Offseason moves and shuffling continues as free agents Clay Matthews and Randall Cobb have both found new positions within the league.
Clay Matthews was likely facing a pay cut if he stuck around in Green Bay and it looks like the Los Angeles Rams made him a decent offer to snag him for a two-year contract. His final season with the Packers was a rough one that included a broken nose before the season even started.
#NewProfilePic pic.twitter.com/21Z13cmGUG
— Clay Matthews III (@ClayMatthews52) March 20, 2019
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Packers free agent Randall Cobb was also just picked up by the Dallas Cowboys for a one-year deal.
WR Randall Cobb (@rcobb18) to sign with the @dallascowboys on a one-year, $5 million deal.
(via @RapSheet) pic.twitter.com/ZVbqo0e4Jw
— NFL (@NFL) March 19, 2019
This move is not at all surprising as we have reported in the past that Cobb was not likely to return.
Go do ya thang 18. Can’t thank u enough for guiding me through this thing and showing us all how to be a pro. Love u brudda I’m excited for your next chapter ✊🏾 #187
— Davante Adams (@tae15adams) March 20, 2019
https://www.instagram.com/p/BvNynbBBEKk/
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Both these moves are bittersweet for Packers fans as both players have been with the team for a combined 18 years between the two of them. Clay Matthews III is easily one of the most popular players for Green Bay – as evident by this site’s search analytics showing that fans are constantly looking for updates on him.
I would have loved to have seen Matthews take a pay cut and stick around under LaFleur but he needs to look out for himself and his family so he decided LA was the best place for him next season. He is originally from Southern California so it will be a bit of a homecoming for him.
Looking back on his career, there are two sides. The first half is that of an explosive, game-changing LB while the latter half of his career is marred with inconsistency as more and more fans questioned his large salary. His position as a fan favorite has helped some to look past his more recent lack of performance but the Packers front office decided enough was enough.
Rob Born recently wrote about the decision facing the Packers on Clay Matthews:
The predominant view is that Matthews’ career is over. In 2018, he took 756 of the defensive snaps, or 71%. Next to him Blake Martinez took 1,049. In 2017, he took 62% of the snaps and in 2016 he took only 46%. Clay hasn’t been healthy since 2015, when he took 1,017 snaps (97%) and recorded 11 sacks. And when Clay has played of late, he’s been at less than full strength for much of that time.
In favor of such an arrangement, in the past three years Clay has played a substantial amount of time as an inside linebacker – at this stage, he performs better in the middle than on the edge – he’s a capable run-stopper. DC Mike Pettine likes to mix things up, and Clay could provide him with lots of options.
As much as the move makes sense, it is still sad to see someone like Clay leave Green Bay and play elsewhere. He will always be considered a Packer.
Today sucked..
— David Bakhtiari (@DavidBakhtiari) March 20, 2019
Clay is thinking about his movie career.
You might not be entirely wrong. Maybe not film but there are lots of post-career opportunities for him in LA
Some think the Packers are up against the salary cap at around 13 million (top 51). The Rams have approximately 7.5 million or less on the top 51 cap without having Bortles or Matthews officially under contract.
If Matthews is going to receive a two year 16.75 million contract, that contract is either really backloaded, a home town discount, or the Rams are going to have to restructure another contract or release a top 51 contract player.
The Rams are a team that takes risks with their salary cap to reach their goal of winning a Super Bowl. I think the Rams ended last year with less than 1 million in available cap space. It didn’t work out, but they came close, and not for a lack of spending on free agents and taking on contracts from trades.
And they have to sign Jared Goff at some point longterm unless they want to chance another rookie quarterback. That team is going to have a lot of dead cap in a couple years
I firmly believe that Goff IS the weak link on this team. I am surprised that the Rams are staying with him.
Hard to say how Mathews contract is detailed, but my understanding is that it could pay “up to” 16.75 mill. So we will see.
Nothing wrong with a team going “all in” to win a Super Bowl. You know the saying “…or die trying”. It worked for Denver. Hard to have regrets when your holding a Lombardi trophy. Some teams don’t win a Lombardi for decades, some teams haven’t won one in more than a half of a century, or ever, amirite Lonely Boy? So yea, spend every penny and go for it. We should have done that some years ago, when we still had a realistic chance at winning.
More on Cobb/Mathews at a later time, but it pertains to value, perceived and actual.
Jeez Aaron, watch the Shawshank Redemption much? Probably since it is on like, a dozen times a month on any given Spike, AMC, FX, or any other cable outlet. Maybe you have your own copy. Real original comment there channeling your inner Morgan Freeman.
Thank you Randall Cobb and Clay Matthews III for all your efforts in Green Bay. You guys both are held in very high regard and will always be remembered fondly for your time in Green Bay as citizens and as Packers. But this is professional football.
Now if I could just cut and paste that speech the German commander gave his men in that episode of Band of Brothers…
I wish i could cut and paste Cobb’s agent’s demands to the Packers that Cobb get paid like a #1 receiver. But then again, for 40 million, he did give us 16 TD’s in 4 years. Two more than Nelson had in his 2016 season.
But this is a glass half full scenario, because Cobbs 16 TD’s for 40 mill. looks pretty damn good against Jimmys 2 TD’s so far for 18 million.
Let’s all put on our favorite Packer jersey and say a prayer.
That’s a great spot for Clay. I could see him having a career resurgence being how comfortable he is in that town and stadium. But today on the Dan Patrick Show they wondered if Clay is a hall of famer. Ive always said I dont think so but I was surprised that Patrick didn’t rule it out. He had signature look, he played 10 ten years with one of the most storied pro franchises in pro sports, hes that franchises all time sack leader, SB champion, hes got two signature big holy shit that was amazing play on his resume, the strip sack of AP and td his rookie year and the tackle that caused the fumble late in the SB win. Should have been defensive player of the year in 2010. I think USA Today actually did name him as the DP of the year. If he has two somewhat big seasons with the Rams I think he could get in, I really do.
He is a long shot, but what an exciting player in his earlier years. The bloodline may actually help him in his ascension to the HOF.
Meanwhile Breeland signed with the Chiefs for $2M. GB couldn’t pony up $2.1? But they spent big on Turner? Confused.
Really? Wow…. the only logical reason would be that Breeland didn’t want to come back, which I don’t see any reason why he wouldn’t. I don’t get this front office. At least they have Tramon locked up at $5mil to be a positions coach.
Breeland’s contract with the Chiefs includes 3 million worth of incentives above the 2 million. No telling how easily attainable those incentives are to achieve? If they are easy to achieve the Packers may have had to spend 5.1 million for Breeland for 1 year.
Breeland did make plays when he was on the field. Is it just me, didn’t Breeland miss a lot of games and plays last year due to injury after the Packers signed him? There is a reason Breeland did not receive a long term contract. Was Breeland’s asking price to high, or are teams concerned about something else long term?
I would take Breeland over T. Williams.
I would take a mannequin over T Willy. The mannequin will only cost $1,000,
I thought Breeland was our best corner when he was out there. 2 million plus incentives is a no risk, no brainer, you’d like to think they tried to re-sign him. And if he didn’t want to stay, that speaks of other things.
We talked about Mathews deal in another article. I said it paid “up to” 16.75 mill. As i figured, it was incentive laden.The Rams have a one year out at 5.5 million. The contract has base salary’s totaling 9.2 million for 2 years. So that leaves about 7 million in incentives, which i’m sure the Rams would happily pay if they were reached. Personally, i would have kept Clay and gave T Willy his walking papers, but that’s just me.
Just a micro small example of the difference’s between losing teams, and winning teams. Winning teams have solid plans and goals, they work as one unit, execute with clear vision. Sign players that make financial sense. Sign players that can help and contribute to their football team. Minimize mistakes, etc.
You don’t become a winning team from Sept – December. You become a winning team from January – August.
Cheese…one possibility that Breeland didn’t want to stay is if he didn’t think he’d be given a fair shot at starting, with King and Alexander filling those slots.
My guess is Breeland is looking to score a decent 3 or 4 year contract, and he isn’t going to get that sitting on the bench whether it’s for injury, or he wasn’t starting. Otherwise he’ll keep signing small one year prove it deals.
Just my .02
Good point PF4L on Breeland’s possibility of starting, or not, and having to sign 1-year prove it deals.
Note that Piffle knows the cost of mannequins. Sounds like he’s invested in a few maybe. But… enough about Piffle’s love life.
LMAO!!! Classic man. Nuthin like Green and Gold mannequins
Lonely Boy…why are you so mean spirited?
Did your Mother not love you enough?
Are you still angry with her she doesn’t know who your Father is?
They are counting on Kevin”onecareerInt”King. They think he is just going to magically stay healthy.
Wow, I never cared to look but you are correct. King, who is basically a first round pick, only has one career interception. Meanwhile, TJ Watt has 20 sacks AND AN INTERCEPTION. TJ Watt has just as many int’s as Kevin King. What a joke… You can’t make this shit up.
A starting corner should have 2 picks each season, minimum. A corner should be able to get 2 picks by accident just on bad throws alone.
Hell, look at Dix, he went to the Pro Bowl simply for playing center field and catching 4 overthrown balls that came right to him.
Now watch(like almost every ex Packers defensive player)Clay Matthews rack up over ten sacks and have his first Pro Bowl in awhile. Packers are stuck with Russ Ballsack and Mark”Lloyd Christmas”Murphy.