RashanGary
08-02-2008, 09:29 AM
from www.packersnews.com
For now, the Green Bay Packers remain content to watch Allen Barbre and Daryn Colledge battle it out for the starting left guard position.
In a week or two, if they don’t like what they have seen from either one, there might be another option worth considering. Rookie Josh Sitton, a fourth-round draft pick from Central Florida, has made perhaps the smoothest transition from college to the NFL as any of the team’s nine draft picks and has drawn rave reviews from the coaches so far in training camp.
Though Sitton has played almost exclusively at right guard with the No. 2 offense during camp, he might warrant a look-see with the starters at the wide-open left guard spot if he continues to perform the way he has been during the opening week of practice. For now, Barbre and Colledge have split the left guard snaps with the No. 1 line.
“He’s been pretty productive,” offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said Friday when asked about Sitton. “It doesn’t seem too big for him out there. We don’t see him making a lot of mental mistakes. Technically, in O-line play it usually takes a while to adjust to a new scheme, but I think he’s doing pretty well.”
In the NFL, if a lineman can’t pass block, he can’t play. That’s what makes the one-on-one pass rushing/pass blocking periods in camp so important. Sitton’s early record during that drill has been nearly flawless. Unofficially, Sitton compiled a remarkable 11-1 record in the drill over the first seven practices, and he hasn’t padded his record against camp throwaways, either. He has stopped the likes of Cullen Jenkins, Daniel Muir and Jason Hunter — all of whom were on the Packers’ roster last season.
In terms of pure strength, Sitton seems strong enough to handle the pro game. He said he did 30 repetitions of 225 pounds on the bench press during his pro day workout before the draft. The 6-foot-3 Sitton said his weight has been around 320 pounds, but he would like to get down to 315.
“He’s a big guy, a strong guy, a physical guy,” Philbin said. “He’s an aggressive guy. We liked his aggressiveness initially. We like the way he goes about practice, and we’re anxious to see how he performs with live bullets.”
The first chance for that will be Sunday night during the Packers’ annual scrimmage, but the real test for Sitton won’t come until the exhibition games begin. At this point, however, there’s little reason to think Sitton won’t be able to handle that.
Even coach Mike McCarthy praisee Sitton on Friday when he was asked about the rookie class in general.
“Josh Sitton has done a nice job up front,” McCarthy said. “He has showed up with the pads on.”
Though Sitton was humble when told how the coaches have raved about him, he spoke confidently about his ability to play at this level.
“I think I’ve progressed a good amount,” Sitton said. “Mentally, picking everything up is probably one of the hardest things to do as a rookie. Obviously, the OTAs and minicamps were a huge help mentally, and I think I’ve progressed every day in camp. I just want to continue that.”
It probably has helped Sitton that the Packers have left him at one position and that in college, he played in a similar zone-blocking run scheme. Central Florida’s main running plays were inside zone plays. The Packers use a mix of inside and outside zone runs.
Sitton’s emergence has had a ripple effect down the offensive line. Guys like third-year pro Tony Moll and fourth-year pro Junius Coston might be in jeopardy of losing their roster spots.
Moll, who started three games last season at right guard while battling a significant neck stinger and made 10 starts at various line positions in 2006, has been moved to backup left tackle – a position he hadn’t played much in the NFL before this offseason.
Coston, a utility lineman who has played nearly every position, has taken most of his reps as the backup center. The problem for Coston is the Packers view starting right guard Jason Spitz as their No. 2 center and probably would rather move Spitz to center and slide in someone else, perhaps Sitton, at right guard if necessary.
Moll’s move to tackle suggests the Packers have given up hope that he can be a starting guard again. His struggles early in camp suggest he might not have what it takes to make it as a left tackle, arguably the toughest position to play on the line. Colledge is probably the top backup at left tackle. Moll has had a rough go in one-on-ones, posting a record of 9-10 through the first seven practices.
“For him, most of his experience with us has been on the right side,” Philbin said of Moll. “I think once they’re in pads for a while – they’re still getting used to the pads – I think we’ll get a better gauge (of where Moll is) maybe next week as things unfold.”
For now, the Green Bay Packers remain content to watch Allen Barbre and Daryn Colledge battle it out for the starting left guard position.
In a week or two, if they don’t like what they have seen from either one, there might be another option worth considering. Rookie Josh Sitton, a fourth-round draft pick from Central Florida, has made perhaps the smoothest transition from college to the NFL as any of the team’s nine draft picks and has drawn rave reviews from the coaches so far in training camp.
Though Sitton has played almost exclusively at right guard with the No. 2 offense during camp, he might warrant a look-see with the starters at the wide-open left guard spot if he continues to perform the way he has been during the opening week of practice. For now, Barbre and Colledge have split the left guard snaps with the No. 1 line.
“He’s been pretty productive,” offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said Friday when asked about Sitton. “It doesn’t seem too big for him out there. We don’t see him making a lot of mental mistakes. Technically, in O-line play it usually takes a while to adjust to a new scheme, but I think he’s doing pretty well.”
In the NFL, if a lineman can’t pass block, he can’t play. That’s what makes the one-on-one pass rushing/pass blocking periods in camp so important. Sitton’s early record during that drill has been nearly flawless. Unofficially, Sitton compiled a remarkable 11-1 record in the drill over the first seven practices, and he hasn’t padded his record against camp throwaways, either. He has stopped the likes of Cullen Jenkins, Daniel Muir and Jason Hunter — all of whom were on the Packers’ roster last season.
In terms of pure strength, Sitton seems strong enough to handle the pro game. He said he did 30 repetitions of 225 pounds on the bench press during his pro day workout before the draft. The 6-foot-3 Sitton said his weight has been around 320 pounds, but he would like to get down to 315.
“He’s a big guy, a strong guy, a physical guy,” Philbin said. “He’s an aggressive guy. We liked his aggressiveness initially. We like the way he goes about practice, and we’re anxious to see how he performs with live bullets.”
The first chance for that will be Sunday night during the Packers’ annual scrimmage, but the real test for Sitton won’t come until the exhibition games begin. At this point, however, there’s little reason to think Sitton won’t be able to handle that.
Even coach Mike McCarthy praisee Sitton on Friday when he was asked about the rookie class in general.
“Josh Sitton has done a nice job up front,” McCarthy said. “He has showed up with the pads on.”
Though Sitton was humble when told how the coaches have raved about him, he spoke confidently about his ability to play at this level.
“I think I’ve progressed a good amount,” Sitton said. “Mentally, picking everything up is probably one of the hardest things to do as a rookie. Obviously, the OTAs and minicamps were a huge help mentally, and I think I’ve progressed every day in camp. I just want to continue that.”
It probably has helped Sitton that the Packers have left him at one position and that in college, he played in a similar zone-blocking run scheme. Central Florida’s main running plays were inside zone plays. The Packers use a mix of inside and outside zone runs.
Sitton’s emergence has had a ripple effect down the offensive line. Guys like third-year pro Tony Moll and fourth-year pro Junius Coston might be in jeopardy of losing their roster spots.
Moll, who started three games last season at right guard while battling a significant neck stinger and made 10 starts at various line positions in 2006, has been moved to backup left tackle – a position he hadn’t played much in the NFL before this offseason.
Coston, a utility lineman who has played nearly every position, has taken most of his reps as the backup center. The problem for Coston is the Packers view starting right guard Jason Spitz as their No. 2 center and probably would rather move Spitz to center and slide in someone else, perhaps Sitton, at right guard if necessary.
Moll’s move to tackle suggests the Packers have given up hope that he can be a starting guard again. His struggles early in camp suggest he might not have what it takes to make it as a left tackle, arguably the toughest position to play on the line. Colledge is probably the top backup at left tackle. Moll has had a rough go in one-on-ones, posting a record of 9-10 through the first seven practices.
“For him, most of his experience with us has been on the right side,” Philbin said of Moll. “I think once they’re in pads for a while – they’re still getting used to the pads – I think we’ll get a better gauge (of where Moll is) maybe next week as things unfold.”