Offensive line personnel

Yerko
Senior Member Topic Starter

12 years ago

Offensive line always seems to be a topic of interest during the season and even more during the off season (with some guys). One thing Packers fans know will happen is Ted Thompson WILL draft an offensive lineman(men) in the NFL draft. It is important to have all five of these positions filled with the best players possible when you have a quarterback like Aaron Rodgers leading your offense.

With that being said, I wanted to get your thoughts on how you view the offensive line of 2012 for the Green Bay Packers?

The first two guys I want to talk about are Scott Wells and Brian Bulaga.

Scott Wells has been a staple for this offensive line and needs to be signed to a new deal. He is a must-sign for the Packers. He is not a mauler, he won't run a guy over, but he is sound with his blocking assignments and makes great decisions. He is 30 years old, but can still get the job done. Also, there is no back up at this position.

Brian Bulaga has been increasing his skills since being a Packer. Coming from a college team that produces great offensive linemen, this doesn't surprise me. I was extremely happy when the Packers drafted him (had a little Bulaga avatar till the draft) and he is going to be a great lineman for the Packers for a long time. With Clifton most likely being gone next season, now is the proper time for the move! Bulaga should be shifted to the left tackle position, giving Aaron Rodgers the best protection possible in 2012.

This leaves the right tackle position vacant. Hello, TJ Lang. Lang is another offensive lineman that has come into his own and has done well (at multiple line positions, except defensive tackle). Lang is the second best option at right tackle (behind Bulaga). He is a very exceptional lineman overall with great footwork. With the continuing trend of speed rushers of the edges, this move along with the Bulaga move seals the edges for Rodgers.

Now the left guard position is open. This leaves a competition for Newhouse and a possible rookie that Thompson may draft. Newhouse is a serviceable lineman, just not at the left tackle position protecting Rodgers blind side. I hope I never have to see Newhouse at left tackle again, unless he is leaps and bounds better (and that can happen with a full off season of practice).
Possible rookies that can come in and compete: Kevin Zeitler and Peter Konz? Knowing that the Packers main idea early in the draft will mainly be defense, I doubt those names would still be on the board. I just really like Big Ten linemen.

Sitton is obviously a non-issue and is a great lineman for the Packers for years to come.

I may be a little overboard in my thoughts but it gives something to talk about during the off season and time up till the draft. Interested to see what others think...maybe you think the line is alright the way it is? Haha.

[list][*]LT- Bulaga [*]LG- Newhouse/Rookie [*]C- Wells [*]RG- Sitton [*]RT- Lang[/list]

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Wade
Veteran Member

12 years ago

LT- Bulaga

LG- Newhouse/Rookie

C- Wells

RG- Sitton

RT- Lang[/list]

Originally Posted by: G-Force

Agree on Wells 100%. If he isn't re-signed, you'll see me screaming here.As for Bulaga, I'm in the minority. He played better than Newhouse did, but I"m not convinced he played as well as everyone thinks. I think he should stay at RT.
Sitton -- well, no one ones to change that position. Certainly I don't.

Lang? I'm not sure what to think. I like Lang better than his predecessor, but the fact of the matter is that the Packers had trouble running to the left side all year. And you can't blame all that on Newhouse.

I'm sort of assuming Clifton will be gone, but he's been proving me wrong for years.

Newhouse? I've been a Newhouse backer. But I don't think he made as much progress as he should have this year; certainly not as much as I expected. Part of that is the lack of a decent offseason, but how much? I'd be inclined to have him penciled in as the starter at the beginning of training camp, and I'd love to be able to say "I told you Newhouse would work" come October and November; but I also want serious competition for his spot and all of the backup positions, and maybe for Lang's, too.

So, to summarize, I think Wells and Sitton should be locked in. Bulaga probably, too, but at his current position. LG should have more competition. And LT should have serious attention.

As always, I want three OL (one high) in the draft and two (one first- or second-tier in FA. And as always, I believe there's no chance in hell either will happen. In fact, given all the issues on the defensive side, my guess is there's even less chance this year.

My guess is Ted'll get two mid- to late-round OL picks in the draft, or one mid-round pick in the draft and one third-tier backup type in FA.

And maybe I'll be able to convince Foster to return to helping me kick the dead horse of ...

OL OL OL!

🐴

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2 (NKJV)

earthquake
Member

12 years ago

No thoughts on Sherrod? Is his injury that serious?

blank

Wade
Veteran Member

12 years ago

I think Sherrod should be in the competitive mix for the starting LT (though I think Newhouse would beat him out regardless of the injury question).

They screwed him up working him out at guard this year, so who knows where he's at.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2 (NKJV)

Yerko
Senior Member Topic Starter

12 years ago

No thoughts on Sherrod? Is his injury that serious?

Originally Posted by: earthquake

I wanted to get into Sherrod's case but felt my post was already long enough and didn't want to scare people away, haha.

Sherrod can be a decent player. I agree with Wade in that his development was completely screwed up with all the shifting they did with him in the short off season. So he had two things back up his development. He is a strong player, but with the lack of development this past off season and now his broken leg (haven't heard much about it) maybe backing up his development even more I didn't really want to throw him in the mix at his original position.

Wade- I appreciate the input. I know you are one of the o-line hounds (that's a compliment) in this forum and figured you'd take to a convo about the offensive line. Can I ask you what it is about Bulaga that you don't like at LT?

One thing that would shy me away from putting Bulaga to the left would be the chemistry that he and Sitton have and the dominance the right side of the line produces in the run game.

porky88
Veteran Member

12 years ago

I don't see it in Newhouse. He regressed as the year went on. I recall the San Diego game being very difficult for him. From that point on, he seem to really struggle to hold his own in pass protection and the running game as a whole struggled.

Sherrod was starting to take snaps away from him. In fact, against Oakland, they rotated Sherrod in because he was developing. That's why I think the team took his injury hard. I think most felt he was going to be the OLT in the playoffs ahead of both Clifton and Newhouse.

I do like Bulaga, but his physical limitations may limit him to ORT, so I’m not sure I’d move him.

T.J. Lang is a thumper in the middle. He just kind of throws himself into the mess and it’s hit or miss. I’m not sure he has the power to hold his own, though I once thought the same about Scott Wells. I don’t expect any outside competition, but I could see the Packers taking a guard early in the draft to create competition with Lang.

http://www.row12.com/

nerdmann
Premier Member

12 years ago

Sherrod needs an offseason to bulk up. His broken leg won't be as serious as a knee injury. I think he'll be fine, but he might not be ready for training camp.

“Winning is not a sometime thing, it is an all the time thing. You don't do things right once in a while…you do them right all the time.”

wpr
Preferred Member

12 years ago

I don't like shuffling the line like it is a deck of cards. Put a guy in and leave him there.

RT Bulaga- Like porky said his physical make up has him better suited to the right side than the left. I read somewhere last spring or summer that because of this he is a better run blocker than Sherrod will be and thus belongs at RT.
RG Sitton- nuf said.
C Wells- they need to bring him back and they will.
LG Lang- Did an adequate job. Will get better this year with a full camp and the full year's worth of experience under his belt.
LT Sherrod- no camp and jerking him around from position to position delayed him. He will be a stand out in a couple of years.

get_louder_at_lambeau
Registered

12 years ago

Originally Posted by: wpr

I agree, but I'd put Newhouse in as the incumbent at LT, and make Sherrod compete for the job when his leg is ready to go. Make him beat out the incumbent so he doesn't just have the job handed to him and learns to work his ass off. If he never beats out Newhouse, then good for Newhouse.

Bulaga should be better as a RT both because of his body type and his experience. Let him continue to develop there, and he could be one of the best RTs out there.

http://packersnews.net

Zero2Cool
Elite Member

12 years ago

#10

The G position wouldn't need any mentioning if the Packers would not have mistakenly let Daryn Colledge go to the Cardinals.

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