Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews spent a lot more time on the inside last season than he, or fans of the team, or likely even the coaching staff, probably expected.
Injuries and ineffectiveness stopping the run forced Matthews to jump from his regular spot terrorizing quarterbacks on the outsideto a more confined, albeit just as vitally important, role on the inside.
At this week's Packers OTA's, Matthews remained on the inside for a majority of the practice session.
While he still sounds like a man intent on making has way back outside, he seems like he's coming around to the notion of spending more time alongside Sam Barrington and Carl Bradford on the interior of Dom Capers' defense.
"I think anytime somebody asks you to make a position change, you're going to be very reluctant about it, especially when you've had success for several years at that position," Matthews said after practice Thursday, per Rob Demovsky of ESPN. "But you've got to get your feet wet and on Sunday night football [on Nov. 9 against the Chicago Bears], I got 'em wet. Moving forward, I kind of built off the success that our defense had as well as myself and we really had a good thing going all the way through the playoffs."
Matthews clearly expressed doubt about the transition during the week prior and just after that Nov. game against the rival Bears, but the positive results for the Packers defensive unit as a whole, solidifying the run defense and aiding them in their effort to reach the postseason, ultimately culminating in an NFC Championship Game berth, seemed to change Matthews' mind.
Matthews' development inside and embracing of his more versatile role also allowed the Packers, rumored pre-draft to be eyeing inside linebackers, to wait until the fourth-round to nab Jake Ryan.
Matthews wound up finishing the 2014 campaign with 61 tackles, one interception, two forced fumbles and 11 sacks - 8.5 of which came after the team altered his role - and reached his fifth Pro Bowl in six NFL seasons.
Still, Packers head coach Mike McCarthy remains adamant that Matthews will see time both inside and outside depending on the package Capers is employing, allowing the team to fully utilize his elite skillset.
"He's a great pass-rusher, and he's going to continue to play as many different positions as we could possibly get out of him," McCarthy said. "We need to utilize Clay as much as we can. He's a great player, and we need to give him as many opportunities as we can to make plays."
