GREEN BAY, Wis. — B.J. Raji isn't worried about his contract, at least not yet. After the Green Bay Packers handed out huge contracts this offseason to quarterback Aaron Rodgers and outside linebacker Clay Matthews, the team's 337-pound nose tackle should be next in line.
"I'm not really going to talk contracts," Raji said Tuesday in the locker room. "Obviously the Packers are a great organization. I feel they'll do right by me."
Even after Green Bay signed Matthews to a five-year, $66 million extension in April and later signed Rodgers to the richest deal in NFL history for five years and $110 million, the Packers still have nearly $10 million in cap space for the 2013 season.
Raji, 26, is scheduled to earn $4.49 million this upcoming season in what is the final year of his rookie contract.
Raji, who was drafted ninth overall by Green Bay in 2009, has been a starter for the past three seasons and was named to the Pro Bowl in 2011. Raji's best season statistically was in 2010 when he finished with 6.5 sacks, 39 tackles and three batted passes.
Raji missed two games last season with an ankle injury but has otherwise been healthy throughout his career.
The other Packers player looking for a long-term contract extension is cornerback Sam Shields. For the second week in a row, Shields was a no-show for Green Bay's offseason training activities. Shields was given a second-round tender as a restricted free agent that is worth $2.023 million for the 2013 season. Shields is clearly not happy with that and has been the only Packers player to skip the offseason workouts.
Follow Paul Imig on Twitter.
