Nick Perry in, J.C. Tretter out for Green Bay Packers: Ouch

Nick Perry, according to sources, the Green Bay Packers outside linebacker is to sign a new five-year $60 million contract that will most likely keep him a Packer for the rest of his career.

In addition, today it’s being reported that J.C. Tretter is headed to the Cleveland Browns on a new contract that is expected to be announced once the free agency period officially opens this afternoon.

Well, isn’t that grand … that’s the exact opposite of the direction I thought Packers GM Ted Thompson would go.

I thought for sure (or at least had hoped) that Thompson would let Perry walk and would re-sign Tretter to a long-term contract.

Both players have been injury-prone over the course of the past four to five years – seeing the field for just portions of each season they have been with the team.

Tretter missed his entire rookie season with a leg injury and then over the course of the past three years he’s played in 31 of a possible 48 regular season games.

For Perry, who signed a single-season contract last offseason, has had as bad of a record when it comes to staying on the field.

Perry has played in 60 of 80 regular season games over the past five years.

I was disappointed today that Thompson had gone so far out on a limb for Perry, despite the fact that the edge rusher has shown the inability to stay on the field and hasn’t been the consistent performer we would expect from a first round draft selection.

And to say that I was disappointed that Thompson didn’t pursue Tretter is an understatement. Yes, he’s been injury-prone, but he’s also been one of the Packers’ best offensive linemen and has shown his versatility over and over again.

Perry, who has 23.5 sacks and 111 tackles over his five-year career in Green Bay, is about to sign a contract of five years that will most likely keep him in Green Bay for life.

Tretter, who at the start of his second season was expected to be the Packers starter at center for years to come, injured his knee just prior to the start of that season and gave way to Corey Linsley. Though the two centers have relieved one another when they’ve gotten injured, it was pretty clear that Green Bay had two centers who could start. Perhaps there was some friction with the fact that both players felt they should be starting, but to leave the Packers having to look at Don Barclay as one of their most prominent backup linemen doesn’t leave such a good feeling.

On the flip side, with Perry’s contract around $60 million, we could compare that to the deal that Chandler Jones signed at $83 million and $53 million of it guaranteed. Judging from those Chandler numbers, Perry could be considered a very good deal.

To me, Perry will be a serviceable linebacker who can get to the quarterback from time-to-time. Will he be worth the $60 million? Time will tell.

As for Tretter … many will argue that another offensive lineman could easily take his spot on the roster — a player who will stay healthy.

That may be true and that’s most likely Thompson’s thinking.

I still feel the Packers should have let Perry walk and should have re-signed Tretter.

But then again I’m not the Packers’ GM.

We’ll see how it all turns out.

Next: J.C. Tretter signing with Browns

Stay tuned …

Nick Perry career statistics, per profootballreference.com:

J.C. Tretter’s career statistics, per profootballreference.com: