Why Packers should keep Clay Matthews in 2018.

[BZnDallas]

Interesting. I've seen some mid 20s on him. Guess we'll get more info as the process proceeds. BPA on defense is my choice. There are a couple top positions talents that could be available.

[Tony Oday]

What about Calvin Ridley? they need to figure out what to do at WR -- they have Davante and a bunch of #3/#4 level WRs, and that's not good enough even with Rodgers IMO.

(I ask that even though I agree with most that CB and especially pass rush need help.)

I would not draft a 6'1" WR in the first round, I know dumb to think that, but if you are burning a top pick I want a 6'4" WR that runs a 4.4 40.

CB is the TOP need but I think that is a Free Agent Need, King will be decent (I hope) Randall is a headcase but played OK toward the end and we have Rollins and I am pretty sure a couple of undrafted CBs that will turn into Shields and Tramontana I hope.

I don't know how much a difference the 4-3 is between the 3-4 at OLB but we need a pass rush and I would be ok an actually happy to see us switch but that would mean drafting a stud, pass rushing DE. I just don't know where Clay would play.

[pbmax]

Stolen idea from Fritz:

Bench Randall early each season. By stretch run he’ll be at Pro Bowl level.

[Fosco33]

I didn't say sign a FA. I said Clay is overpaid for his games played and production. I'd ask him to take a cut or a walk. We can use that cap for any number of valued, productive positions.

[Smidgeon]

Even if Clay is overpaid for what he does now, he's still a top 5 player on defense. Hemorrhaging talent (even overpaid talent) will not help the Packers get better. Let him play out his contract (Nelson too) and keep looking for young players to fill the role (if Gute can draft pass rushers like TT drafted WRs, we'll be fine). If the Packers run out of money, that's when you approach Nelson for a cheap extension.

None of these players are deadweight. It isn't like Clay is Menedict Barnold. And even if Nelson is final-year-Donald-Driver or second-stint-Antonio-Freeman, Rodgers benefits from having Nelson on the field, and at this point, that's the deciding factor.

[gbgary]

yup...move him to the middle if they draft an edge at 14. keep him where he's at if they draft a cb...and depending on what they do in free agency.

[texaspackerbacker]

With the way the Zombies (e.g. mindless folks) of planet Earth are feeding the greedy, fat capitalists in the NFL, the cap will only continue to increase significantly with time.

Cap hell? That's so 90's. No such thing in this century.

I'm with you on this, just as I was with you on getting rid of Ted. Don't push it, though, by bringing bad politics into it.

Cap hell is less likely these days, but it still could be reached if things got too extreme. We are far away from that extreme now, however, and we can and should get much closer to the edge - load up and high grade things while we still have Aaron Rodgers at the top of his game.

[mraynrand]

Just wait til the cable packages collapse.

[Pugger]

Even if Clay is overpaid for what he does now, he's still a top 5 player on defense. Hemorrhaging talent (even overpaid talent) will not help the Packers get better. Let him play out his contract (Nelson too) and keep looking for young players to fill the role (if Gute can draft pass rushers like TT drafted WRs, we'll be fine). If the Packers run out of money, that's when you approach Nelson for a cheap extension.

None of these players are deadweight. It isn't like Clay is Menedict Barnold. And even if Nelson is final-year-Donald-Driver or second-stint-Antonio-Freeman, Rodgers benefits from having Nelson on the field, and at this point, that's the deciding factor.

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