GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Say this much about Clay Matthews when he was an inside linebacker: He never got hurt.

Returning to outside linebacker full time for the first time since midway through the 2014 season, Matthews found himself back on the Green Bay Packers' inactive list. He missed the Week 3 game against the Detroit Lions and perhaps only last week’s bye saved him from missing a second game. He expects to play Sunday night against the New York Giants at Lambeau Field.

Matthews already was feeling the effects of a left ankle injury when his hamstring tightened and he pulled himself out of the Week 2 game against the Minnesota Vikings. It’s the same injury that dogged Matthews earlier in his career; he missed time in his rookie training camp (2009) and games in the 2010 and 2012 seasons because of hamstring injuries.

Before the Lions game, Matthews had not missed a start since 2013, when he twice broke his thumb and missed a total of six games, including playoffs. He did not dispute the notion that outside linebacker is more taxing on his body.

“Every play is a full-speed, ballistic get off, so yeah, it can wear on you,” Matthews said Thursday. “Especially with the success we’ve had in the run game, teams are going to pass it 40, 50 times a game. But each position is taxing in its own right; especially at that elephant outside linebacker position, every snap is a one-on-one battle.”

Matthews, 30, returned this season to outside linebacker, which he called his “most natural, impactful position.” He had a sack in each of the first two games this season after recording just 6.5 sacks last year. He was listed as a limited participant in practice this week because of both the ankle and hamstring injuries. It’s the hamstring injury that’s most concerning at this point.

“One’s a pain tolerance deal and the other one is the one that would keep you out,” Matthews said.

“It’s a difficult one because mentally you need to be completely on board. That’s the tricky thing about muscle strains, but I feel good with the work I put in, and I’m ready for this game.”

In fact, so are three other defensive contributors who missed the pre-bye game. Safety Morgan Burnett (groin), defensive tackle Letroy Guion (knee) and defensive end/outside linebacker Datone Jones (knee) all are on course to play against the Giants.

“So far everybody looks good and the bye week was helpful,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said of his team's injury situation.

Only cornerback Sam Shields (already ruled out for a third straight game because of a concussion) and tight end Jared Cook (who remains on crutches because of a sprained right ankle) are not expected to be available against the Giants.