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Head coach Mike McCarthy said Matthews (knee) will be used at both inside and outside linebacker in 2018, Jason Wilde of the Wisconsin State Journal reports. "[Matthews] is at his best when he's creating targeting issues for the offense. When you line a premier player like Clay up in just one spot, you actually make it easier for the offense to identify and get to him with protection calls. It will be important for us to move Clay around, and that will be part of the new defense," McCarthy explained Tuesday.
Green Bay is retooling its defensive scheme this offseason under new defensive coordinator Mike Pettine. Matthews, who's logged double-digit sacks in multiple seasons over the course of his career, is an outside linebacker by trade but has been forced into playing inside linebacker in recent seasons when injuries hit other members of the Packers' linebacking corps. The presence of up-and-coming inside linebackers Blake Martinez -- who tied for the league lead with 144 tackles in 2017 -- and Jake Ryan would suggest Matthews will see most of his playing time come on the edge in 2018 -- especially given Green Bay's lack of depth at outside -- but McCarthy's comments suggest Matthews is ticketed for a more versatile role. This makes Matthews an intriguing IDP prospect ahead of the upcoming campaign, as the pass-rusher could also be a consistent source of tackles depending on how much playing time he actually sees on the inside.
