Clay Matthews back in Green & Gold ?

[thequick12]

It's possible Matthews could become a cap casualty. If that happens I'd like to see the Packers sign him, relatively cheaply, to replace Fackrell in the olb room.

I think the Smith's, Gary, and Matthews is a championship group. Fackrell wasn't bad in the backup role in 2019. But Matthews is clearly much better suited for the situational pass rusher role. A role he contributed 8 sacks in during the 2019 season. And while Fackrell excelled in coverage Matthews isn't bad in that facet either.

 

[Mondio]

i liked clay, but all things being equal at this point I'd rather have Fackrell back. he adds a flexibility to the defense that clay doesn't and I think both Smiths are better pass rushers anyway and would not want them off the field to give clay a crack.

But Things probably won't be equal. Fackrell is going to get a decent contract most likely for a number of years and Clay is probably looking at 1 year lower investments.

 

[BrokenArrow]

I would only be interested in him at ILB.

 

[Do7]

I think he'd be better than Blake, and only if he still comes back at a friendly price. Btw does anyone know if he missed any games last year? I don't believe he did but I could be mistaken.

 

[mradtke66]

I think he'd be better than Blake, and only if he still comes back at a friendly price. Btw does anyone know if he missed any games last year? I don't believe he did but I could be mistaken.

I thought he missed a few due to something fluke like a broken jaw. I could also be mistaken.

 

[weeds]

The ILB notion is intriguing but unlikely.

Based on that unlikelihood I had to say no but for no reason other than we need a long term solution.

I'd want Clay back for his induction.

 

[thequick12]

i liked clay, but all things being equal at this point I'd rather have Fackrell back. he adds a flexibility to the defense that clay doesn't and I think both Smiths are better pass rushers anyway and would not want them off the field to give clay a crack.

But Things probably won't be equal. Fackrell is going to get a decent contract most likely for a number of years and Clay is probably looking at 1 year lower investments.

No I wouldn't want either of the Smith's off the field either. However when z. Smith slides inside to rush I'd prefer to have Matthews/Gary opposite p. Smith than fackrell/gary. Simply because I still think clay has enough left to make a big play at a key moment, especially in the playoffs.

And the 1 year deal is another reason I'd rather have Matthews.

 

[thequick12]

I would only be interested in him at ILB.

He's not that great of an ilb. We need to get one of those in free agency Corey Littleton, in trade lavontae David, or in the draft Patrick Queen.

But clay could and I'm sure would line up at ilb on some plays or in some packages. I just don't think you'd want him as your starting ilb.

 

[Dantés]

It's not a terrible idea if the price is right, but I think I lean towards drafting someone mid to late to fill that role.

 

[tynimiller]

I believe he'll get more elsewhere than what we'd want to do fiscally. Both Smiths and then Gary make us not have to push a signing here at OLB. Much more pressing spots to spend money on. A veteran run stuffing Clark backup would be much better spent money it would take to sign Clay.

 

[BrokenArrow]

He's not that great of an ilb. We need to get one of those in free agency Corey Littleton, in trade lavontae David, or in the draft Patrick Queen.

But clay could and I'm sure would line up at ilb on some plays or in some packages. I just don't think you'd want him as your starting ilb.

When he was forced to switch to ILB for the second half of the season a few years ago, the entire defense improved significantly. He's fast enough to play sideline to sideline and smart enough to know where he needs to be.

 

[lambeaulambo]

again with the lets get the has beens back...meh....he is an injury liability. He would not be able to last even in the middle. time to move on.

 

[HardRightEdge]

No. Nope. Not gonna happen. Don't want him. Can't use him. Don't want to play him. Don't want to pay him. The sell-by date came last season, there's no going back.

It's pretty simple, really.

He was not a good ILB, by the way.

 

[Calvin]

He was not a good ILB, by the way.

Still would be a major upgrade compared to you know who.

 

[HardRightEdge]

Still would be a major upgrade compared to you know who.

I seriously doubt that.

 

[melvin dangerr]

I think he'd be better than Blake, and only if he still comes back at a friendly price. Btw does anyone know if he missed any games last year? I don't believe he did but I could be mistaken.

Clay missed a month broke his jaw in the Seattle game

 

[melvin dangerr]

I thought he missed a few due to something fluke like a broken jaw. I could also be mistaken.

Your not mistaken

 

[Do7]

Clay missed a month broke his jaw in the Seattle game

I thought he missed some time. Dude can't stay healthy to save his life.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

It's possible Matthews could become a cap casualty. If that happens I'd like to see the Packers sign him, relatively cheaply, to replace Fackrell in the olb room.

Could we please stop advocating to bring former players back that were deemed not good enough anymore???

When he was forced to switch to ILB for the second half of the season a few years ago, the entire defense improved significantly. He's fast enough to play sideline to sideline and smart enough to know where he needs to be.

Matthews was an average inside linebacker at best five years ago and definitely hasn't improved since. The reason the Packers defense improved in the second half of the 2014 season was mainly because they faced a lot of terrible offenses over their last eight games.

Still would be a major upgrade compared to you know who.

No.

 

[I asked LT to delete my acct]

The ILB notion is intriguing but unlikely.

Based on that unlikelihood I had to say no but for no reason other than we need a long term solution.

I'd want Clay back for his induction.

I liked Clay when he was hungry and healthy but he`s gone. A bit like Paul McCartney

 

[Southside]

Clay is pushing 34. His best years are behind him, but his injuries are not.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

While I am not a fan of bringing Clay back, his stats last year are telling. Despite missing 3 games, he had 8 sacks, the most he has had in 1 season since 2014 (11). Was this because Clay improved after leaving GB and became a better OLB? I doubt it, more like he had better players playing in front of and next to him.

Why is this important? A few people have been talking about going after Rams ILB Cory Littleton if he becomes a free agent. Littleton had his best year yet in 2019, but was that because he is one of the top ILB's in the NFL? I really don't know, but before someone pulls the trigger on paying him as one, they better be sure that a good part of his success just wasn't due to the guys around him.

 

[Mondio]

in the run game maybe, but I don't think he'd be any worse than what we've had. But i've seen him in coverage and it's much better than we've had here from that position. I don't think the guys in front influence that much.

I don't know how good of a year clay had, I saw a couple of the sacks he had and honestly none of them looked like anything more than either being completely unblocked or a QB hanging on for a long time. I didn't see the "beat the tackle and get to the QB" type stuff

 

[thequick12]

Could we please stop advocating to bring former players back that were deemed not good enough anymore??

No.

For the record Matthews proved last season he was still good enough. He put up 37 tackles, 9 tfl, 8 sacks, 2 ff, 3 pds, and 11 qb hits in 614 snaps. That's a good contribution for a guy who played only 13 games on a roughly 4.5 m a year contract.

 

[mradtke66]

I wouldn't be opposed to bringing him back, but we need to temper expectations.

1. He is not an ILB. To those who attempt to debate this, I remind you: 2 consecutive games with 0 tackles. No.
2. He's old
3. He's still getting hurt.
4. He potentially stunts Gary's progression by stealing some snaps.
5. Is he willing to play special teams as would be required of a 3/4 OLB?

There's some value there. He'd probably be cheaper than Fackrell. I don't know if it'd all line up.