Packers sign LB Derrick Mathews, reach 90-man limit

GREEN BAY - The Green Bay Packers reached the 90-man roster limit Tuesday by signing inside linebacker Derrick Mathews.

Mathews, who stands 5-11½ and weighs 232 pounds, spent a portion of last season on Washington’s practice squad. He joined Washington as a free agent on Nov. 23 and was released on Jan. 5. He re-signed with Washington on Jan. 14 and was released again May 2.

Mathews played collegiately at Houston, where he finished fifth in school history with 400 career tackles. He posted three straight seasons with 100 or more tackles and entered his senior year as a captain. But Matthews suffered a torn ACL in his left knee on Oct. 11, 2014, to end his college career.

Because of the injury, Mathews was less than 100% during the pre-draft process last year. He did not run the 40-yard dash at his pro day.

Mathews joins a group of inside linebackers that includes Jake Ryan, Blake Martinez, Joe Thomas, Carl Bradford and Beniquez Brown. Sam Barrington and Manoa Pikula, two more inside linebackers, are recovering from injuries.