Green Bay Packers: 2018-19 season Studs and Duds

Dud No. 3 – Outside linebacker Clay Matthews

Since the NFL started tracking sacks in 1982, no Packers has ever collected more than Clay Matthews has with 83.5 in his career. In his 10th year, the wheels have officially fallen off for him as he collected just 3.5 despite playing all 16 games. The team was relying on Matthews to be a consistent presence on the edge for them, but he was far too often taken out of plays too easily. Matthews was a verified game wrecker earlier in his career, but those days are done.

He did a good job of setting the edge against the run this year, but the team needed him to be the elite pass-rusher that he was being paid to be. Heading into free agency, Matthews needed to put up a good year for the team to consider bringing him back, but he was unable to produce. Some will look at the team sack totals from this year and see Matthews finished fourth, but that doesn’t accurately depict how little he actually produced for them.

Outside linebacker might be team’s thinnest position heading into this offseason, and, if it’s not the thinnest, it is very close. Matthews may be brought back next season as a depth piece, but the team can’t afford to bring him back as a starter because he doesn’t have the legs to hold up out there. Matthews will likely be on a team somewhere next season, but, after the performance he put up this year, his contract will be a whole lot cheaper than this years.