SLIDE 7 of 10 Defensive Line

First Team

Clay Matthews (EDGE)- Could it be anyone else? Sometimes a lightning rod for criticism, Matthews was Green Bay's defensive player of the decade. Matthews created 73.5 sacks in the 2010s and played wherever the Packers needed him to contribute. His 2010 campaign should have yielded the Defensive Player of the Year award (alas it was incorrectly given to Troy Polamalu). As far as his contribution to the championship, all that needs to be said is "It. Is. Time."

Za'Darius Smith (EDGE)- It seems incredibly presumptuous to put "Z" on the first team after only 14 games with the club, but he's playing at an All-Pro level. You won't find many All-Pro seasons from Packers' edge rushers during this decade. Smith narrowly defeated Nick Perry and Julius Peppers, guys who played at a slightly lower level for a slightly longer period of time.

Kenny Clark (IDL)- With all due respect to BJ Raji (he's coming later), Clark has been everything the Packers drafted Raji to be. A ferocious interior pass-rusher capable of clogging up the middle vs. the run, Clark is worth his nose tackle weight in gold.

Mike Daniels (IDL)- Daniels was an easy selection as well. Often the most productive player on mediocre defenses the freezer-box shaped defensive lineman from Iowa amassed 29 sacks in a seven-year Packers career, all in the 2010s.

Second Team

Nick Perry (EDGE)- Despite Perry's relatively short NFL career, the pass rusher is getting "longevity points" for his spot on this roster. He certainly isn't the level of player that Preston Smith is, but I just can't put both Smiths on the squad over NFP. Perry racked up 32 sacks in the 2010s, including an 11 sack 2016. Perry was ultimately never the complement to Clay Matthews the Packers needed when they spent a 1st round pick on him. That said, he's still a good deal better than the Jayrone Elliots and Erik Waldens of this decade.

Julius Peppers (EDGE)- Peppers is right in that sweet spot of having spent just enough time on the team and produced just enough to make the All-Decade squad. Peppers surprised most folks by playing out the entire three-year contract he signed with the Packers in 2014. He earned a Pro Bowl bid in 2015 with a 10.5 sack season. Again, he has to be ahead of Walden/Elliot/Zombo etc.

BJ Raji (IDL)- Raji was a rare NFL study. The big man was good for a very short period of time and decided to retire before the NFL took too much from his body and mind. Few will forget his dominance in the run to Super Bowl XLV or his pick-six in the NFC Championship game against the Bears.

Ryan Pickett (IDL)- I gave a brief consideration to Cullen Jenkins for this spot. He was so dominant in 2010 collapsing the pocket from the opposite side of Clay Matthews that he almost made the cut, but Pickett gave Green Bay really solid play, specifically against the run for four seasons in this particular decade. Pickett makes the club over Jenkins, Johnny Jolly, Dean Lowry and sneaky-good FA signing Letroy Guion.