Nick Perry Re-Signs with Packers: Latest Contract Details, Comments and Reaction

Linebacker Nick Perry has been with the Green Bay Packers throughout his entire career since the franchise drafted him in the first round in 2012, and that will not change in 2016 after Thursday's news.

Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported Perry will return to Green Bay on a one-year deal, adding that it's worth $5 million.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network confirmed Silverstein's report.

This commitment comes after Green Bay declined to pick up the fifth-year option on Perry’s previous deal before the 2015 campaign.

The numbers don’t exactly jump off the page for Perry, as he has always been a rotational piece in Green Bay’s defense, which featured a number of linebackers in 2015, including Clay Matthews, Julius Peppers, Nate Palmer and Jake Ryan. Perry isn’t a bust per se, but he hasn’t quite posted first-round draft-pick numbers:

Season	Combined Tackles	Sacks	Forced Fumbles	Fumble Recoveries	Interceptions	Passes Defended
2012	18	2	0	0	0	1
2013	28	4	3	0	0	1
2014	23	3	1	1	0	1
2015	31	3.5	1	0	0	1

Still, he was strong in the postseason with 3.5 sacks in two games against the Arizona Cardinals and Washington and picked an ideal time to showcase his talents with free agency on the horizon. The postseason experience that Perry garnered will also help him as he gradually transitions into a leadership role for the Packers.

What’s more, he will only be 26 years old throughout the 2016 campaign and is theoretically just hitting his prime after his first four seasons. Ideally, he will live up to the elevated expectations that come with being a first-round pick in the NFL, especially since he gives the Packers some continuity on the defensive side.

The biggest thing that held Perry back in the early years of his career was his health.

Weston Hodkiewicz of PackersNews.com (of USA Today) broke down the physical concerns for Perry and noted the linebacker missed 10 games with a broken wrist as a rookie, dealt with a broken foot in 2013 and experienced shoulder issues and broken fingers in 2015.

Peppers said, per Hodkiewicz: “When Nick is healthy, Nick can play. Nick can rush the passer just as good as anyone.”

Green Bay certainly hopes Peppers’ evaluation proves accurate in 2016. If Perry remains healthy, his athleticism and versatility could allow him to serve as a pass-rushing defensive end or an outside linebacker. He will get after the quarterback like he did in the postseason and will likely be solid against the run with sideline-to-sideline speed that helps him pursue ball-carriers. 

Perry may not be the superstar that Green Bay envisioned when it used a first-round pick on him, but he flashed his overall potential in the playoffs and should continue to contribute as an important rotational piece in the defense.