A lot of people have been making a big deal out of how the Green Bay Packers are “revamping” their inside linebacker position, when they haven’t revamped anything.
Sure, they got rid of some dead weight by releasing veterans Brad Jones and A.J. Hawk, but one of those guys contributing nothing outside of boneheaded plays and the other was an afterthought by season’s end.
In order to revamp something, you have to change it on the surface.
On the surface, the Packers are rolling with the same two guys who started for them at inside linebacker to end the 2014 season — Sam Barrington and Clay Matthews.
Now, some people see that as less than ideal because OHMAGOD, CLAY MATTHEWS IS AN OUTSIDE LINEBACKER!
We’re sure Clay Matthews thinks that way. He thinks the only way he’s going to get a ton of sacks is if he plays outside. He is in love with the sack. In fact, he may very well be becoming a modern-day Mark Gastineau.
Mark Gastineau was in love with the sack. He notched a lot of them. All those sacks landing him Brigitte Nielsen. Well, those sacks and that sweet-ass mullet and porno-chic mustache.
But go ahead and run the ball straight at Mark Gastineau. You’ll gain 20 yards every time. Because Mark Gastineau is of one mind — go straight for the quarterback like a quarterback-seeking missile on every goddam play regardless of down and distance.
Because, sacks!
But Clay Matthews is going to play where the Green Bay Packers tell him to play.
Frankly, Matthews is better off lining up in multiple positions throughout the game and he’s arguably better as an inside linebacker than he is outside.
For one, he’s forced to think differently, i.e. about more than just rushing the passer. That seems to make Matthews a better overall player. There’s also plenty of evidence that suggests this is better for all parties involved.
First of all, Matthews has been a good, not great outside linebacker. Matthews’ high for sacks in a season is 13.5.
I think we can all agree that 15 sacks is a nice threshold to be considered a dominant pass rushing season. So Clay Matthews has never had a dominant pass rushing season. He’s had a couple pretty good ones — 13.5 in 2010 and 13 in 2012. None dominant.
That will get you into the Packers Hall of Fame. It won’t get you into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Then there’s last year, when Matthews played the first eight games at outside linebacker and the last eight inside.
First eight — 19 tackles, 2.5 sacks. Last eight — 42 tackles, 8.5 sacks.
Which player do you want?
Probably the same one the Packers want.
So does this mean Clay Matthews is officially an inside linebacker?
There have been hints of that, but no one on the Packers has come out and said so.
Unless the Packers can draft an Erik Kendricks, Benardrick McKinney or Stephone Anthony, then the question answers itself. They’ve done nothing to address the position in free agency and the other options on the roster are Nate Palmer and Carl Bradford, neither of which played a down for the team in 2014.
Also, both guys are converted outside linebacker, so who even knows if they CAN play the position.
As of today, Clay Matthews is one of the Packers starting inside linebackers, regardless of what anyone says or doesn’t say.