Clay Matthews

There will be a strong reliance from the New England Patriots to continue to have the defense set the tone. The offense having to rely on an unproven quarterback as opposed to a Super Bowl winning one will only amplify that need.

Earlier in the offseason, the Patriots experienced a few key departures with its linebacker corps, in particular, taking a bit of a hit. Both Kyle Van Noy and Jamie Collins elected to depart in free agency, leaving significant voids left to be filled.

The expectation is that Ja’Whaun Bentley will be able to step up and play a significant role with Van Noy and Collins no longer with the organization. He appears primed to do so, but it wouldn’t hurt to add a veteran contributor like Clay Matthews to be a rotational pass rusher either.

While Matthews has played more at outside linebacker, he is capable of playing in multiple spots. He’d be able to provide veteran leadership for Bentley at the very least while also making an impact as a helpful role player.