Even when someone says things completely bogus, I consider them and look at them as objectively as I can, such as the release Clay Matthews talk. I've often thought of Clay Matthews as a one trick pony, even though he is really good at that one trick.
Clay is scheduled to earn $15.2 million in 2017 and another $11.4 in 2018 which would be his final contract year.
If the Packers release Clay after June 1st, it looks like he'll count $4.1 million against the cap and that would give the Packers $11 extra.
As it stands now, the Packers are $25.2 million under the 2017 salary cap. The Packers will have unrestricted free agents, Julius Peppers, T.J. Lang, Nick Perry, Jared Cook, Datone Jones, Brett Goode, Eddie Lacy, Don Barclay, J.C. Tretter and Micah Hyde to re-sign with that $25.2 million.
None of these guys will break the bank, nor should they.
T.J. Lang - yes
J.C. Tretter -yes
Brett Goode - yes
Eddie Lacy - yes
Micah Hyde - yes
Nick Perry - yes
Jared Cook - yes
Datone Jones - yes
These guys are not worth re-signing.
Julius Peppers - no
Don Barclay - no
The Packers do not get any benefit from releasing Clay Matthews other than money that shouldn't be spent elsewhere. Looking at the pending 2017 free agents, there really isn't any one that is going to help make this team better while losing Clay in the process.