On replacing Driver, Clifton, Tausch, Harris, Woodson

[motife]

Age is a problem for young Packers
By Steve Lawrence
steve_lawrence_packers@yahoo.com
Posted Jun 30, 2008

Five of their most important players are the team’s oldest players: Donald Driver, Chad Clifton, Mark Tauscher, Al Harris and Charles Woodson.

The Packers were the NFL’s youngest team last season, and when you remove graybeards Brett Favre and Rob Davis from the equation, that statistic is likely to hold true in 2008, as well.
That doesn’t necessarily mean the best days are ahead of this team, however.

Any listing of the team’s top 10 players would have to include, in no particular order, Donald Driver, Chad Clifton, Mark Tauscher, Al Harris and Charles Woodson. Those are the Packers’ five oldest players. Harris and Driver are 33, Clifton just turned 32, Woodson will turn 32 at midseason and Tauscher just turned 31.

How long can this group — who all play critical positions — continue to play at Pro Bowl-caliber levels? That’s the million-dollar question for a team with a ton of talent but with a first-year starting quarterback.

It’s risky to make broad judgments from the organized team activities and minicamps, when the players were wearing shorts and contact was limited to nothing more than paddycake. Seeing Clifton on the sideline every day, while a wise move by coach Mike McCarthy, might not bode well over the long haul for a player who anchors the all-important left tackle position. The other four, however, seem primed for solid seasons.

That quintet can’t play at high levels forever, though. It’s hard to say how many starters-in-waiting are on the roster, but at least general manager Ted Thompson has tried to build depth at those positions.

If the Packers are set at any position, it’s at wide receiver, where Greg Jennings seems capable of taking over as the No. 1 when Driver’s play finally starts to slip. Behind them as potential starters are James Jones and Jordy Nelson.

Daryn Colledge has been a disappointment as a starting left guard, but he was a tackle at Boise State, and perhaps that would be his natural position in the NFL. Behind Tauscher is Tony Moll, who can’t stay healthy, is intriguing and feisty rookie Breno Giacomini.

Depth behind cornerbacks Harris and Woodson is more problematic. After quarterback and defensive ends who can stop the run and rush the passer, cornerback is the toughest position to fill in the NFL.

The coaches rave about Tramon Williams, and rookie Pat Lee played a lot of bump-and-run at Auburn. It’s impossible to say whether either are potential quality NFL starters, though. Lee didn’t look all that great during OTAs and minicamp.

All of which puts pressure on Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy and his coaches. The Packers are in position to be long-term winners. But they’re in better position to win today.

[motife]

I'll bet they retire in this order :

Al Harris
Donald Driver
Chad Clifton
Charles Woodson
Mark Tauscher

[RashanGary]

I think Driver will be replacable (although I think he can stick around for 4 more years if he plays a backup role after this year to extend his career)
I think the RT will be a position that is not incredibly difficult to replace
I think one CB is doable with the guys currently on the roster
I think the other CB position will be tough to replace (although I doubt it will ever get as bad as it was 3 years ago)
I think LT will be tough to replace (to me this is our #1 need right now)


Hopefully the draft brings some talent at LT and CB. If not, there is more than one way to skin a cat and while these 5 are dropping off, we have 30 more that are rising. I don't see any reason to think this year is any better than the next 5. This team is in great shape for now and the long term IMO.

[Bretsky]

I think Driver will be replacable
I think the RT will be a position that is not incredibly difficult to replace
I think one CB if doable with the guys currently on the roster
I think the other CB position will be tougher to replace
I think LT will be tough to replace


Hopefully the draft brings some talent at LT and CB. If not, we might have to start looking at trades in a year or even UFA if we can't get anything lasting done in the next two offseasons.


I actually think Driver's career may begin to spiral down slowly...Jennings will firmly grasp the #1 WR and Driver becomes a very solid #2 for a few years with Jones and Nelson fighting for the 3 spot.

I can see Tauscher play for a while still; he's a tough old UW Madison guy who will be around......gamer

I think we need to find one good OT to re;ace Clifton fairly soon if he doesn't heel up one of these years

I hope either Woodsen or Harris stay around a while so we can pick up the second replacement down the road

However, the author does make some good points. These are several of our best players and hopefully TT will replace these guys with guys who can come in and be well above average like they are.

[RashanGary]

However, the author does make some good points. These are several of our best players and hopefully TT will replace these guys with guys who can come in and be well above average like they are.

I was kind of thinking on that level too, but if he gets better OG's and more reliable running backs in pass pro, it might offset LT and have no drop off. There is more than one way to deal with the problem.

If we don't have two shut down CB's, maybe TT gets lucky and drafts a stud pass rusher which would solve the CB problem by getting pressure.

I agree that we have to keep getting better at a faster rate than we go down if we want to take that next step, but I disagree that it has to be in the rigid mindset of always replacing a retired player with someone better at that same posiition. . . Same thing when we lost Green. We had the recievers step up and the first half of the year last year was loaded with wins even without the run game. Every position sort of plays off the other positions so the big picture goal should always be to get better as whole, not one position.

[falco]

harris will be gone after this year once TW shows him how washed up he is...

(ps nothing against harris, he's awesome but he's the 3rd best CB on the team )

[pbmax]

I think Harris will need to be replaced first. If last year's decline continues, he might be one and done.

Driver could easily last a couple more years even if he shows decline (which isn't obvious to me) as the 2nd or 3rd receiver, should he accept it.

Clifton and Tauscher though, looked long in the tooth at times last year. They may be able to continue to play, but neither seems as consistent, even in their respective areas of excellence, as they used to be. Dallas was a nightmare, and I wonder if the Giants game they were buttressed by being home and having frozen footing.

I would say the tackles will need to be replaced before Driver.

[The Leaper]

Clifton and Harris are really the two guys that worry me most. Harris simply does not have the athleticism to compete as a starter anymore...he is getting by mostly on reputation, or he'd be getting flagged as much as Carroll used to. Clifton can still play at a high level...when healthy. The problem is that he likely won't be healthy for a full season too often anymore. When he does play, he often is less than 100%. At less than 100%, Clifton's warts become more evident.

Driver likely will start to show decline this year, but with our depth at WR his decline is hardly a concern. Woodson and Tauscher should have another 2-3 solid years left in them.

[Patler]

Clifton will retire after the 2009 season, I have no doubts about it.

In several interviews, most recently last season, he mentioned how meaningful it is to him to play 10 seasons. He has said several times that 10 years is a "full career". Anything less felt to him as incomplete, or cut short.

He also talked about the problems he has with his legs, and that he isn't sure how long he will be able to play because of them. At the end he mentioned that his contract expires after 2009, 10 full seasons, and how badly he wants to play it out. No mention about playing beyond his current contract.

He has a goal of playing 10 years. When he achieves it, he will walk away with no regrets.

[woodbuck27]

Chad Clifton or Al Harris should leave first. Al Harris looked done to me last season and he may even be gone before 2009.

Next two similiar players. DD will play well for next 2-3 season's. That man's always ready.

Woodson maybe three seasons left. Tausch maybe three left in him.

DD outlast's the other four.

PACKERS FOREVER.

[Charles Woodson]

It doesnt really matter when they retire, as much as how their backups do this year.

For the CB's: Can Tramon or Patrick Lee stand out?
WR's isnt even a question, i mean with Jennings, Jones, and Nelson were good to go.
Im not real sure on the depth at Tackle, but it seems like ted has been drafting some capable guess.

I think the Woodson will be the last to retire, with Tausher, going about the same time. That would work out fine, because it would give the younger guess time to play with the studs.

[3irty1]

The great thing about these probowl vets is that with the exception of Chuck they are all super hard working over achievers. Guys like that got where they are through hard work and refining their skills rather that elite athleticism and incredible talent. These guys won't "lose it" all at once and when you are the youngest team in the league there are more pleasant surprises on the way.