old veteran was a bit inconsistent over the past few years, though, when he slid over to defensive end in coordinator Dom Capers' 3-4 alignment.

A torn right biceps in the 2014 preseason put Raji's future with the Packers in doubt. The injury also eliminated a chance for him to showcase his talents in a prove-it, one-year contract at his natural nose tackle position.

Once the season ended, Capers praised Letroy Guion for the job he did of filling in for Raji in the trenches, per the Green Bay Press-Gazette's Ryan Wood:

Despite Guion's offseason arrest on felony charges, the Packers decided to re-sign him to a one-year deal, per ESPN's Rob Demovsky. Green Bay has to find a way to beef up its defensive front if it's to become a more complete team. That had to have contributed to retaining both Raji and Guion.

When he's healthy, Raji has proved capable of being a disruptive force who commands a double-team. His quickness and athleticism can collapse the pocket from the inside.

In Raji's second year as a pro in 2010, he racked up 6.5 sacks, showing that he can be a legitimate interior pass-rushing threat. He has rare explosiveness for a 337-pound lineman, and Green Bay should have at least some success deploying Raji in his proper place as a 0- or 1-technique player.