We need to stop with the Clay Matthews outside linebacker stupidity. His best 1 and a half seasons in the last 4 were when he was inside, and I no longer care about "hurting his feelings." When he plays inside, he is effective. When he tries to rush the QB from the outside, he quickly becomes a guy standing around watching another 20 yard completion (or grabbing his hamstring).

When you play like he did last year, you no longer get to throw down the diva card. He's becoming dangerously close to being a JAG, and with his cap hit, cutting his rear end isn't as unthinkable as it might have been three years ago.

Because the packers are going to be moving Matthews around he'll put up better numbers as long as he's healthy. The key to this whole defense getting better will be moving Matthews around, Nick Perry staying on the field healthy WITH Matthews, and finding another OLB who can generate pressure and 6 or 8 sacks himself.

Hopefully Frackrell has lived in the weight room this offseason and added some bulk and strength. He could be a huge part of the reason this defense makes a turn around or not and I still think he can be a hell of an OLB. Everybody in the backend gets better with a pass rush. Imagine what a pass rush might do for a Randall or Rollins confidence when they KNOW they won't have to cover for 4, 5, or 6 seconds every time a opposing QB drops back to pass, and confidence is something both those youngsters will need early in 2017.

I'm curious where they are going to play Perry this year. He always played better on the right, but spent a lot of time on the left, because Matthews was on the right. Then, last year, I noticed that Perry was finally being effective on the left. So, will Perry be on the left, with Elliot on the right? Or Perry on the right, with Fackrell on the left? Or what?

As with a lot of areas on D, the Packers are simply not deep enough to withstand missed games by Matthews,Perry or anybody for that matter. With none of the rookies having a big impact, it was what we saw. Here's hoping for health and someone to emerge in a big way this year. Who is anyone's guess.

Matthews for Sherman.

I think he can do better when healthy, also I like moving him around and keep the offense guessing . I think he bounces back this season plus some help on D won't hurt either.

It's hard to figure Matthews out. Is the injury trend a function of playing harder than his body can bear, or is it just a fluke?

Either way, it's really tough to watch the Packers continue to pay so much for so little production. And we as fans need to let go of the 'he's someone DC's have to game plan for'. All they need to do these days is tell the LT to block him and he's pretty much out of the play.

Mathews or anyone else is not going to help, unless this secondary can play like 2010. The secondary was the problem! You don't get playmakers late in the draft. ( It takes development.) The best thing that TT can do, is take the 2 best guys that can start right away. He must hit on his first pick. And it must be defense.

Nobody will trade for a $15 mil a year for a guy who is basically anILB who gets 4-5 sacks and is more conce.rned with his movie "career" than football.

If Clay has another down year he'll more than likely be a cap casualty in 2018. Someone said it on another article, but he's essentially on a series of 1 year deals from here on out. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Let's see what you've got Clay.

I'm thinking that Clay is at the age where a return to Pro Bowl form probably isn't gonna happen. His age and past injuries indicate that he is in decline. He's still a solid starter but no longer the impact player he was a couple years ago.

This is Clay's last season in Green Bay, since there's no cap hit for losing him next year and we just can't trust his health.

Move him around the defense and hope he stays healthy enough for one last good season.

Clay Matthews' last year in GB.

That's both what I think, and what I hope for.

Unless he would be willing to take a big pay reduction for a contract extension, he falls neatly into the category of a player that is getting to that age and already in decline- better to move on without him while he still offers something than keep him around after he doesn't.

Clay Mathews sits atop the most overpaid player in the NFL list the last two seasons. Guy gets paid like he's the best of the best, but at this point, he's a JAG. And then whines when he gets moved to a position where his play is at least worth half of his pay.

I've made my feelings on CM3 well known around here for over 2 years. Dude is not a difference maker. Dude hasn't been a difference maker, really, since 2013 at the latest as a pass rusher. Dude is paid like a difference maker. Dude is always hurt. Dude's best buddies ALL got busted for PEDs and dude himself has always been questioned. Dude gained a LOT of weight and explosiveness as a SENIOR at USC. He was a walk on until his senior year, then all of a sudden a 1st round pick???

I don't think it's a coincidence that his play declined sharply as soon as the NFL started making rumblings about testing for HGH, nor that he's fallen off a cliff since signing his big deal post 2013.

All the evidence points to roids, guys. All of it.

CM3 WAS a great player. On roids. From 2009-2013. He is not any longer any more than a highly overpaid JAG. And if Green Bay had ANYONE who could rush the passer other than Perry, I'd want Clay gone. Now.

Unfortunately, they need his always-injured ass, and his bloated salary until they can replace him. And it's KILLING the defense. He is not a dependable player anymore, and we will not see him "regain" his form that was never naturally his in the first place.

Seams like I read some version of this every offseason for the last 5 or so years. Sadly, it seams like he is one of the more overrated players in the NFL.

I respect Matthews but I don't see him as the edge rusher he once was. I think age has caught up with him and can't expect him to consistently do what he did in the past. He may have some games here or there where looks like that but don't think he can , especially by the end of the year. I think move him inside or as MM said they will move him around which makes sense. Gosh, it would be good to have him back as a blast from the past. Think the pressure is going to have to come from someone else or by committee, i.e. the DL too.

IMO, the issue isn't that Matthews needs to return to form, rather the issue is that someone, CM3 or otherwise needs to get more pressure on QBs and make more plays on the defense. Bottom line is that we need better players on defense. We need to generate more pressure up the middle to get in the QBs face and force him to move. Also we need better ILBs who can be effective against the run and provide coverage in the middle of the field which is always open. CM3's performance may or not improve in 2017 but the reality is that he is not likely to return to his 2010 form (Now 7 seasons ago) or even return to a pro-bowl level. Where we really need improved play is from our DL. Daniels is being marginalized since he now faces the double teams formerly reserved for CM3. Therefore Clark, Lowry, and now Ferguson need to deliver improved play on the DL. That's first. Assuming Perry, CM3 and Fackrell can at least maintain their the level of play from 2016 we then need better play from our ILBs and CBs. Those two position groups were consistently the most exposed during 2016. We need better players and a better level of play from those two position groups and the DL, regardless of how well CM3 plays. Thanks, Since '61

Super Bowl teams (the Patriots) don't pay a JAG 15 whatever million dollars a year. Take a pay cut or cut him.