Packers Want Matthews Back at Outside Linebacker
It looks like the Clay Matthews as an inside linebacker experiment is over.
Coach Mike McCarthy said Matthews will be moving back outside next season.
“We’re obviously a lot better with him playing the outside position,” McCarthy said Monday. “He’s an outside linebacker, and we need to get back to him playing there.”
That must be music to Matthews’ ears.
Matthews never wanted to make the move inside to begin with. He’s said how he prefers to be a pass rusher and moving back outside will allow him to do that on a more regular basis.
As for the inside, the Packers must feel pretty confident in Jake Ryan and that Sam Barrington will return to form. Barrington broke his foot in the first game of the season and didn’t play after that.
The Packers will probably also need some more bodies at outside linebacker.
Both Nick Perry and Mike Neal will be free agents and we’d put the likelihood of both of them returning at low.
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Mike just said last off season they were better with Clay at ILB, ha.
They should still use him at inside from time to time.
Agreed cheese. The more they move him around the defense the better. Makes them that much more unpredictable
I like him inside. When outside his speed became a liability because he would over-pursue too much and then lose contain on cutbacks or on certain quick QBs, Colin Kaepernick / Russell Wilson especially. He may not like playing inside, but it is better for the team if he is there on most plays.
Did Matthews have any sacks from the outside linebacker position this year? It seems he got most of his sacks blitzing from inside.