Packers sign B.J. Raji to one year, $3.5 million contract

Yesterday, the Packers had just one player on their roster with NFL experience at nose tackle: Mike Pennel, an undrafted free agent signing in 2014 who played limited snaps last season as a rookie.

Now they have three.

Earlier today, reports surfaced that the Packers had signed Letroy Guion to a one-year contract worth about $2.75 million for 2015. Later it was reported that Green Bay was "expected" to sign B.J. Raji to a new deal. That deal is apparently done and is similar to Raji's 2014 contract:

The one-year contract that the #Packers and DT BJ Raji have agreed to is worth roughly $3.5M, source said. He can earn up to $4M.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 30, 2015

In 2014, Raji signed a deal worth $4 million, of which he saw $3.7 million as he spent the entirety of the season on injured reserve with a torn biceps muscle. Presumably the 2015 deal features incentives that will make up the difference between the $3.5 and $4 million numbers, as it seems likely that they will be based on playing time, stats, postseason honors, or some combination thereof. The deal may also help protect the Packers against further injury to Raji by including per-game active roster bonuses in the $3.5 million number.

Suddenly, the nose tackle position isn't such an immediate need for 2015. It still appears likely that the Packers may draft a player at the position sometime during the 2015 NFL Draft, but will likely have an eye on the future with that selection rather than trying to find someone who they can plug in immediately as a starter.

UPDATE: The Packers officially announced the Raji and Guion signings on Tuesday afternoon.