Packers: Predicting Week 1 starters at each position

Linebackers: Clay Matthews, Blake Martinez, Nick Perry

The Packers have three talented starters at each linebacker spot, but the depth behind them is a bit concerning.

Clay Matthews and Nick Perry will start on the outside. The two will once again lead the way rushing the passer off the edge. The key for both is to stay healthy. Matthews has missed a combined six games over the past two years. Perry has never played all 16 games in a season, and missed four last year. Matthews has been so unlucky with injuries that he even suffered a broken nose in a charity softball game earlier this summer. Talk about bad luck.

As long as Matthews and Perry are healthy, they will be the starting pair at outside linebacker. The Packers will hope they are supported by young edge rushers like Vince Biegel and Reggie Gilbert.

At inside linebacker is Blake Martinez.

Martinez made a big jump in his second season. No player in the NFL had more tackles than Martinez last year — his total of 144 was tied for the league-lead with Preston Brown of the Buffalo Bills and Joe Schobert of the Cleveland Browns.

I’m excited about Martinez’s potential entering his third season, especially working with Mike Pettine.