Green Bay Packers: B.J.Raji and Letroy Guion return

By Keegan Matheson | Mar 31, 2015

The Green Bay Packers have brought back two big bodies to fill their nose tackle position, re-signing B.J. Raji and Letroy Guion to one-year contracts on Monday. The moves subsequently fill a glaring need along the Green Bay Packers defensive line while giving general manager Ted Thompson and the front office valuable flexibility in the upcoming NFL Draft.

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Raji, the ninth overall pick in the 2009 NFL draft, was poised for a rebound season in 2014 after being slid back inside to the nose, but was lost for the year to a torn biceps injury late in training camp. The Boston College product gives Green Bay a true nose tackle frame at the position, and Raji offers unique short-area quickness for his body. The hope will be that he can recapture his 2010 form, where he wreaked havoc on opposing lines by collapsing double-teams en route to 6.5 sacks.

According to Rob Demovsky of ESPNWisconsin.com, Raji’s one-year deal will be for $3.5 million, with the opportunity to reach $4 million through incentives. This would put him in line with the $4 million deal that he collected in 2014.

Sep 21, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Green Bay Packers nose tackle Letroy Guion (98) against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

Guion started at nose tackle following the injury to Raji, and improved substantially as the season went on. The Packers and Guion were rumored to be in negotiations on a multi-year deal earlier this offseason, but a February arrest complicated the situation. Guion was found in possession of a handgun, nearly $190,000 in cash and a large quantity of marijuana, but has accepted a plea deal that will see him facing just a $5,000 fine.

Tom Silverstein of the Journal Sentinel expects the deal to come in slightly above $1.3 million, but the details have yet to be released.

These moves accomplish something I focused on last week, which is simply eliminating a draft need at the position. While Raji and Guion both have the potential to perform above the league average, they both arrive on one-year deals. This isn’t the long-term solution, nor does their need to be one at this time, but the Packers should now feel no pressure to address the position early.

Aug 30, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Florida State Seminoles defensive tackle Eddie Goldman (90) on the line of scrimmage against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Florida State beat Oklahoma State 37-31. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Oklahoma’s Jordan Phillips and Florida State’s Eddie Goldman present viable options towards the bottom of round one, but Green Bay will be much more capable of capitalizing on value now that they are able to look away from the defensive line. Both inside linebacker and cornerback could benefit from an influx of talent following the departures of A.J. Hawk, Brad Jones, Davon House and Tramon Williams.

The term “best player available” will become a buzzword over the next month, and rightfully so. For a team like Green Bay selecting 30th, having a roster with few glaring holes may allow them to select their 18th-ranked player, even if it comes an an unneeded position. On a roster that truly needs a certain position to be selected high, a team may be forced to make a poor value pick out of necessity.

A middle or late round nose tackle prospect could still enter the conversation as a project for 2015, and second year pro Khyri Thornton will have a shot to surprise in training camp. Just like a nose tackle’s greatest value can be creating opportunities for those around them, these nose tackle signings do the same for this roster.

The Packers can now cast a wider net for talent in the NFL draft, and rest assured that their run defense has taken a small step forward.

Next: Should the Packers be satisfied at tight end?

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