Best case scenario-who's our starting 5 offensive linemen in 2013?

we won't know until about six games in when McCarthy and Campen stop playing musical chairs. Every year it is the same thing, put one player here, there, and everywhere until they put them back where they should have been to begin with.

Frederick isn't the athlete that Konz was and he was a lot more inconsistent than some of the Badgers OL that have been drafted recently. He's still a good prospect, but he never really became a dominant lineman like some had projected him to be after his first year or two with the team. Not sure if that had more to do with Bob Bostad leaving UW or not.

I wonder how much of that has to do with position switching. I can't remember if Konz jumped around the line, but if Frederick can stay in one place, he could be successful.

And he'd be a huge upgrade over Saturday.

LT - Bulaga
LG - Lang
C - FA pickup or draft pick. Need a mauler here flatout
RG - Josh Sitton
RT - Don Barclay

Newhouse, EDS or draft pick, Sherrod for the bench

Should the Packers replace their losses with shiny free agents or shiny Badgers?

(It's to bad the OL circa 2003 can't be cloned.)

I've seen nothing that indicates EDS won't be the starting center next year. Like Hawk, the coaches appear to like him more than most fans do.

http://www.packersnews.com/app...ef=PH&nclick_check=1

Pic #9 of Travis Frederick - great look! like he just got done splitting wood.

what does not being under contract indicate to you?

I still don't think Ted walks in with a rookie center. Just doesn't seem like something he would do.

Keep an eye on Brian Schwenke from Cal. He's probably the #3 Center in the draft behind Jones and Frederick and is a bit Tauscher-esque in that he looks a bit...odd but he's strong and gets good leverage. He'll probably be there in the late third and maybe in the 4th.

Week 1 Starting OL:

LT - Bulaga
LG - Lang
C - EDC
RG - Sitton
RT - Barclay

quote:

Originally posted by El-Ka-Bong:
what does not being under contract indicate to you?

I still don't think Ted walks in with a rookie center. Just doesn't seem like something he would do.

EDS (if re-signed) would be the fallback, and could open the season as the starter until a rook is ready.

Or if EDS goes, then move Lang to C and plug a rook in @ G. They can flip back later if warranted.

I am still not convinced that moving Bulaga to LT is the way to go, but if that does happen I hope he proves my reservations unfounded.

quote:

Originally posted by Floridarob:
we won't know until about six games in when McCarthy and Campen stop playing musical chairs. Every year it is the same thing, put one player here, there, and everywhere until they put them back where they should have been to begin with.

Injuries have played no part in that at all.

If they draft a C early, he's going to be the starter. No way they put that much into the pick and not plug him in immediately.

I like Cooper and Barrett better.

LT - TBD
LG - Lang
C - TBD
RG - Sitton
RT - Barclay

I think Barclay did better than expected last year and gained a lot of smarts along the way. I like the touch of nasty he brings. I can live with EDS at center, but like him better as a backup. LT is a crapshoot; Newhouse doesn't have the great physical tools one wants in an LT, and neither does Bulaga. Bulaga may bring more physicality than Newhouse, but I wonder if he can stick with speedy edge rushers. (Remember the Seattle game? If he had been on the left side, Rodgers would have ended the year in that first game.)

Barclay is a lock but Bulaga isn't?!

LT: Bulaga
LG: Barclay
C: Lang
RG: Sitton
RT: Sherrod

Depth: EDS inside (put him at Center and shift Lang to G if guards get injured); Newhouse outside

Obviously Sherrod's health is key...if he can play RT, that allows Barclay to move to guard, where I think he'd shine. If he can't play RT, the you have to move Barclay back out to RT or use Newhouse at one of the tackle positions.

They've talked about moving Lang to Center, but i'm not sure why they haven't pulled the trigger yet. Seems like that would really maximize the oline.

Sherrod LT
Lang LG
TBD Center
Sitton RG
Bulaga RT

Newhouse is the swing OT and Barclay will battle Van Roten and draft picks to be the utility guy. Barclay's future is in the interior imo

Bulaga stays on the right side and has an excellent season

Nailed it as usual Satori

quote:

Sherrod LT

I hope and pray that you're correct. Sherrod's health worries the heck out of me. that and I'd like to hear that Bishop is free and clear healthwise any time now.

Like Quarless, I'm not pinning any hopes of the future on Sherrod. If either of them can come back at a high level, great.. but to plan the future around them as some suggest is sketchy at best.

quote:

Originally posted by Henry:

quote:

Originally posted by Floridarob:
we won't know until about six games in when McCarthy and Campen stop playing musical chairs. Every year it is the same thing, put one player here, there, and everywhere until they put them back where they should have been to begin with.

Injuries have played no part in that at all.

If they draft a C early, he's going to be the starter. No way they put that much into the pick and not plug him in immediately.

I like Cooper and Barrett better.

+1

But Cooper isn't going to be there when the Packers select. Frederick might be a choice if they trade down and pick up more picks.

Barrett Jones might be there...he's a very good pass protector, and can play both OG or C position.

Sherrod is coming off a catastrophic injury and has yet to demonstrate he can even play at the NFL level. I continue to find penciling him in as a starter puzzling.

quote:

Originally posted by michiganjoe:
Sherrod is coming off a catastrophic injury and has yet to demonstrate he can even play at the NFL level. I continue to find penciling him in as a starter puzzling.

See Mike Neal minus "catastrophic" and insert "a series of."

quote:

Originally posted by michiganjoe:
Sherrod is coming off a catastrophic injury and has yet to demonstrate he can even play at the NFL level. I continue to find penciling him in as a starter puzzling.

It's due to his draft position. I'm with the level headed people. Time will tell....

quote:

Originally posted by Pakrz:
.. but to plan the future around them as some suggest is sketchy at best.

The Packers surely have more medical info than us and their actions in FA and the draft will illuminate how they feel about Sherrod in 2013. Bones heal better / faster than ligaments/tendons so that's where my optimism comes from.

Planning a future around any player is unfortunately sketchy- did you foresee Bishop or Perry out for the year ? What about counting on Bulaga in 2012- was that sketchy too ? We're overdue for a low-injury year, here's hoping 2013 is a healthy one in Titletown

And for those chronic doubters on X4- it takes just as much energy either way, you decide how you want to live your lives.

MM has said he will not start a rookie center. If that is the case the Packers will not draft a center in the first round to sit on the bench.

If I were to assume that we don't sign any OL to become immediate starters (with the possible exception at C), the only switch I'd want to see is at both T positions.
Newhouse, bless his heart, has tried, but he's NOT the answer at LT. I'd like to see Bulaga there, and it could wind as simple as he and Newhouse switching sides.
I'd have no problem with Barclay starting at RT; I love his lack of fear and attitude, and would hope that last year has prepared him for the upcoming season.
Like many others, I'd like to see what Sherrod can do, but if he's not ready by the time TC opens, tough decisions will have to be made.

quote:

Originally posted by Tdog:
http://www.packersnews.com/app...ef=PH&nclick_check=1

From Tdog's link, why is Ball running in long johns? Is it still that cold in WI?

saw a bit of an Oklahoma Thunder NBA game this weekend and Kevin Durant and others were wearing the same thing for basketball. My son likes Kevin Durant and I made the same comment - why's Kevin wearing long johns? Son didn't think it was funny.

"Look, I need a veteran Center and Free Agency has been going for a couple of days already. Quit bein' a cheapskate and get crackin', bitch!"

"But ignore that James Campen is still employed".

TJ Lang‏@TJLang70
@TJLang70 Like this? "Why don't the Lions have a website? ... Because they can't string 3 W's together.

That's my center.

LT-Sherrod
LG-Barclay
C-Lang
RG-Sitton
RT-Bulaga

Draft a mauler in Rd 1. Newhouse, EDS, Datko, VR, and the other draftees and UFDA's fight it out for the other 3 roster spots.

Holy crap! Lang tweeted that!?!?! He's trying to one-up Tom Crabtree.

quote:

Originally posted by Sep:
Week 1 Starting OL:

LT - Bulaga
LG - Lang
C - EDC
RG - Sitton
RT - Barclay

This.

EDC comes back, even if we find a future center, he doesn't get the day 1 start.

I wouldn't be surprised if TT does draft another LT, but if he does, it will be late. Who knows maybe Datko shows a bit, but I doubt it.

I still think that Sherrod's injury is way more limiting than anybody thought, I don't think we see him start a game this year. I would LOVE to be wrong by the way...

Only change I may make is Newhouse over Barclay at RT and maybe Barclay moves inside. Despite my reservations, I think it may be a year where the line is settled early.

Time will tell of course.

quote:

Originally posted by Boris:
Holy crap! Lang tweeted that!?!?! He's trying to one-up Tom Crabtree.

He was just warming up...

TJ Lang‏@TJLang70
So do the lions get hats and t shirts for winning the off season NFC north title?

TJ Lang‏@TJLang70
Tonight is a first for me.. Getting people riled up with PG rated tweets.

I dig that from a Packer OL.

Lang also tweeted a picture of his SB ring to one of the Lions fans who challenged him

It's time to get Bulaga in at LT. It's what he was drafted for, and I refuse to believe he can't provide a significant upgrade over Marshall Newhouse. Newhouse is a good player, but he's way too passive to take on the elite pass rushers week after week or consistently beat his man into the dirt in those must run situations. The guard spots are set, and they should be able to find a guy who can play RT amongst Sherrod/Newhouse/Datko/Barclay after having them fight it out in camp. Who knows what'll happen at center though. All that we know now is that they have a guy in there who's better than Jeff Saturday was in 2012, but that's not saying much. Maybe Dietrich-Smith is the answer, maybe not.

LT - Bulaga
LG - Lang
C - Travis Frederick or Barrett Jones
RG - Josh Sitton
RT - Don Barclay

Newhouse, EDS, Van Roten, or draft pick as the back-ups

The idea of Barclay/Buluga is starting to click some. Barclay has room to grow but he's played the position well. Newhouse, at minimum, is great depth for both positions.

It would be nice to see Newhouse and Barclay take it to another level.

From McGinn year -end review:

Don Barclay:
Played right tackle in the final 6½ games after not playing a snap before that. Counted four sacks among his 19 pressures. Probably most effective in the run game and finished with just four "bad" runs. Never once became unglued to the point of having to be replaced. Wildly exceeded all expectations as a rookie free agent from West Virginia. Nothing seemed to faze him. Played guard throughout training camp, beating out Greg Van Roten and Reggie Wells for last roster berth mainly because he kept trying to finish blocks and never hung his head. Not explosive, tall or large, but just kind of knows how to play. Should compete for starting job in 2013. Grade: C.

From ProFootball Focus:

"Undrafted offensive tackle Don Barclay got the nod for four starts at right tackle and graded at -6.0 as a pass blocker surrendering 20 pressures on his 197 pass block attempts."

from packers.com

http://www.packers.com/team/ro...30-8c13-0c5e9810e5cc


If you project this over a season, Barclay would have 40+ pressures, same as Marshall Newhouse. Surely he will improve, but I'd push back on penciling him in at RT

Let's do some math.

Is the delta between Bulaga and Newhouse at LT more or less than the delta between Bulaga and Barlcay at RT and is that really going to make a difference ?

My guess is that you'd improve the LT a medium amount, while hurting the RT a larger amount

Bulaga may be an average NFL LT his first season there, while he should be an exceptional RT in his 3rd season

Hoping Sherrod makes it a moot point