This was pretty much a foregone conclusion, wasn’t it?
The Green Bay Packers didn’t draft Nick Perry in the first round to have him sit on the bench. They planned for him to start opposite Clay Matthews from day one.
That was confirmed during the first day of OTAs open to the public, today. Perry was running with the No. 1 defense. The interesting development is where he lined up.
Perry was on the left side, which was the spot Matthews occupied last year. Matthews has been moved to the right side.
If the defensive line stays true to last year’s form, that would put Perry behind the veteran, Ryan Pickett. On the right side, Matthews will likely end up behind second-round pick Jerel Worthy.
Here’s why the move makes sense.
Both Perry and Worthy are going to need a little seasoning. The Packers don’t want two guys who are wet behind the ears playing on the same side if they can help it. Moving Matthews will help account for any mistakes Worthy makes and hopefully, having Pickett suck up blockers will allow Perry to get to the quarterback.
In a best-case scenario, Worthy will prove a decent pass rusher himself, allowing Matthews even more room to roam.
It’s going to be fun to watch how this defense develops.