GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Nick Perry missed only one game because of it, but the shoulder injury he sustained last season was bad enough that the Green Bay Packers outside linebacker underwent surgery almost immediately after the season.

Packers linebacker Nick Perry said he had surgery on his shoulder following the end of the 2014 season. Brad Barr/USA TODAY Sports

Perry revealed that on Tuesday at the start of minicamp and said it's the reason he has not participated in any of the offseason practices. He also wouldn't guarantee that he would be cleared in time for the start of training camp on July 30.

"In order to become successful you had to make sure you don't go into the next year with things lingering on," Perry said when asked why surgery was necessary. "Without a question, it was something that had to be done. We're good now. We're on the right track. So we're looking good."

It was a difficult offseason for the oft-injured Perry, who also did not have the fifth-year option on his rookie contract picked up.

That means he will be a free agent after this season. And it means he needs to be healthier and more productive than he has been in his first three NFL seasons. The former first-round pick has essentially missed one full season to injury, having played in 32 of a possible 48 regular-season games in his career.

"I would love to be here, [but] I can't control that," Perry said. "My first goal is making sure I'm ready to go for the season and that stuff comes later after the season. So I'm not really worried about any of that stuff right now."

Perry said he dealt with the injury for most of the season, but it was not apparent until the Nov. 16 game against the Philadelphia Eagles. He then missed the next game, against the Minnesota Vikings. That was the only game he missed all season even though he was listed on the injury report with the shoulder through Week 16.

It was the first time in his career that he played in more than 11 regular-season games. He had three sacks in the regular season plus another 1.5 in the two playoff games combined last year.

Perry played in only five games as a rookie because of knee and wrist injuries -- the wrist landed him on season-ending injured reserve. He then missed five games in a six-game stretch in Year 2 because of a foot injury.

The 28th overall pick in the 2012 draft, Perry could be in line for significant playing time this season if the Packers follow through on their plan to use Clay Matthews at both inside and outside linebacker. Perry could see some of Matthews' old snaps on the outside -- if he's able to stay healthy, that is.

"It's pretty frustrating knowing the opportunities, knowing how great I can be and just looking behind me and seeing some of those lagging issues over the past I wish weren't there," Perry said. "But it's football. I don't have any control over it. Freakish stuff happens. You just have to keep playing."