Clay Matthews to switch to smaller protective thumb brace

Clay Matthews will be wearing a smaller, less restrictive thumb brace when the Green Bay Packers take on the New York Giants this weekend.

The linebacker wore a near full-arm cast during last Sunday's loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, to aid protection to his broken thumb.

Sunday will mark six weeks since he sustained the injury, and coach Mike McCarthy has revealed the thumb has almost fully healed.

He told NFL.com: "Based on the doctor's report, he's more able now. I don't know what the official term is. I think this is a normal path for a broken thumb. The pain starts to decrease each week."

The Packers currently sit in third in the NFC North, but still maintain hopes of a playoff place.