Defensive end B.J. Raji reportedly turned down a contract offering him $8 million a year from the Packers last year and turned in his second straight season without a sack, leading some to believe that he’d finished his run in Green Bay.
That judgment appears to have been a bit premature. Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the Packers and Raji are close to agreeing to terms on a one-year deal that would keep Raji in Green Bay for the 2014 season.
While Raji hasn’t reached the open market yet, he likely has gotten some idea of what it would hold in store for him and re-signing with the Packers suggests that he thinks it could be better if he rebounds in 2014 before becoming a free agent. Raji played 30 games for the team over the last two seasons, but hasn’t flashed the pass rushing ability of earlier years and was part of a defense that’s disappointed in several places.
The Packers have talked a lot about turning that around and an overall improvement would do good things for Raji if he can play a driving role in making things better.