Despite his preference to play outside, Clay Matthews remains primarily an inside linebacker.
The Green Bay Packers moved Matthews inside smack dab in the middle of the 2014 season and both the team’s defense and Matthews’ performance improved dramatically. So, it’s no surprise they’ve kept him there.
Matthews has worked primarily on the inside through OTAs, minicamp and now, training camp. Only in certain sub packages, he will he shift back outside.
While he’s been nothing but a good soldier, there’s definitely been a learning curve. And Matthews says he’s still figuring out the nuances of inside linebacker.
“That’s my duty,” Matthews said. “I’m playing inside. I need to know what to do. I feel good about it. Obviously coming off the spring work which I put in, I said I felt like a rookie as far as learning the playbook and everything. Now coming back out here, it’s a refresher course.
“Obviously, I’m not as well-versed as I am at the outside linebacker position as I just said, being able to kick back outside at a moment’s notice. So it’s really important for me to really grasp this opportunity and really take it and run with it. I think ever since last year I continue to grow into a stronger player on the inside.”
What’s interesting here is what could be.
Matthews pretty much turned what was looking like a garbage season into a very, very solid one after the move, last season. Matthews tallied 8.5 of his 11 sacks and 42 of his 61 tackles after changing positions.
Those are huge differences in production.
And, by his own admission, he didn’t really know what he was doing.
So what happens when he does figure it out?
Maybe a defensive MVP award?