Quote Originally Posted by 3irty1 View Post
If you're evaluating Ted Thompson draft busts purely on outcome I think there is a case that Nick Perry is his worst ever pick. While other picks have done less for the Packers, none have done so little for so long for such a cost. Perry's career is a near optimization on how to keep expectations high while contributing as little as possible over the course of seven years. Would the Packers not have been better off had Perry flamed out quickly like Harrell or Sherrod? At that point they are down the opportunity cost of a 1st round pick and a rookie signing bonus. Instead he showed just enough at every point to keep the Packers investing in him as an important part of their defensive plans while always falling short of expectations except of course in contract years. I'm not saying he's intentionally a con man but everyone knows he's going to rack up a dozen sacks this year for some team and seduce them into a another 40 million dollar commitment right?
This is something I've thought several times, but never able to put it so succinctly. There are a lot of players who have careers like this -- you wonder how they manage to stick around or get the contracts they do.

As for Perry himself, I was with Fritz and thought he was a player who flashed potential, and early in his career was forcing fumbles on QB hits..but then he'd disappear on the field or the trainer's room. Eventually those players have to be replaced by someone more reliable and consistent. I think they've done that with the Smiths.

All the same I wish Perry good luck wherever he lands.