Are you taking notes B.J. Raji? Letroy Guion?
Two free agent signings that took place in the past 24 hours should go a long way toward getting those two defensive linemen back to the Green Bay Packers.
On Thursday, former Broncos defensive tackle Terrance Knighton got a measly one-year, $4 million deal from the Washington Redskins. And this was for a guy who was supposed to be in demand.
Knighton, who is 6-3, 331 and 28 years old, had 30 tackles and two sacks in 2014. Those are by no means mind-blowing numbers, but they’re decent numbers for a nose tackle. More importantly, guys who are 6-3 and 331 don’t grow on trees.
The refrain about Knighton after he signed that disappointing contract was this — not a three-down player.
So Knighton took the same deal the Packers gave Raji last offseason when Raji was coming off his worst season (17 tackles, no sacks).
Yikes.
The news doesn’t get much better for free agent defensive linemen.
Nick Fairley, formerly of the Lions, signed with the Rams this morning.
Fairley has been much more productive than both Knighton and Raji, when he’s healthy. Fairley only played in eight games in 2014, but he had 35 tackles and six sacks in 15 games in 2013.
He’s also just 27.
Fairley mustered just one year and $5 million from the Rams.
So what are Raji and Guion worth?
Less than both of those guys.
Raji is coming off a season in which he didn’t play a down because of injury. The previous season, when he played all 16 games, was an embarrassment. Guion, on the other hand, is coming off his best NFL season (32 tackles, 3.5 sacks).
He’s also coming off a felony drug arrest.
Last time we checked, drug felons didn’t get big contracts from NFL teams.
Like Knighton and Fairley, both Raji (28) and Guion (27) are still relatively young. We know neither player is going to break the bank. The only question now seems to be whether the Packers try to lock them in on a cheap, multi-year deal or if it’s a one-year contract and we do this all over again next year.
This certainly helps us. Hopefully Raji can come back for 1 yr, 3 mil, and Guion for 1 yr, 1.5 mil. Neither warrants 4 mil/year
Raji basically got 4 Million last season while standing around…
Actually that would be three straight years of Raji just standing around.
Guion’s Agent will as for $1,190,000 with $190,000 in cash and a truck.
….don’t forget a bag o’ weed…..
Rani has physically depreciated every year and word is his work ethic is shit. I’d hope they are watching his workouts before they sign his fat ass.