The season officially ended for Green Bay outside linebacker Nick Perry on Saturday when the Packers placed him on injured reserve.
The Packers (4-5-1) elevated defensive lineman James Looney, a seventh-round draft pick form California, from the practice squad to take Perry’s place on the roster for Sunday night’s game against the Minnesota Vikings (5-4-1).
The 28-year-old Perry sustained a right knee injury late in the first half of a Nov. 11 game against the Miami Dolphins. Perry’s knee was hit by Dolphins running back Frank Gore while he was rushing the passer and bent awkwardly.
The oft-injured Perry has now finished the year on IR three times in seven NFL seasons. He had missed training camp this year while recovering from offseason ankle injury.
When Perry did return for the regular season, he was mostly ineffective, registering a career-worst 1.5 sacks, four quarterback hits and 24 tackles in nine games.
Kyler Fackrell has filled the void left by Perry’s ineffectiveness as a pass rusher this year, registered 8.0 sacks, including three in a game against the Seattle Seahawks.
Perry signed a five-year, $60 million contract with the Packers in March 2017 after he collected a career-high 11 sacks in 2016. Last year, he finished with 7.0 sacks while playing in 12 of 16 games.
A first-round pick in 2012, Perry missed nearly half of the regular-season games in his first two seasons in the NFL with injuries. Only once in his seven seasons has he played in more than 14 games.
With veteran defensive tackle Mike Daniels sidelined because of a left foot injury, the Packers needed help up front and promoted the 6-foot-3, 287-pound Looney, who will provide backup for a group that includes Kenny Clark, Dean Lowry, Montravius Adams and Tyler Lancaster.
