I don't agree. That QB rush in the Cleveland game was a play maker. When QB's throw in rhythm, it is difficult to make a play. Same thing when QB's know what defense you are in. They pick the play that works. I think this year with a better secondary, things will be different.

Totally agree with this article, to me, this sounds like sour grapes from an aging veteran, how does Matthews really know what Biegel has after an injury plagued rookie season?? No one does. In 2 games, Gilbert created the most consistent pass rush I have seen from any OLB last season, keep in mind that was against Minnesota and and Detrioit's starters , not pre season heroics. He feels a bit threatened by Gilbert. Clay know ls he needs a big season because his production has just not been there in years, abd he is in a contract year. I am not talking sacks either, pressures, QB hurries are just as important. Unless he just thinks he is head and shoulders better than the backups, which he is not at this stage.

Well Cory, I read article month or 2 earlier when, on APC, author gave film evidence how, actually, Packers pass rush was not that bad people are talking.

It shows how totally terrible Packers secondary did not give less than half of the second to Packers pass rushers (that small portion of the time which cause QB to rethink were to go with the ball!) they were needed to reach opponent QB and made sacks...

While I agree with you that Clay should use supportive narrative when he is talking about young guys on the roster, I believe that batter secondary will give the time to Packers pass rush to reach the QB.

Support fact to my opinion I see in the stat against RB, were Packers pass rushers helped a lot in stopping opponent running game...

Mathews can make plays, and can still be an effective player. Just like Packer Fan above said the Cleveland game was a prime example.
If you follow Ben Fennel on twitter you will see the numerous times Mathews makes an impact on the game and in plays but isn't getting the stats for it. He is taking on 2-3 guys redirecting the ball carrier to someone else. Or he is getting near the QB forcing him to move which sometimes leads to a sack.

Two of the biggest problems with the pass rush of the last few years has been the predictability of the defense followed up by poor CB play. When offenses know what you are doing, its pretty easy to attack. When CB play is substandard, they know what they can run and get the ball out fast.
Both of those 2 problems look like they are fixed. Or at least they look like they are fixed on paper.

I think we will see a much improved pass rush just from better CB play and a DC that will create a lot of different looks.

I thought that Clay Matthews played hard and with grit right down to the last game in 2017. He did what he could on a low talent, poorly organized defense. Watching him pound up against the opponent's LT most of the game was the scheme. Still he played hard and made plays despite the lack of everything.

As for saying the Packers are thin at OLB - he is just being frank. Maybe it is a challenge to Fackrell, Biegel, Gilbert, Odem and even Perry to STEP UP. Rather than hear guys talk in cliches when interviewed, I want to hear a bit of plain truth. Matthews has the credibility to make this statement and he is still our best OLB by far.

It's fine to say he needs to look in the mirror, but there's been a underlying sentiment in the fan base for years wanting CMIII to step up and be a vocal leader for this team. If he'd said what you worded:
“At some time I’m sure (the depth at outside linebacker) will be addressed, ...hold up their end of the bargain.”
I think many people would be saying, "CMIII: candy coating things to be a company man."

I think many people agree with what his statement ultimately says. It's a challenge to his teammates and it's not a milquetoast, "don't ruffle any feathers" one. I hope those players backing him up take it personally...now do something about it. I'm glad he said it.

I think the OLBs in the Packer's organization will owe a debt to the dline guys this season. Wilks, Daniels, and Clark will keep those double teams on the LBs to a minimum. Realize that those three down linemen are all very active and very tough to block one-on-one. The offensive line coaches will have to decide if they want pressure up the middle or make those edge rushers to run further in order to pressure the QB. That answer makes it possible for Perry and Matthews to make some plays this year. Oh, and if the DBs make a big step forward.....even better conditions for getting to the QB.

Mathews is 32 now. Not 24. He's been accused of HGH and questioned by the league. He's been double teamed. The fruits of his labor have been for nothing. He's been the defense. He's going to get tired of getting hurt for what? To be effective it takes more help. Help that never arrived.

I think Clay is still a good player, but I'd like to see a good does of humility from him until he leads a defense that is not a sieve.

I have no problem with Clay"s effort. His injuries are his biggest detriment. I have always thought that solidifying the DL, adding to Clark and Daniels would help free up our OLBs to go more one-on-one instead of being double teamed all the time. Our DBs though have been our real problem. How many times have we seen completions without a DB within 5 yards of the WR, or even on the screen sometimes.

Randall and Rollins were head scratchers from the moment they were drafted. Last year's and this year"s guys are in a different galaxy than those two and I feel the CB position is becoming one of strength. It may take another year yet to get it fully up to speed but it sure can't be as bad as it's been.

This article is an overreaction to what Clay meant. He’s referring to the numbers. He went on to clarify that GB teams of the past had a rotation of 3 or 4 guys. He was referring to the idea that number of guys doesn’t exist in camp with the same level of experience as those groups of LBers.

Thought Matthew's comments however true were inappropriate. He is not playing up to his salary level. Will be interesting to see what happens after the season. Thinking this is his last year with us.

I said this in an article last week, but it was 100 comments in (I had a busy week) and it applies here too, so I'm gonna repost: :D
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OLB is the issue that many around here (including myself) have been shouting about for 2 years.

Let's all agree that UDFA's and Day 3 draft picks are a roughly 1/40 shot to become decent starting players, a roughly 1/80 shot to become red chip difference-making players and a 1/200 shot to become true blue chip all pros. And that this is exaggerated even more in the 2nd most prominent position in the NFL (pass rusher).

And. We. Literally. Almost. Have. Nothing. There. Just like last year, and the year before. Although CB was the downfall of the team the past two years (at least on paper), I think we'd all agree that our pass rush was, um, #$#@$@# poor and at least in part caused those passing numbers. And the fact is, at least the personnel department has TRIED to improve CB. They just messed it up. They've done bupkus at OLB since 2012. Bupkus.

Then let's look at the OLB position as if we weren't diehard fans. What do we all see? We'd be MOCKING that team if they were an opponent. We'd be licking our chops to see ARod just carve that team and it's "improved coverage" up because we KNOW that there won't be a pass rush!

Let's break it down, shall we?

1. An aging superstar who has not lived up to his contract in 4 years at least. He's now a red chip player when healthy and he gets hurt a lot.

2. An always-hurt red chip player who has only once in his career lived up to his potential - conveniently right before he cashed in with a big 2nd contract.

3. A day 3 pick who had both feet operated on last offseason and who is a completely unknown commodity at this point. Even to Packers coaches.

4. An UDFA who is intriguing, but we've seen this movie many times before. It almost always ends in tears.

5. A 3rd round bust who is now 28.

6. A Free Agent pickup who has HWS, but did not produce at all in his opportunities last year.

7. A 7th round HWS prospect who will not make the team this year.

Folks, this is a red light emergency. The pass rush had BETTER come from the scheme, DL, and secondary blitzes, because IF everything goes right at OLB (which hardly ever happens), the position will be merely average next year and I'd bet the mortgage that it will be bottom 5. It's sad, because there is REAL potential at literally every other position on the team.

I don't like it, but that's what I see.

Losing Peppers hurt because he was a better leader on and off the field. Mathews and Perry have never shown much on the leadership end. Being on the field for a full season is one trait, mentoring players, living year round in GB, and so on. Both Perry and Mathews are not going to be in GB next year unless they come back for a lower price.

Sometimes I think that because he came in and won immediately with Rogers he thinks he's the ARod of the D still and that he's an elite talent. Whenever he makes a statement, he has an almost Rogers-like air to him, except that he does not have Rogers game.

I did once view him as potentially our first homegrown defensive star in years, but I just havent seen that hate to lose attitude from him.

Still waiting. At least for the sick of losing phase anger or something.

I have no problem with Clay's play on the field, and I think the article is an overreaction to what he said. To me it's just a case of a very good player saying something stupid that served no purpose.

Cory,

One of your best articles and I thought you were spot on!

Cory correctly reported what Sportrac assigns as percentages of the cap for Perry and CM3 (11.66%). The thing is, Sportrac arranges its information in bizarre ways at times, rendering their information difficult to use.

Sportrac adds up Perry's and CM3's cap hits correctly to a combined $22.11875M, but then bizarrely, IMO, divides that number by $189.705671M instead of the cap limit of $177.2M. The $189M number is the total value of all 89 contracts plus our dead money. This is an irrelevant number since each team has a different amount for total contracts and a different amount of dead money, and when cutdowns happen the $189M number will be $10M to $17M less more than likely. Thus, the % can't be compared with other teams. All Sportrac's positional spending databases have this issue.

CM3 and Perry have a 12.49% combined cap %. If they play all 16 games, it would be 12.58%.

Gilbert and Biegel could really surprise the group this year and I can also see substantial use of 4 man DLs this year under Pettine.

And I can see him moving Clay and even Perry around the front seven depending on the opponent. Pettine does that a lot.

After arriving in GB, Pettine was asked "will you play more 3-4 or 4-3?"

He said "yes".

Pettine met with CM right away I believe. I think he will light a fire under Clay's ass and have him take more of a leadership role. Father time is not on CM's side so the next 2 years are important. It is time.

I only read about 20 comments and found that about 90% wrote how I feel. I figure the author must have got his feelings hurt ny Matthews at some point. This writer needs to have someone teach him to toughen up and not let feelings direct what he writes.

I only read about 20 comments and found that about 90% wrote how I feel. I figure the author must have got his feelings hurt ny Matthews at some point. This writer needs to have someone teach him to toughen up and not let feelings direct what he writes.

The Packers defense is better with Clay on the field , use him on passing downs keep his legs fresh move him around. That is the formula and I think Pettine knows it.

I don't have a problem with what Matthews said because I don't have a problem with truth.

Like most aging stars, Clay went from elite to average to slightly above average. I have no idea if he was double teamed more than anyone else but would have expected more pressures with the D-line they have. I will give Clay credit for being willing to play ILB when the team needed him there. He wasn't happy about it but he played good soldier.

I think it has to be human nature when a guy has as many hamstring pulls as Clay that you're going to dial it back 5 or 10% and that's the difference between elite and average to slightly above average.

I will also reserve judgement to see how he does in the new D scheme. If things are not much different, hopefully all of you in the CMIII fan club can be honest and say its time is time to look in the mirror. I do agree Capers D was stale to some degree but great players can still find ways to be impactful.

Just get off the field on 3rd down. Please. Packers have been terrivle at that, and when you’re at the bottom of league in a such a crucial category, the reasons extend from coaching all the way down the depth chart.

He does not simply need to look in the mirror, he needs to cut that hair. He is still in the mindset that he is a young warrior, even though he lacks the speed and strength of his youthful playing days. What he brings to the field now is experience and maturity, and his appearance ought to reflect that. It sounds silly but I am quite serious. His thinking would alter along with his appearance and he could still be a playmaker.

Clay isn't the player he used to be, but he is still a better player than a lot of outside linebackers will ever be. No, he probably shouldn't be making top dollar anymore, but contracts aren't often written with crystal clear projection and realism. We still need him, so we can't really do anything about it. I don't have a problem with how he is playing right now. Holding back a little at times is what has kept him available when we need him. I hope he has a great year, and we can hold onto him for a couple of more years at a realistic salary point. A savory veteran player who helps other grow while still contributing is what we have been trying to find more of.