Raji looks to be back [Archive]

red

02-27-2015, 06:43 PM

I think Raji...if he can stay healthy...will be a key contributor to the defense next season. He will have plenty to play for, because this is his last shot at getting a payday.

2 years ago was his last shot at a big payday, he took a shit on the season, and the team

then for some reason we gave him another last chance last year (myself and others predicted he would be "injured" before the season started), he shit all over that season

why even give him a third "last shot"?

mraynrand

02-27-2015, 08:54 PM

I think Raji...if he can stay healthy...will be a key contributor to the defense next season. He will have plenty to play for, because this is his last shot at getting a payday.

It's like an episode of 'Gilligan's Island.'

HarveyWallbangers

02-27-2015, 09:10 PM

No brainer. I'm sure he didn't cost much. Going into last season, I thought he'd get back to the good player that he was a couple of years (motivation, moving to NT). It looked like that would be the case, but unfortunately he got injured.

oldbutnotdeadyet

02-28-2015, 06:22 AM

Not impressed, I hope he proves me wrong.

woodbuck27

02-28-2015, 06:32 AM

2 years ago was his last shot at a big payday, he took a shit on the season, and the team

then for some reason we gave him another last chance last year (myself and others predicted he would be "injured" before the season started), he shit all over that season

why even give him a third "last shot"?

When your lost in the woods even a can of sardines is a welcome feast.

Pugger

02-28-2015, 07:14 AM

IMO Raji is not a good DE but he's a better NT than Guion. We have no clue what will become of Guion's legal trouble. Most of the time rookie NTs take a while to figure it all out. If we let both Raji walk and Guion is in jail then we have huge hole in the middle of the defense on both the line and the LBing corps. Raji isn't going to cost an arm and a leg and is good insurance in the middle there. I do believe Ted will draft another NT this spring.

So a guy who gets hurt and is on IR shits all over last season? I'd call a true lazy bones like Cletius Hunt a guy who shit all over his last season instead.

pbmax

02-28-2015, 09:28 AM

He was said to be dominating camp by the beat writers during this round of reports. I don't remember reading "dominating" at the time, but best lineman in camp was definitely tossed around.

Unlike some other prospects (who have yet to perform at an elite level), Raji has done it. He just needs to do it again.

I don't think the bicep injury is a part of fat, lazy or stupid.

red

02-28-2015, 10:44 AM

So a guy who gets hurt and is on IR shits all over last season? I'd call a true lazy bones like Cletius Hunt a guy who shit all over his last season instead.

myself and others said as soon as he re signed with us, that he would find a way to get on the IR so he wouldn't have to do anything but collect pay checks, like he did the previous few years

it was very ironic, when he managed to get injured for the year during preseason

i hope the team did al the MRI's that they could to make sure it was actually torn

Bossman641

02-28-2015, 10:50 AM

myself and others said as soon as he re signed with us, that he would find a way to get on the IR so he wouldn't have to do anything but collect pay checks, like he did the previous few years

it was very ironic, when he managed to get injured for the year during preseason

i hope the team did al the MRI's that they could to make sure it was actually torn

I highly doubt he snuck a torn biceps by the team all year

red

02-28-2015, 10:54 AM

I highly doubt he snuck a torn biceps by the team all year

to me, raji seems like the type that would spend 10 times more energy trying not to play, then he would if he just played

we all know that type of worker. spends 10 hours a day tying to figure out how not to work

King Friday

02-28-2015, 11:05 AM

we all know that type of worker. spends 10 hours a day tying to figure out how not to work

Yet he stuck around all last year...even when he wouldn't contribute a lick?

If he didn't want to work, why did he stick around? That doesn't align with your assessment of his work ethic.

Raji never struck me as overly lazy. No...he's not a guy who is going to show up first and leave last either...I get that. However, Raji can be a contributor...and with the motivation of one last shot at a payday, I think he'll be just that.

mraynrand

02-28-2015, 11:18 AM

to me, raji seems like the type that would spend 10 times more energy trying not to play, then he would if he just played

we all know that type of worker. spends 10 hours a day tying to figure out how not to work

He strikes me more as a moody, emotional kind of player that a coach has to work overtime with and be creative with to inspire to consistently play at a high level.

pbmax

02-28-2015, 11:47 AM

I would vehemently disagree with red about the ability of a player to "pretend" to have a bicep injury or to go "Colonel Flagg" and give himself the injury, AND THEN sneak it by the doctors and trainers.

I would do this, if Charles Johnson wasn't on the Vikings.

Pugger

02-28-2015, 01:18 PM

myself and others said as soon as he re signed with us, that he would find a way to get on the IR so he wouldn't have to do anything but collect pay checks, like he did the previous few years

it was very ironic, when he managed to get injured for the year during preseason

i hope the team did al the MRI's that they could to make sure it was actually torn

You seriously believe he tried to get injured during the preseason? Nonsense. He signed a vet minimum contract with hopes of playing into a big payday. Going on IR isn't gonna get you that big payday from anybody.

mraynrand

02-28-2015, 01:19 PM

Patler

02-28-2015, 01:54 PM

You seriously believe he tried to get injured during the preseason? Nonsense. He signed a vet minimum contract with hopes of playing into a big payday. Going on IR isn't gonna get you that big payday from anybody.

Raji? Not a vet minimum contract in 2014. He signed a 1 year deal worth $4 million, and I think got all but $300,000 of it which was a bonus for being on the game day rosters. Should have collected $3.7 miliion while on IR, I think.

mraynrand

02-28-2015, 01:55 PM

I would vehemently disagree with red about the ability of a player to "pretend" to have a bicep injury or to go "Colonel Flagg" and give himself the injury.

Don't they have to sign a loyalty oath?

pbmax

02-28-2015, 02:00 PM

Don't they have to sign a loyalty oath?

Only if you were with the CIA and not the CID.

bobblehead

02-28-2015, 02:01 PM

myself and others said as soon as he re signed with us, that he would find a way to get on the IR so he wouldn't have to do anything but collect pay checks, like he did the previous few years

it was very ironic, when he managed to get injured for the year during preseason

i hope the team did al the MRI's that they could to make sure it was actually torn

Nah, they just took his word for it Red. Sometimes I think you don't even read what you write. You would make a great MLB closer though...short memory.

smuggler

02-28-2015, 02:12 PM

Anyone who thinks Raji tried deliberately to get injured last year is a moron.

Patler

02-28-2015, 08:07 PM

i hope the team did al the MRI's that they could to make sure it was actually torn

They did more than that, they cut open his arm to reattach the tendon.

http://host.madison.com/sports/football/professional/packers-b-j-raji-needs---months-to-recover/article_0a290774-70d5-5cd8-ab98-381e7444153e.html

smuggler

02-28-2015, 11:54 PM

Don't ever let those inconvenient things called details get in the way of ineffectual, subjective pissing and moaning, Patler!

red

03-01-2015, 12:19 AM

They did more than that, they cut open his arm to reattach the tendon.

http://host.madison.com/sports/football/professional/packers-b-j-raji-needs---months-to-recover/article_0a290774-70d5-5cd8-ab98-381e7444153e.html

CGI

Pugger

03-01-2015, 08:15 AM

Raji? Not a vet minimum contract in 2014. He signed a 1 year deal worth $4 million, and I think got all but $300,000 of it which was a bonus for being on the game day rosters. Should have collected $3.7 miliion while on IR, I think.

I sit corrected.

pbmax

03-01-2015, 11:42 AM

CGI

Penn and Teller used to do a spoof of voodoo surgery* and yank chicken livers out of people, claiming that the tissue was the infestation/tumor and that they were now cured.

Maybe that's what Dr. McKenzie has been doing all this time.

* psychic surgery

smuggler

03-01-2015, 04:42 PM

RIP Andy Kauffman

mission

03-01-2015, 05:55 PM

He strikes me more as a moody, emotional kind of player that a coach has to work overtime with and be creative with to inspire to consistently play at a high level.

So like most of my employees, you and the rest of the people we all work with?

That's why they're employees. If they had the drive, they'd be cutting the checks.

I know it's different with a football player, but our entire workforce is made up of this attitude.

mraynrand

03-01-2015, 06:59 PM

So like most of my employees, you and the rest of the people we all work with?

That's why they're employees. If they had the drive, they'd be cutting the checks.

I know it's different with a football player, but our entire workforce is made up of this attitude.

but it varies in degree. I assume you know some people who are less moody and more self-motivated?

mission

03-01-2015, 07:16 PM

but it varies in degree. I assume you know some people who are less moody and more self-motivated?

Sure, but even our "stars" need pushing... especially the sales guy that's making more than he's ever made before. Obviously more talented than most of our team, but he still has challenges 'managing his own success' (MM tm).

All our sales team is paid based on performance, they all make six figures minimum... three times this year we've thrown out a simple $500 cash bonus to each salesguy if we can hit $500k for the week and every time they hit it. No other weeks have we done 500k this year. It was a bit of a trial from a mgmt perspective, but it's disheartening to think we need to pay them even more for short term motivation when their next quarter salary could go up/down 10-20k based on their previous quarter. They're just not capable of looking that far ahead it seems. These are sales people, generally the most ambitious self-starters in any company. You can only imagine the challenges we have with office staff punching clocks.

As far as moodiness goes-- there's definitely some that need more coddling and encouragement than others. I don't see BJ Raji as one of these guys. He did choose to stick around with the team all season when many wouldn't in that situation.

smuggler

03-01-2015, 09:06 PM

Mission, can you get me a phone interview? :O

mraynrand

03-01-2015, 09:18 PM

I don't see BJ Raji as one of these guys.

OK

mission

03-02-2015, 09:02 AM

OK

Feel free to explain why you obviously think otherwise.

MadScientist

03-02-2015, 09:34 AM

At this point the Packers need a NT. If Raji will take a minimum contract, possibly with a decent game day active roster bonus, then why not? If he demands more, let someone else take the risk.

red

03-02-2015, 09:37 AM

Feel free to explain why you obviously think otherwise.

because two years ago, after green bay insulted him with just a 8 million a year offer, his play trailed waaaay off, and he looked like he was moving at full speed, and acting like he couldn't wait to get out of green bay, injury free

red

03-02-2015, 09:39 AM

At this point the Packers need a NT. If Raji will take a minimum contract, possibly with a decent game day active roster bonus, then why not? If he demands more, let someone else take the risk.

i said the same thing last year, but no one wanted him, so we threw 4 million at him

there were no reports or rumors anywhere about anyone else wanting him

pbmax

03-02-2015, 09:47 AM

because two years ago, after green bay insulted him with just a 8 million a year offer, his play trailed waaaay off, and he looked like he was moving at full speed, and acting like he couldn't wait to get out of green bay, injury free

Your contention is that he was so insulted, he didn't sign the insulting offer and then sulked his way to play worse, in order to secure an even worse contract?

You are basically arguing he is self destructive, worse than Finley?

Joemailman

03-02-2015, 09:58 AM

McGinn's 2013 grade on Raji references the fact that Raji felt he did what he was asked to do, but also points our Raji's lack of productivity. I think Raji is still young enough to turn this around if he feels he has a role that capitalizes on his skills,

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/defense12-b99180643z1-239782291.html

.J. Raji: The extension averaging $8 million per year that was on the table for some time is off the table now. The Packers still want Raji back, but given his dreadful production it's possible now that he'll return at a much lower rate. What worries some scouts is they say Raji's motor ran so hot and cold even in a contract year. They wonder what will happen after he gets paid. Raji insists he was only following orders to two-gap and protect the ILBs. In 2013, he functioned almost like a sumo wrestler. Raji ranked last on the D-line in tackles per snap (one every 16.4) and was fourth in pressures per snap (one every 87.3). In 2010, his best year, he registered a pressure every 32.4 snaps. Still, at 27, some teams might be extremely interested in him on the unrestricted market because 338-pounders with his athleticism are few and far between. Grade: C-minus.

I thought Raji looked pretty motivated in the preseason last year. He was playing well before he got hurt.

red

03-02-2015, 10:22 AM

Your contention is that he was so insulted, he didn't sign the insulting offer and then sulked his way to play worse, in order to secure an even worse contract?

You are basically arguing he is self destructive, worse than Finley?

my point was, and it was a pretty common idea a year ago, that after he was insulted by that offer, he phoned in the rest of the year thinking he was done in green bay. problem was, no one else wanted him after seeing how he quit on his team

pbmax

03-02-2015, 10:27 AM

my point was, and it was a pretty common idea a year ago, that after he was insulted by that offer, he phoned in the rest of the year thinking he was done in green bay. problem was, no one else wanted him after seeing how he quit on his team

He doesn't strike me as that dumb. Quite the opposite actually.

Finley clearly lived in a space in his head where everyone's concerns and his contract numbers mattered to him. I don't get that sense from Raji.

Now it didn't work out for him, so his gauge of the market and his performance plus role conspired to hurt him badly. But outside of second half foray's into being a consistently penetrating tackle regardless of the play design (often when the D was getting gashed), he seemed eminently coachable. Matthews has made more news about a position switch.

mraynrand

03-02-2015, 10:40 AM

Feel free to explain why you obviously think otherwise.

OK

Fritz

03-02-2015, 11:42 AM

I am in complete favor of bringing Raji back. You'll get him for a reasonable amount, and he can be very productive as a penetrating NT in the current system, which he has yet to play in.

It's a great fit. Do it, Ted!

denverYooper

03-02-2015, 11:54 AM

Feel free to explain why you obviously think otherwise.

FWIW, I think Rand works in some kind of research environment, quite possibly academic but maybe commercial. For the most part, to get anywhere in that career you have to be very self-motivated because even if you're absolutely brilliant you have to slog through years of work and bullshit to get to any real sort of relevance.

Smidgeon

03-02-2015, 12:15 PM

He doesn't strike me as that dumb. Quite the opposite actually.

Finley clearly lived in a space in his head where everyone's concerns and his contract numbers mattered to him. I don't get that sense from Raji.

Now it didn't work out for him, so his gauge of the market and his performance plus role conspired to hurt him badly. But outside of second half foray's into being a consistently penetrating tackle regardless of the play design (often when the D was getting gashed), he seemed eminently coachable. Matthews has made more news about a position switch.

I'm guessing that Raji played 2013 completely within the system, actually doing what he was asked: to double team and keep the ILBs clean. He didn't freelance to penetrate because he was focused on doing what he was supposed to do.

It just so happened that his low statistical productivity made it look like he was in severe decline, and no one wanted him. I think he was really just supremely miscast as a DE, but he was still a better DE than Pickett.

So hopefully, as a NT, he'll start showing up on the stat sheets more.

mission

03-02-2015, 12:42 PM

FWIW, I think Rand works in some kind of research environment, quite possibly academic but maybe commercial. For the most part, to get anywhere in that career you have to be very self-motivated because even if you're absolutely brilliant you have to slog through years of work and bullshit to get to any real sort of relevance.

He doesn't appear very motivated to explain himself.

pbmax

03-02-2015, 02:49 PM

mraynrand

03-02-2015, 04:02 PM

Yoop, Max, and Mission you are all correct: I am in research, often not funded, and usually royally screwed, probably because I am unmotivated to explain myself (lack of publications).

mraynrand

03-02-2015, 04:04 PM

... to get anywhere in that career you have to be very self-motivated because even if you're absolutely brilliant you have to slog through years of work and bullshit to get to any real sort of relevance.

this is very accurate. Now imagine trying it with marginal intelligence.

pbmax

03-02-2015, 04:37 PM

Yoop, Max, and Mission you are all correct: I am in research, often not funded, and usually royally screwed, probably because I am unmotivated to explain myself (lack of publications).

My next guesses were trust fund kicking in at age 50 or moist towelette heir.

red

03-02-2015, 04:43 PM

i would have guessed conservative radio talk show host

mraynrand

03-03-2015, 09:52 AM

i would have guessed conservative radio talk show host

I have the looks for it

Zool

03-03-2015, 12:56 PM

Didn't we already know Raji was black?

mission

03-03-2015, 03:56 PM

So is this a 1 year / 2 mil deal? Even that sounds rich, but I thought 4mil last year was too. Can't see them paying anymore than that for basically a guy who hasn't done anything in two years.

Fritz

03-04-2015, 02:02 PM

I would think another one year deal at maybe two or two-and-a-half mill might get him back - unless the Lions lose Suh and look at Raji as a potential replacement.

Sign Raji! He'll be back to his 2010 form. I promise.

red

03-04-2015, 02:38 PM

i can't see why would would give him anything more then another 1 year "prove it" deal

we gave him one last year, and he was hurt before he could prove anything

we've learned nothing in the last year

of course, because there was one or two articles written during training camp last year saying he looked decent, people are conveniently forgeting about his previous 2 or 3 years when he was just a fat, lazy slug collecting a paycheck and not much else