-- the pa s rusher -- might be back. Finally.The linebacker, who's spent a significant portion of the past couple years filling a hole at inside linebacker, indicated this week at OTAs that he might be moving back to the outside, which he called his "most natural" and "most impactful" position. As reported by the , head coach Mike McCarthy said the "majority" of Matthews' practice reps so far this summer .And that should make Matthews happy."No, I didn't walk out of there with a smile on my face," Matthews said, according to
Jack Morris Jersey the . "It's always good to put the season in perspective, and understand where you're at and what you're going to work on moving forward. But with those exit interviews, it's always difficult because there's a lot of things you want to get off your chest from the season, and things you feel personally or as a team or even on a coaching level you'd like to see improve."As I've continued to say, I think (outside linebacker) is my most natural position, my most impactful position, and I think we'll see that on a more consistent basis
Willie Horton Jersey this season." agreed with Matthews' a se sment."I think that's his natural position," Peppers said. "He's going to get back there where he can put more pre sure on the quarterback. I think it
James McCann Jersey 's going to help out the team in a lot of different ways." Of course, the key to Matthews' return to the outside will be how the team's young inside linebackers fare. If , a fourth-rounder a year ago, and , a fourth-rounder this year, struggle in a large role, that might force Matthews to abandon the edge. And that's one reason why the Packers' refusal to sign a more reliable solution at inside linebacker this offseason didn't make any sense, as we wrote in our Packers general manager Ted Thompson never likes signing free agents -- a strategy that has worked well in Green Bay -- but grabbing a sure-fire inside linebacker would've been the team's best offseason move, because it would've guaranteed Matthews' return to the outside. Former linebacker , who ended up latching on with the , even indicated after signing that Though Matthews served as a fine inside linebacker, he's lethal as a pa s rusher. Since entering the league in 2009, Matthews has tallied 67.5 sacks. Yet, only 37.1 percent of Matthews' snaps this past season came at outside linebacker.
Michael Fulmer Jersey Through the first five years of his career, he played outside linebacker on 92.7 percent of his snaps. "I've always tried to be a team player," Matthews said. "I think I
Detroit Tigers Jersey kind of exemplified that in making the switch. I don't think many players would do that with the succe s I'd like to think I had on the outside, but I think it really helped this team out."You look statistically where we went as a defense both in rush statistics as well as pa s, but I think at the end of the day they see my most natural and most impactful position as a pa s rusher."Again, he's not wrong. It took two seasons, but the Packers finally seem to agree.
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