Green Bay Packers announced today that Blake Martinez will miss four to six weeks with a sprained MCL. This is the second-straight week where Green Bay lost a middle linebacker. Whether Clay Matthews likes it or not, he will need to be the inside linebacker for this team. Green Bay needs to plug holes with all their injuries, and Matthews needs to play in the middle of defense.

Green Bay’s defense turns around last season when Matthews moved to middle linebacker. Packers saw great success with their leader of the defense in the middle of the field. Now, Matthews made it loud and clear that he didn’t really like playing middle linebacker. That’s not his position of choice, and Matthews still believes he’s best suited as an outside backer. We can debate that until we’re blue in the fact. But right now, Matthews needs to move to the middle to stabilize this defense.

Green Bay cannot start Joe Thomas and Carl Bradford as their middle linebackers next Monday night against Philadelphia. Matthews should move inside and have Datone Jones start oppose Nick Perry on the outside. They can still put Matthews as an edge rusher in certain situations. We shall see what Green Bay does with their linebacker crew to replace Martinez and Ryan.

Charlie.