Clay Matthews' Last Chance

In February of 2011, Clay Matthews was at the apex of his career. A young, 24-year-old, stud was named to his second straight Pro Bowl and first All-Pro team. He racked up a career best 13.5 sacks, and added 3.5 more in the postseason.

He was the next big thing, and though he has shown spurts of brilliance, his inconsistent, overly aggressive play and problems with injuries has left a perennial super star, and possible Hall-of-Fame candidate, into someone who may finally have punched his ticket out of Green Bay following the 2017 season.

After the Packers won Super Bowl XLV, everyone, especially me, viewed Clay as someone who was just getting warmed up. Hell, he started just 10 games in his fifth year at USC before making an incredible impact in his rookie season. Seeing him finish third for defensive rookie of the year was astonishing, and we knew good things were to come. However we have come to realize that he had actually peaked in terms of his pass rushing ability, the ability that made him a stud.

Had this team been under the leadership of Bill Belichick, Clay would have been out of Dodge last season. He has made little impact the last two years, with last year being atrociously bad. Belichick knows when it's time to cut ties with a player, even a fan favorite, when he lacks production value. Matthews last season, when moved back to his natural position as outside linebacker, racked up a mere five sacks, 24 tackles and a laughable two tackles for a loss. He now has as many double digit sacks seasons as he has without.

Heading into the 2016 season I remember fans being almost giddy about the thought of Clay moving back to the outside so he can rush the passer. But people forgot about his increase in production when he first moved inside. In the first eight games of 2014 he had just two sacks. When they moved him inside, and let him roam the field, the result was nine sacks over the remaining eight games. He even had more sacks in 2015, 6.5, when he played the majority of the snaps at ILB, than he did last season at OLB.

Clay confirmed that rushing the passer puts more added stress on the body than playing in the middle, resulting in his aged body being broken down. It's no coincidence that he played all 16 games in two straight seasons when he lined up inside. One he moved back, he lacked the explosion following his shoulder injury.

Let's face it: Clay is better healthy in his unnatural position than he is hurt in his natural position. And with a player with his price tag? Either produce or be gone.

Teams want their primary pass rusher to be consistent. It's sad to say, but Clay has been anything but. In 2010 when he recorded 13.5 sacks in 15 games, six came in the first two games; meaning he had just 7.5 over the next 13 games. In 2012 he had an impressive 13 sacks in 12 games, but six also came in the first two weeks. He is either the best player on the field or a no show. And that does not warrant a 5-year $65 million dollar contract he signed in 2013, making him then the highest paid linebacker in the league.

Matthews plays with relentless aggression, both his strength and weakness. It allows him to either blow up plays, or run himself out of them. It makes him a liability in the running game. He breaks down too late and tackles too high. All you need to remember is the move Ezekiel Elliot made on him last season in the playoffs.

Green Bay is heading into the 2017 season with a leaky secondary, a pass rush whose best rushers are someone who finally had a break out season five years into his career, and a guy who has just 11.5 sacks over the last two seasons. And add in their fourth round draft pick, Vince Biegel, being out after foot surgery, and the loss of Julius Peppers and Datone Jones (at least he adds some depth), and this defense reeks as much as ever.

The Packers must be realistic and except that Clay is not the Claymaker when he is hurt. He can no longer simply lineup on the line on a consistent basis and rush the passer. There is still much potential in the player that is Clay Matthews, but the team must use him in a way that keeps him healthy, and that is by keeping him primarily in the middle and allow him to rush the quarterback from a variety of position and angles.