According to a few sources, including ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, the Green Bay Packers have come to an agreement with free agent defensive tackle Letroy Guion. The deal is reported to be for one year. Terms have not yet been disclosed.
Guion most recently was with the Minnesota Vikings. Typically at this time of year, we’re talking about former Packers who have become Vikings and this time, the Packers are on the receiving end of such a transaction.
Guion was a fifth-round draft pick of the Vikings in 2008 and will turn 27 this summer. He has appeared in at least 13 games in each of the past four seasons. 2013 appeared to be one of Guion’s more productive years as he tallied a sack, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a pass defended along with three tackles for no gain or a loss.
With Guion’s deal only being for one year, it’s far from a certainty that he will be on the team when this season begins. Two years ago, the Packers signed veteran defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove, albeit under different circumstances, and he was unable to crack the team’s final roster.
The move could also signal the Packers’ intentions with regards to Ryan Pickett and Johnny Jolly, both of whom are unrestricted free agents and who have spent the majority of their careers with the Packers. Pickett has said that he wants to return this season and so far, does not appear to have received much attention on the market. Jolly was just recently cleared to begin working out after neck fusion surgery in January.
This is the second outside free agent move in the past three days after the Packers and general manager Ted Thompson were quiet on the first few days of the new league year. On Saturday, news broke that the Packers had signed defensive end Julius Peppers to a three-year deal.
Keep it right here at allgbp.com for more updates and (dare I say?) signings by the Packers.
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Jason Perone is an independent sports blogger writing about the Packers on AllGreenBayPackers.com
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Someone must have slipped something into Ted’s green beer. He has been acting like a leprechaun. Maybe he is drunk? Either way, you can’t accuse the man of sitting on his hands during this free agency. I like the building of a front seven.
6-4, 300 lbs, If he can make the team, he adds a little length.
I hope he’s coming at a good (for GB) price. I am still holding out hope for a decent FA safety. And leave enough money left over for draft picks and new contracts for Nelson and Cobb. Go Pack Go!
Reports are that he turned down more $$ elsewhere to sign with Green Bay. I always question that, but that’s what is floating around.
Vikes used him at nose last year and according to Zach Kruse of Cheesehead TV and Bleacher Report, he wasn’t very effective. We shall see.
Guion isn’t a NT anymore than Raji is a DE. Good sign, low price, low risk high reward signing. He seems better suited to play 34 DE than he does to play NT in any scheme don’t you think?
Guion is more prototypical size and length. 6’4 300+ and very long arms just screams 34 DE.
Jim – I agree. I am still holding out for a veteran safety as well. But an improved front 7 can go a long way to helping out the secondary. As I mentioned on an earlier post, maybe TT is done yet with free agents for 2014. Thanks, Since ’61
Sorry, meant to say TT is not done yet. Thanks, Since ’61
Raji, Peppers and now Guion: three guys that fell of the earth last year. Sounds like dumpster diving to me. Crank up the clown music, here comes your Packers GM.
BOLD PREDICTION: TT will be out of the game within two years.
Q. Who will last longer, TT or Raji/Peppers/Guion?
A. They will all leave together!
BOLDER PREDICTION: Archie will get enough dislikes for his comment that it will get the “Hidden” status once again…..
BOLDEST PREDICTION: Schen and TT enter themselves into the “I was beat up alot as a kid rehab center”
???? Charles, that doesn’t make any sense and is almost as lame as your “marry him” comment from a few days ago. — I would love to get into a battle of wits with you but it appears you’re unarmed.
Ok Schen, I will make it simple… You and TT used to get beat up alot as kids. Get it.
Charles, I understood the meaning, it’s just I didn’t get how anyone, including you, could possibly think it was funny. Apparently I am giving you more credit than I should. Keep trying though, I’m sure eventually you’ll get me with a really good one…..
Don’t bother with him Schen. Him and Archie sound like a couple of psychotic Viking trolls (they’re probably the same person). I think it’s best to leave him alone as it’s not nice to pick on the mentally ill…
He’s 62 years old Archie, you’re really not going out on a limb. It’s called retirement!!!
Actualy Guion is probably the replacement for CJ Wilson.
I think (sadly) that Pickett is done in Green Bay.
Jolly might come back eventually, but the medical jury is still out and Richardson, recovering from a similar injury suffered at a similar time, did not play until Week 11 or so. No need to give Jolly a contract until he can get cleared for football activity.
But can he cover the deep middle?
This and the Pepper’s signing are changing the complexion of the 2014 draft for the Packers. I would have them picking a big body in the first round but they may be able to go for some talent early and big body later. Either way, Ted and company are revamping the front seven and that is a good thing. Things are shaping up.
I was thinking the same thing, that this frees them up to be more creative in the first round, either to trade up for someone they really like or just take a stud WR/TE in the first. — Not really sure that Guion is anything more than a backup/depth guy but it makes some sense if they feel he can give more QB pressure or is more versatile than CJWilson. GoPack!
Hey may be 303 lb.’s, but I can’t help but feel like the Packers are thinking about doing to him what they did to Mike Neal to some extent.
Well the only good thing about safety right now is knowing that it won’t be M.D Jennings. They could sign a safety in the 2nd or 3rd and be a lot better than Jennings
So the Packers head into the draft with 7 DL I’d be ok with keeping on the final roster. They’ve kept fewer heading into a season. So there should be no desperation about drafting DL early.
I’d say the same thing applies to OL.
They still have work to do getting the rest of the roster to that same place. I’d like to see them add one of the available Safeties (and there are plenty available still). An ILB would be great too but the pickings are much more slim. I’d like to see them close the deal with Owen Daniels, John Kuhn and Matt Flynn to round out the depth on offense. Get all that done and they are free to follow where ever the draft board leads them.
Just another step in getting Capers more prototypical 34 DL. Need more mobile DE that can move to DT in pass rush. No more using 3 NT as starters… Lets get some real 34 DL in here for a change!
Looks like we’re getting slimmer and longer on the line. Our old big stubby guys are too slow to get to the QB especially mobile ones who are multiplying. Makes sense. Hope that translates into more sacks and stuffing CK, RW and CN types. I really like the idea. Hope Jolly comes back though because we need some reinforcements for Raji to stop power running attack against Seattle and Vikings types.
Another way to look at recent DL developments is to say that the Packers like what they see in Daniels and Jones, but realize that neither of them are quite “there” yet. Raji and Guion are 1-year deals, and the Peppers deal is essentially a 1-year deal with an option for more. The Packers could be thinking that this will buy time for Daniels and Jones to develop.
With three DLmen who are short-termers, I wouldn’t be shocked at all if the Packers still picked a DL guy in the draft.
Also, the MKE Journal Sentinel is reporting that Raji received only $500,000 in guaranteed money. That’s pretty astounding. Makes me think that there is no guarantee whatsoever that Raji will make the team.
Hard to believe that guy fell so far so fast…