There's an article about how the progress of the young LBs will help determine the role of Clay Matthews. What I really wish, considering Matthews' success at ILB, is that the Packers would try similar cross-training of Jayrone Elliot at ILB, switching also back to OLB. He seems to have a very similar skill set to Matthews. As it is now, what if Matthews got hurt - as he has occasionally in the past? We are sorta screwed at two spots. Having Elliot available to do the same as Matthews would seem like a smart move.

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Elliot is enough bigger and slower that I don't think he is as "equipped" to make that move. Clay IMO is actually better built, and more natural sized to be ILB.

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Elliot is also facing an uphill battle just to make the roster as a UDFA let alone secure actual playing time. Clay is a premier athlete at any LB spot. Elliot just needs to focus on 1 position and get good enough at that just to contribute.

All this hype over inside linebackers and the Packers don't even utilize the position that much. Majority of the Packers defensive snaps have two outside linebackers (or just Clay in the middle) and extra men in the secondary.

The Packers are going the way of sticky secondary to give their front line more time to get a pass rush instead of the pass rush being the dominant force.

Shit bout to get nasty back there yo!!

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I'd like to see Elliot become a force at OLB.
What little I have seen of him tells me he has the tools to do so.
I would rather have him work on that one position than have him moved around.

Elliott vs Hubbard! Can't wait!

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This. It's why we drafted our first 2 picks. That and BPA.

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We will see the return of the 1-5-5 this year

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I'm not against the idea of cross training more guys... heck I've thought about doing it for Neal and Perry as well.

Neal is a former DT, so he should know how to battle with the OL in the trenches and, at least in theory should be pretty dang good at getting off a block and helping make tackles in the run game. While he might be in some trouble as far as pass coverage, there is a reason you have a safety over the top, and IF Neal is good enough at run stopping they could use some sort of nickel package where he plays the close to the line run stopping ILB and a physical DB could play the further away from the line, coverage/speed ILB type of role.

Perry has nice physical traits, but he hasn't been able to put them all together. In 2007 the Steelers drafted two OLBers (Lawrence Timmons and LaMarr Woodley) in the top 2 rounds, trying to boost their pass rush... Woodley was successful at OLB... Timmons like Perry, once in a while flashed potential but struggled at OLB. When a role at ILB opened up, they decided to try Timmons there and he became a lot more successful and has been the started there ever since. I'm not sure if Perry can read gaps, or cover well enough, but he is straight line fast and can be physical. If he doesn't step it up at OLB this training camp, what really do they have to lose by trying him some at ILB and seeing if he can get more potential out at that position.

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1 = Raji (or Daniels)
5 = Matthews, Peppers, Neal, Perry, Barrington
5 = Shields, Hayward, Hyde, Clinton-Dix, Burnett

Honestly I like that grouping (at long as it's not a running down).

Hayward___________________Raji___________________Shields

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