The Packers have reached a 4-year agreement with OLB Preston Smith that includes $16 million guaranteed at signing (full value: $52 million), according to ESPN's Josina Anderson. That gives Green Bay a pair of expensive new edge defenders, after the team also reached a deal with Za'Darius Smith. Green Bay will also release OLB Nick Perry, and Clay Matthews would seem to be done as well -- given the signings. (He's an unrestricted free agent.) The new guys should help revamp a pass rush that needed upgrades, but neither Smith has exceeded 8.5 sacks in a season to date. Neither looks like a forthcoming IDP stud, but each has matchup-starter potential for fantasy football purposes.

Packers OLB Clay Matthews (groin) is active for today's game against the Buccaneers. He's a low-level IDP option anyway but is available if he makes sense in your deep league.

Packers OLB Clay Matthews has made his way off the team's injury report for Week 16. That's a bit surprising, as Matthews had previously said he expected his injured shoulder to stay short of 100% for the rest of the year. We'd bet it's still not back to full strength, which makes an already risky IDP option not worth using at this stage of the season. Matthews' presence -- as long as he's close to healthy -- at least enhances the upside of the Packers team D vs. a weak Minnesota offense.

Packers OLB Clay Matthews said Thursday that he might need surgery on the shoulder he injured against the Eagles back in November, according to ESPN's Rob Demovsky. Matthews will continue to play through it but expects it to limit him the rest of the year. "I anticipate continuing to come in on the pass-rushing downs and hopefully spelling some of the guys a little bit more," he said. "But as I’ve said in weeks prior, I did a number to it, there’s some damage in there. It’ll continue to get stronger and better, but unfortunately until the offseason, it’s not getting 100 percent healthy. I’ll continue, I think, to progress health-wise, strength, range of motion, everything, and hopefully that correlates to more playing time.” Already a boom/bust IDP with more bust potential than boom, Matthews doesn't make for a good fantasy option in any format over the next few weeks.

Packers ILB Blake Martinez (knee) is out once again for today's game against Seattle. CB Ladarius Gunter (illness), OLB Clay Matthews (shoulder) and CB Damarious Randall (groin) are all active, however.

Packers ILB Blake Martinez (knee) is inactive for today's game against the Texans. OLB Clay Matthews (shoulder) and ILB Jake Ryan (ankle) are active and ready for normal IDP usage.

Packers ILBs Blake Martinez (knee) and Jake Ryan (ankle) and OLB Clay Matthews (shoulder) are questionable for Sunday's game against the Texans. Martinez and Ryan put in limited workouts all week and appear on track to return after missing multiple games. Matthews played through his injury last Monday night at Philly and returned to limited practices Thursday and Friday after sitting out Wednesday. We'd guess he'll play as well. But we'll update the status for all 3 Sunday.

Packers LB Clay Matthews left in the 1st quarter of Monday night's game against the Eagles with a left shoulder injury. Matthews missed just a few plays initially but was clearly inhibited after returning and went to the locker room soon thereafter. His return is questionable.

Update: Matthews did return in the 2nd quarter.

Packers OLB Clay Matthews (hamstring) is active for Sunday night's game against Washington. He missed the past 3 games with the injury but is in play if you've been waiting for him for your IDP lineup.

Packers OLB Clay Matthews (hamstring) is questionable for Sunday's game at Washington. He put in limited practices all week, though, and told the team website that he'll be ready to play. We'll confirm his status before the Sunday night kickoff, but IDP owners should expect to have Matthews available.

The Packers have ruled OLB Clay Matthews out for Sunday's game at Tennessee. He missed practice all week with the hamstring injury that kept him out of the Week 9 loss to the Colts. The defense will also miss CB Damarious Randall (groin), who has been ruled out despite returning to limited practices Thursday and Friday.

Packers OLB Clay Matthews (hamstring) is officially questionable for Sunday's game against the Colts but says he'll play. “We’ll be smart about it this Sunday,” Matthews said Thursday, according to ESPN Wisconsin. “But at the same time, I’ll be out there.” That suggests Matthews might not play his usual full snap allotment, but the Indy matchup presents obvious sack upside. Getting Matthews back for any portion of the game adds upside to the team D. Packers CB Quentin Rollins (groin) is also questionable for the game after missing the past 3 weeks.

Packers OLB Clay Matthews (hamstring) is inactive for today's game in Atlanta. Green Bay's team D shouldn't be an option for you anyway, though, against 1 of the league's top offenses this season.

Packers OLB Clay Matthews (hamstring) is questionable for Sunday's game in Atlanta after putting in limited workouts the past 2 days. He's a boom/bust IDP prospect and will carry additional risk even if active. Green Bay will at least be without CBs Damarious Randall and Quinten Rollins again, leaving the defense down its top 3 corners.

The Packers have ruled OLB Clay Matthews (ankle, hamstring) and S Morgan Burnett (groin) out for Sunday's game against the Lions. That certainly hurts the team D, though it doesn't eliminate the unit's DFS upside as a heavy home favorite against an offense that scored only 15 points vs. Tennessee in Week 2.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "(Packers coach Mike) McCarthy is hell bent on moving Clay Matthews back to an outside linebacker position." That's after Matthews spent 2015 starting inside and moving out in passing situations. Matthews said before the season that he wasn't comfortable inside, and he certainly didn't seem to help Green Bay's D. Matthews also contributed just 6.5 sacks, the 2nd-lowest total of his career. Look for more sacks in 2016 and fewer tackles than the mere 66 that marked a career-high last season. We'll see if Jake Ryan and Sam Barrington stick as the new starting duo inside, which they likely would be if the season started tomorrow.

The Packers have deemed LB Clay Matthews probable for Sunday's game against the Panthers despite an ankle injury that knocked him out of last Sunday's game and limited him in practice this week. Use him as you normally would in your IDP league.

Packers LB Clay Matthews left Sunday night's loss to Denver early after a teammate rolled into his left ankle. He did not return. We'll see this week how significant the issue is and whether Matthews will be ready for the Week 9 trip to Carolina.

The Packers made a prominent defensive change Sunday night, moving LB Clay Matthews from his usual outside spot to the middle. The move seemed to boost a saggy run defense significantly, though it's not yet clear whether shift will become permanent. "It's a little premature to say that I've switched to middle linebacker," Matthews told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel after the game. "I think we've shown throughout the years and this season as well, we've got versatility and especially with the addition of (Julius) Peppers and (Nick) Perry getting healthy and Mike Neal continuing to play well, you want to get your playmakers on the field as much as possible." Those 3 names are why you should assume Matthews will play inside a lot more the rest of the way. Green Bay has options on the edges, while ILB has arguably been the defense's weakest position. The move also gives Matthews' IDP profile a big boost by setting him up for a lot more tackles. Go after the star defender on waivers this week if he's available in your league and you're seeking LB help.