The Los Angeles Rams entered the offseason needing to bolster their outside pass rush. Samson Ebukam fell short of expectations in 2018 and Dante Fowler Jr. was set to become a free agent. They locked up Fowler before he hit the open market, but they also added a proven veteran in Clay Matthews.
The all-time leader in sacks for the Packers will play multiple positions for the Rams, switching between inside and outside linebacker. His pass-rushing skills have fallen off in recent years, but he’s confident he can still be an impact player.
One area of his game that gets somewhat overlooked is his coverage ability. He was asked to drop into coverage plenty in Green Bay, and it’s easy to see why. He’s adept at retreating and covering ground in the middle, using his athleticism to make throws difficult for quarterbacks.
Pro Football Focus shared some stats about Matthews’ coverage skills over the past decade, showing how capable he is when dropping back.
In his 10 years in the NFL, Matthews has dropped into coverage 911 times after he lined up as an edge defender, which is fifth-most among all edge defenders in that span. He’s performed well on those snaps too, earning the ninth-best coverage grade (84.6) among those with 100 or more coverage snaps. Among the players who were targeted at least 50 times within those 10 years, Matthews’ allowed catch rate of 73.3% ranks seventh, while his 82.4 passer rating allowed ranks sixth.
In Wade Phillips’ scheme, like all 3-4 defenses, outside linebackers are asked to drop into coverage every so often. Fowler didn’t do much of it last season as he was primarily a pass rusher, leaving the responsibility for Ebukam and others to handle.
Assuming Fowler is coming off the edge as a pass rusher on most snaps, Matthews should see plenty of opportunities to cover tight ends and buzz into the flat. He’ll also contribute at inside linebacker where he’ll have to cover the middle of the field, too, so that experience will come in handy for the Rams.
