13.75 mil for 5 sacks and 24 tackles / 1 sack, 3 tackles in the playoffs is a bargain?!?

I'm still holding out hope that 2016's lack of production was his shoulder as you alluded to, but with a history of hamstring injuries and a 15 mil cap hit next year it's becoming increasingly difficult to justify his contract.

Funny thing: upon reading this I agreed and set out to respond by transforming our "imagining" into reality. But, after research I did a complete 180, we were wrong; this is pie in the sky thinking!



"Justifying his contract" and looking at cap number in this instance is a non sequitur. GB is faced with the single reality of what to do with Clay's 2017 money due of 10.975M. Then as a side consideration the 11.4M due in 2018 [This is also his Cap #; Cap=Cashin 2018]. So GB has to decide to pay or not pay 11M in 2017; and if we pay, a separate independent decisions can be made whether to pay 11.4 M or cut with no dead money in 2018. If he's cut, the opportunity for the decision to keep him for 11M in 2018 is gone.

The vocal minority always shouts stuff: like Ted wont improve MD Jennings era safeties, the ILBs, etc., well duh! The REALITY is Ted did the best anyone could. Ted has to deal w/ a Cap and a competing world with 31 other GMs. He cant create REALITY by just typing “all in” or “Yes! Von Miller at ROLB” in a forum and then bitch like a little baby when we lose in Champ game. Ted must be evaluated against REALITY, not a theoretical idealistic alternative factual Kellyanne Conway Spicer NFL.

Another reality is we need 4 solid OLBs and right now we got Clay, Fackrell and Gilbert. I like Gilbert BTW. One thing I do with these late round/UDFA guys that flash is watch their college tape [by watching him on tape of draftable mates or draftable opposing in this case, OLmen] and see if I can see a leap. Gilbert was infinitely better in his preseason snaps than college snaps. Another leap like that and he’ll make the 53.

Facing these realities, if Clay’s cut, our starters are Gilbert and Fackrell and ILBs are back-ups. We NEED to replace him; but we cant replace him for 11M!!!! We can get someone better for 15M [Kerrigan-type] or 20 Million [Houston-type]; or we can pay 12M and get someone worse [Collins-type] or pay 9M and get someone substantially worse [Irvin, Hughes types] or take a $9M gamble on an unproven with upside [McPhee-types].

But if you pay, for example, 15M for a Kerrigan-type, the actual changing of teams will cause him more likely than not to cease being a Kerrigan–type; and you pay 15M for something no better or worse than Clay.

Last year's stats mean nothing accept how they project to 2017; but sacks and tackle stats are almost meaningless. In the 1st half of Atl game with an AC joint, he had 4 pressures [3 on Cousin Matthews; 1 up A gap]; 2 of these pressures led to passes that should have been picked. And he came close several other times. He was doubled once, and chipped about half dozen times. He was assignment sure and stout in holding the edge and made three nice moves crashing inside, one that led to a run stop. He dropped into coverage half dozen times; once blanketing Sanu on single coverage 20 yards downfield. Over 16 games that extrapolates to 32 tackles and 0 sacks; but his 1st half Atl. play was well worth $15M.

Is he playing up to $11M per level? It doesn't matter, he's better than all you get for 9-12M. So by definition he's a bargain at 11M. And if the cap goes up another 18% next year; his 2018-11M will look 18% better that his 2017-11M. 2 years at 11M per is a substantial bargain. And in 2018 we have 100% injury and performance protection, this make his 11M in 2018 a super bargain.

I don't know if I prefer your shots veiled or not? I guess not veiled because you're doing the same thing you shouldn't be doing but are loopholing it. Not respectable.

Clay won't be going anywhere whether he should or not. If AJ Hawk stuck around at his overpay at his dead money. Clay surely will.

Ted got brought up...Of course, it's not old and tired this time because he was painted in a positive light.

This isn't about what will happen, because if that was the case we may as well not have a forum, but what each poster thinks should happen.

If Perry gets big money, I'm not a fan of keeping Matthews. However, I know we paid for Peppers and Clay with good money for Perry thrown in on top last year.

Saw a mock draft on NFL.com that had us taking TJ Watt. If we're to do something like that then I think Clay should go. He is one player I most wonder what they think of him at 1265? He has some douchey qualities that I believe they might be looking for ways to part with him. That's just wild speculation. I won't make something up trying to prove it any more than that.

He's going to be here but it is fun to think of him not and having his cap space kicked into the kitty to be used on overpays on our own. 🙂

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I'd like to see him take one, a pay cut even a slight one could help us retain Perry. I'd also love to see him moved to ILB except for in obvious passing situations. Though he seemed to be more effective rushing from the inside at times than outside the pass couple of seasons.

Packers notes.com's, Michael Rodney advocates cutting Clay:

Use Clay Matthews’ money on a true impact player. The more tape I watch from last season, the more depressed I get. The former Pro Bowl linebacker was awful after separating his shoulder against Philadelphia in week 12, but he was only marginally better in the six games he played prior to getting hurt. The 31-year-old is being paid like a superstar, but he hasn’t played like one in quite some time. The defense would be much better off using Matthews’ hefty base salary ($10.1M) to help sign a legitimate difference maker. I haven’t studied all the available free agents just yet, but Arizona defensive lineman Calais Campbell immediately comes to mind.

-- This from his piece on 5 offseason moves needed to be made. This checked in at #1.

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No one will trade for Clay's contract, so I'd love to see him cut. He's done. At least restructure for half the money.

I fully believe in what Rodney advocates.
I fully believe that we are stuck with Matthews and his outrageous contract as long as Thompson is running the show.

Nobody seems to remember how ineffective Clay was rushing the passer in 2014 before he got moved inside. I don't care how bad you are at ILB you don't move a top level pass rusher off the edge. They knew it 3 years ago.

...but, we have the exact opposite.

EDIT:. We could trade for this guy and waive Clay.

http://www.12up.com/posts/4596786-report-packers-interested-in-trading-for-eagles-defensive-end?a_aid=36476 

--- The supposed interest in us trading for him comes from NJ.com speculation nothing even rumored.

His contract is very palatable and would give us flexibility to let Clay go or not sign Perry, but what would Ted give to make this deal? A fifth, sixth or seventh would be fine with me. Let Perry go and recoup a higher than 5th comp pick next year.

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