If you’ve been keeping track of who has and who hasn’t participated in OTAs or minicamp, then you know the Green Bay Packers have been missing outside linebacker Nick Perry.
No one knew — and the Packers don’t have to say — why until today.
Perry, who’s pretty much always injured, had shoulder surgery following the season and says the injury affected him for most of the 2014 season.
#Packers OLB Nick Perry said he had shoulder surgery almost immediately after the season. Said it bothered him most of last year.
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) June 16, 2015
In 2014, Perry actually went against form and played the majority of the season. He missed only one game after missing five in 2013 and 10 during his rookie season.
But there you have it. He says he was injured for the majority of the year, so Nick Perry is literally always injured.
Although Perry has never lived up to being a first-round draft pick, he’s a far better run defender at outside linebacker than Clay Matthews is. While most people will point to Matthews’ move to inside linebacker for the Packers improvement against the run in 2014, it could be argued that putting Perry in the starting lineup helped equally as much.
Matthews was a liability setting the edge. Perry, although he’s not the pass rusher Matthews is, is excellent at setting the edge.
And hey, good on him for playing hurt. Maybe this is the year Perry will finally be healthy.
With Matthews staying inside, the Packers could use him. He could use a good season too.
This is the final year of Perry’s rookie deal after the Packers declined his fifth-year option.