Clay's frustration on OLB roster strength

[XPack]

https://www.forbes.com/sites/robrei...n-with-green-bay-packers-roster/#3dd4b6a86176


Perhaps the most surprising comments came from Matthews, who typically avoids controversy and toes the company line. But when Matthews was asked about Green Bay ignoring the outside linebacker position the first six rounds of the draft, he didn’t hide his frustration.

“Well, I wasn’t surprised with the first two picks. I’ll go ahead and say that,” Matthews said of cornerbacks Jaire Alexander and Josh Jackson. “But obviously, you look at the depth at the outside linebacker position, and it’s not that great. That’s not a slight to the guys who are behind Nick (Perry) and myself, but …”

“You look around the league, a lot of times they’re rotating in pass rushers,” Matthews said. “You can look a couple years ago when we had Mike Neal and Julius (Peppers) here, Datone (Jones) as well. We had a pretty good rotation.

“Sometimes I’m sure it doesn’t work out the way in which (the front office wants), and obviously they only get so many picks and only have so much cap money to spend. At some time I’m sure it will be addressed, but for the time being the guys we have here are the guys who have to hold up their end of the bargain.”

 

[Dantés]

Go get Robert Ayers...

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I guess this is a pretty good indication of what Clay thinks about Biegel and Gilbert.

Not just because of Matthews comment, but as a lot of us have been saying, Gute really needs to do something at the position before the season starts. I agree with CM3, you need fresh good rotational guys and Biegel and Gilbert are both still pretty green.

 

[bigbubbatd]

Clay since you want guys to to rotate in for you more can we pay you a little less?

 

[Mondio]

I am ok with the depth, mostly because I have to be at this point. I "think" Biegel will be ok and Gilbert. Both can be as good or surpass what Neal or Datone offered. Fackerell is just a guy. I wouldn't mind seeing him gone and another added. But there is very little proven depth at that position at all.

But I think pass rush is going to be more of an entire defense contribution and not making OLB the "stars".

 

[AmishMafia]

I am surprised Rodgers feels this way. Of course I assume Rodgers approved those comments before Clay publically stated it.

 

[Dantés]

I don't think Matthews' is saying anything surprising, but personally I wish these guys would keep it in house. I don't think anything good comes of sending a message to your bosses via the media. But overall I'm not really that fired up about it.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I have mixed feelings on hearing Matthews, Rodgers, whoever, saying stuff like this, since most of what they are saying is no secret or new news, so its not earth shattering info. that should really bother anyone. But there is the team unity side and like Dantés said, not a lot of good comes of it and it almost begins to look like a team divided instead of one that is united.

You also have to remember that the media has a way of spinning just about any comment a person makes, so that the article feels more impactful and important. The author uses the word "frustration" in the Title, a word I don't recall seeing in any of Matthews or Rodgers comments, but hey, it grabs peoples attention.

 

[Mike McCarthy]

What the real issue at olb is that we currently have a lot of cap space being eaten up by two guys that can’t stay healthy, I wonder what clays thoughts on that problem would be?

 

[Jerellh528]

If you actually watch the video interview, he doesn’t sound too frustrated at all. He’s simply answring the question and people have been going crazy about it. But when I watched I didn’t even give his comments a second thought, it wasn’t even a focal point of the short interview that players have multiple times a season.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

If you actually watch the video interview, he doesn’t sound too frustrated at all. He’s simply answring the question and people have been going crazy about it. But when I watched I didn’t even give his comments a second thought, it wasn’t even a focal point of the short interview that players have multiple times a season.

Pretty much, but why would the media want to write about content of a standard interview? They need to grab pieces and spin it into a story that will grab peoples attention and want to read it.

 

[Firethorn1001]

If Clay wants to be 100% truthful his response should have been :

"Given that me nor Nick can make it through a entire season without being injured, you think they would have improved the OLB depth."

 

[Sunshinepacker]

What exactly is surprising about this comment? Players, unlike coaches, aren't paid to sound like idiots and praise guys that everyone knows aren't really that good (not saying the backups are bad, just that it's not Clay's job to be a cheerleader). If somebody asked Tramon Williams about corner depth nobody would expect him to be super excited, and corners don't rotate nearly as much as pass rushers.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

What exactly is surprising about this comment? Players, unlike coaches, aren't paid to sound like idiots and praise guys that everyone knows aren't really that good (not saying the backups are bad, just that it's not Clay's job to be a cheerleader). If somebody asked Tramon Williams about corner depth nobody would expect him to be super excited, and corners don't rotate nearly as much as pass rushers.

Sometimes people can't handle the truth As I said yesterday, the media likes to spin quotes to create controversy and that can spin into way more than what was actually said or intended. I imagine by this time tomorrow we will start reading that Clay is disgruntled and wants to be traded to Cleveland.

 

[GreenBaySlacker]

I guess this is a pretty good indication of what Clay thinks about Biegel and Gilbert.

Not just because of Matthews comment, but as a lot of us have been saying, Gute really needs to do something at the position before the season starts. I agree with CM3, you need fresh good rotational guys and Biegel and Gilbert are both still pretty green.

the truth that alot of people can't handle is that is Thompson's and capers old defense scheme Mathews and other people seem to be stuck in....

Now we have defensive line rotation instead. And cb depth instead.
And two olbs making 25 million next year seems to be enough spent on the position imo. To put it bluntly. Mathews will get a lot of snaps this year. If he doesn't rise to the challenge, he will not be asked to come back....imo. that's the stage being set here.
Complaining about not having depth is bad mojo. Complaining about not getting more reps off to rest... not good... And where was Mathews concern when we kept 5 Dlinemen every year? When raji was put on an island and drove into the ground. Mathews had depth back then, and it didn't work good enough... At least raji put in a couple years of hard labor before he started complaining...

This is a perfect example of why mathews isn't worth the money anymore. Where is the winners instinct? He should be excited about the extra reps and responsibility given to him on a contract year. He might not have any depth behind him. But he has 3 all pro caliber Dlinemen in front of him now. With a healthy rotation behind them. He has cb depth behind him. That's what he should be saying. "I'm eager to put the weight on my shoulders, and shine in this new scheme."

Instead of. "These guys suck. And I need more reps off to be effective."

I been in a chitty mood the last couple days, and my patience is short. So I'm sure I just spun this real ugly. Lol but dang it. We havnt made it through a week of OTAs.
He is Prolly just pissed he can't have a convenient hammy pull vacation to help the depth get reps...
Chit. There I go again. lol

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

the truth that alot of people can't handle is that is Thompson's and capers old defense scheme people seem to be stuck in....

Now we have defensive line rotation instead. And cb depth instead.
And two olbs making 25 million next year seems to be enough spent on the position imo. To put it bluntly. Mathews will get a lot of snaps this year. If he doesn't rise to the challenge, he will not be asked to come back....imo. that's the stage being set here.
Complaining about not having depth is bad mojo. Complaining about not getting more reps off to rest... not good... And where was Mathews concern when we kept 5 Dlinemen every year? When raji was put on an island and drove into the ground. Mathews had depth back then, and it didn't work good enough... At least raji put in a couple years of hard labor before he started complaining...

This is a perfect example of why mathews isn't worth the money anymore. Where is the winners instinct? He should be excited about the extra reps and responsibility given to him on a contract year. He might not have any depth behind him. But he has 3 all pro caliber Dlinemen in front of him now. With a healthy rotation behind them. He has cb depth behind him. That's what he should be saying. "I'm eager to put the weight on my shoulders, and shine in this new scheme."

Instead of. "These guys suck. And I need more reps off to be effective."

I been in a chitty mood the last couple days, and my patience is short. So I'm sure I just spun this real ugly. Lol but dang it. We havnt made it through a week of OTAs.
He is Prolly just pissed he can't have a convenient hammy pull vacation to help the depth get reps...
Chit. There I go again. lol

While I hear what you are saying and agree to some extent, it is no secret that the position is better served with quality guys rotating in and maybe more importantly, neither Perry or Matthews are 2 guys I have a lot of confidence in as being iron horses that won't miss games due to injuries.

Also, I know everyone would like to say that the CB position is suddenly "deep", but subtracting Randall, adding Williams and 2 rookies isn't a guarantee that the position is fixed IMO.

 

[Sunshinepacker]

the truth that alot of people can't handle is that is Thompson's and capers old defense scheme Mathews and other people seem to be stuck in....

Now we have defensive line rotation instead. And cb depth instead.
And two olbs making 25 million next year seems to be enough spent on the position imo. To put it bluntly. Mathews will get a lot of snaps this year. If he doesn't rise to the challenge, he will not be asked to come back....imo. that's the stage being set here.
Complaining about not having depth is bad mojo. Complaining about not getting more reps off to rest... not good... And where was Mathews concern when we kept 5 Dlinemen every year? When raji was put on an island and drove into the ground. Mathews had depth back then, and it didn't work good enough... At least raji put in a couple years of hard labor before he started complaining...

This is a perfect example of why mathews isn't worth the money anymore. Where is the winners instinct? He should be excited about the extra reps and responsibility given to him on a contract year. He might not have any depth behind him. But he has 3 all pro caliber Dlinemen in front of him now. With a healthy rotation behind them. He has cb depth behind him. That's what he should be saying. "I'm eager to put the weight on my shoulders, and shine in this new scheme."

Instead of. "These guys suck. And I need more reps off to be effective."

I been in a chitty mood the last couple days, and my patience is short. So I'm sure I just spun this real ugly. Lol but dang it. We havnt made it through a week of OTAs.
He is Prolly just pissed he can't have a convenient hammy pull vacation to help the depth get reps...
Chit. There I go again. lol

Capers scheme seemed to do well for Matthews and Perry when they were healthy. Players are what the defense is lacking and have been lacking for years. Appears as though the front office is facing that reality with the continual high picks at corner and signing a free agent dlineman. Capers needed to go if only for a change. But let's not pretend like the DC was the reason that Pipkins, Rollins, Hawkins, and Randall (all of those guys played significantly at corner last year) were not a decent pass defense; especially when safeties included Brice and Evans to try and cover up.

 

[Dantés]

Capers scheme seemed to do well for Matthews and Perry when they were healthy. Players are what the defense is lacking and have been lacking for years. Appears as though the front office is facing that reality with the continual high picks at corner and signing a free agent dlineman. Capers needed to go if only for a change. But let's not pretend like the DC was the reason that Pipkins, Rollins, Hawkins, and Randall (all of those guys played significantly at corner last year) were not a decent pass defense; especially when safeties included Brice and Evans to try and cover up.

Those guys were playing due to a terrible rash of injuries. Capers was the reason why guys like Casey Hayward and Micah Hyde looked replaceable in Green Bay and blossomed into great players as soon as they left.

 

[Mike McCarthy]

While I hear what you are saying and agree to some extent, it is no secret that the position is better served with quality guys rotating in and maybe more importantly, neither Perry or Matthews are 2 guys I have a lot of confidence in as being iron horses that won't miss games due to injuries.

Also, I know everyone would like to say that the CB position is suddenly "deep", but subtracting Randall, adding Williams and 2 rookies isn't a guarantee that the position is fixed IMO.

What position isn’t better with quality depth?

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

What position isn’t better with quality depth?

Every position is better with quality depth, that wasn't my point. My point was that currently the OLB position lacks quality depth and that becomes very important when you consider the injury history of the 2 starters, Perry and Matthews.

 

[Jerellh528]

You’d be super hard pressed to find a team without at least one or two flaws/ weak spots on paper. The salary cap makes sure of that. I think we always kinda want to see every position stacked with valuable rotation guys, but that’s hard to do and even harder to keep. I would be surprised if they didn’t add a player or two before the start of the season though, maybe when teams start trimming their roster.

 

[XPack]

What the real issue at olb is that we currently have a lot of cap space being eaten up by two guys that can’t stay healthy, I wonder what clays thoughts on that problem would be?

Rotation. Read OP.

 

[Mondio]

This roster is not set

 

[Sunshinepacker]

Those guys were playing due to a terrible rash of injuries. Capers was the reason why guys like Casey Hayward and Micah Hyde looked replaceable in Green Bay and blossomed into great players as soon as they left.

Capers is the reason that Casey should have won Defensive Rookie of the Year, injuries are what hurt him here. And, as for Hyde, I always see these comments but I never heard anyone saying the Packers should sit HaHa or Burnett while he was here, because that's what starting him would have meant. It's real easy to criticize in hindsight and also not worry about the actual reality of starting THREE safeties in a defense.

And, as for Hayward, that's ALL Thompson. Many (including myself) were very critical that TT let a corner as good as Hayward go for $5m per year.

 

[El Guapo]

I guess this is a pretty good indication of what Clay thinks about Biegel and Gilbert.

You're probably right, but there is a nuance here. It probably indicates what Clay thinks about their progress. If Biegel takes a major step forward like Martinez did last year, some of these issues will go away. Those guys do need to hold up there end. I also agree that Clay should take a pay cut but that's just not going to happen this season.