Who are the backup guards?

[Harlan Huckleby]

I don't necessarily agree, but the consensus seems to be that Sherrod is no damn good at guard. Bulaga needs to stay at RT. And McDonald is being groomed at center.

So who really is available to fill-in for Sitton for a quarter if he turns an ankle? It seems like they are short of true guards who can be starters if needed.

[3irty1]

I'm starting to change my mind about Sherrod. LG hopefully isn't his long term position but the guy has only played there for two weeks and is on the same order of skill as Lang at the position. I thought Lang might run away with the job as Sherrod just didn't have the body type to uncoil and explode like a guard. If they are nearly equal now, Sherrod should be a clear notch ahead by week 1 and invisible by week 8. Play him at guard unless we need him somewhere else. Lang will get his PT backing up all over the place.

[Upnorth]

So the starting line will be Clifton-Lang-Wells-Sitton-Buluga. That makes Sherrod backup one, and in my opinion a good one. If he has trouble in practice switching to the right side, slide over Lang and plug Sherrod into LG. As to Newhouse or Macdonald, I lean towards Macdonald. After that it is the fan in row 2 seat 12.

[Harlan Huckleby]

slide over Lang and plug Sherrod into LG.

I suppose this could work OK, if you beleive that Sherrod is capable at LG.

It would be nice to have backups to plug-in without shuffling the line, especially in the middle of a game.

[Upnorth]

I was under the impression that the staff likes Sherrod at guard. I take it I missed something?

[Harlan Huckleby]

I think Sherrod is OK at guard. But I also think the staff would start him at LG if they really thought he was catching on. Which leads me to beleive that Sherrod is strictly a LT if he can't win the LG job.

[Upnorth]

I think he backs up LT and LG. I dont worry about who is backing up the guard position until Cliffy gets hurt, then I worry. If we factor in a Clifton injury, and say Lang goes down, that leaves Newhouse, not a good feeling! But that assumes two major injuries, surely we suffered enough last year.

[RashanGary]

McCarthy said yesterday the loser of the LG spot will backup both LT and LG. Said 6th DL has to be flexible. 7th does too. Training each of them at LG and LT insures they have some flexibility in case of injury. Also, playing guard really helps a young lineman understand the big picture. Guard is tougher than Tackle mentally.

1st String
Clifton-Lang-Wells-Sitton-Bulaga

2nd String
Sherrod-Sherrod-McDonald-McDonald-Newhouse

3rd String
Expect roster changes at C for sure and maybe other spots.

9th lineman is developmental and is up in the air.

[Harlan Huckleby]

has McDonald played RG? I don't think McDonald or Newhouse have seen playing time at RG.

[Harlan Huckleby]

JustinHarrell, I am so impressed by the sheer lunacy of your Alex Green .sig, that I've decided to join

[pbmax]

has McDonald played RG? I don't think McDonald or Newhouse have seen playing time at RG.

I think he spent some time at RG last year, splitting backup reps with EDS.

As for the earlier question about Sherrod at Guard, coaches have been non-plussed about his results but observers have said his strengths (feet, size, pass blocking) all point more toward LT than Guard and it shows, ie. he does not demonstrate much power.

Lang is more guard friendly, and Banacyzk at GBPG said he looks stronger and using his hands better (might just be wrist being healthy). But Lang isn't the pass blocker Sherrod is and while Lang had no trouble getting out to the second level on runs, he completely whiffed one block and barely got another I saw.

Essentially, no one is showing what Sitton showed on the other side yet. Its all maybes and could live with it so far.

[bobblehead]

McCarthy said yesterday the loser of the LG spot will backup both LT and LG. Said 6th DL has to be flexible. 7th does too. Training each of them at LG and LT insures they have some flexibility in case of injury. Also, playing guard really helps a young lineman understand the big picture. Guard is tougher than Tackle mentally.

1st String
Clifton-Lang-Wells-Sitton-Bulaga

2nd String
Sherrod-Sherrod-McDonald-McDonald-Newhouse

3rd String
Expect roster changes at C for sure and maybe other spots.

9th lineman is developmental and is up in the air.

I thought Newhouse was playing good LT, but not so good RT.

[pbmax]

I thought Newhouse was playing good LT, but not so good RT.

Quite true, but if Lang and Sherrod are backing up the left side as M3 said, then someone had to cover for RT when Campbell went down with a knee injury.

[TennesseePackerBacker]

http://www.wertel.pro/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/jump-to-conclusions-mat.jpg

[Harlan Huckleby]

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/127915748.html

The Packers don't really have a backup right tackle. If Bryan Bulaga went down, they would be hard-pressed to fill that position (hello Mark Tauscher). It's possible that first-round pick Derek Sherrod could transition there the way Bulaga did, but he's embroiled in a competition with T.J. Lang for the left guard position. On Saturday night, the coaches decided Marshall Newhouse would be their top backup on the right side. That move turned out to be a near disaster. Newhouse looked completely out of place, whiffed on at least one block and allowed too much pressure. He came back Monday and looked no better. On Tuesday, the coaches started rotating Lang in at right tackle and moved Newhouse back to his natural spot on the left side. Newhouse's failures on the right now mean Lang's work at guard will be diluted, which is a shame because he deserves a shot at winning the left guard spot. So far, Sherrod is playing just left guard and tackle. Lang was hoping he'd get intensive work at the position for which he's competing with Sherrod, but it looks now like he'll be holding down three jobs for awhile.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Man, it sounds like both Newhouse & Sherrod are strictly suited to LT. We have an awkward mix of players.

I'm holding out a sliver of hope that Sherrod can make progress at LG and win the starting job. That would allow Lang to backup across the line and really stabilize the line for the season, which is bound to include some injury time.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I'm not sure it's an awkward mix, but we seem to be short on OG depth. I'm getting the feeling that it will be Clifton-Sherrod-Wells-Sitton-Bulaga starting with Lang, Newhouse, and McDonald as the backups. Is anybody else worthy of a roster spot? I don't see it. Perhaps Thompson plucks a developmental prospect from another squad.

[Harlan Huckleby]

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/127917878.html McGinn's analysis

OFFENSIVE LINE (9 or 10)
Locks: G Josh Sitton, C Scott Wells, T Bryan Bulaga, T Chad Clifton, G-T Derek Sherrod, G-T T.J. Lang.

Good bets: T Marshall Newhouse.

On the fence: C-G Nick McDonald, G Caleb Schlauderaff, G-T Ray Dominguez, C-G Evan Dietrich-Smith.

Long shots: C-G Sampson Genus, T Theo Sherman, T Chris Campbell, G Adrian Battles.

Comment: Newhouse had problems at right tackle in Cleveland but perhaps it should have been expected. He spent the first two weeks at LT and led the O-line in the one-on-one pass protection drill (18-2-2, .864).

If Newhouse nails down the No. 7 berth, either McDonald or Dietrich-Smith figures to be No. 8 because the Packers must have a backup center. McDonald has it all physically on Dietrich-Smith but really hasn't outperformed him. In the one-on-one's, Dietrich-Smith is 17-6-3 (.712) compared to McDonald's 9-5-4 (.611).

The Packers still seem high on McDonald, but right now it's debatable if he's strong enough to play.

Mike McCarthy has opened four of the last five seasons with nine O-linemen. Based on what's here, it's quite likely just nine will stick.

That No. 9 berth appears to be between Schlauderaff and Dominguez. A sixth-round draft choice, Schlauderaff (12-11-7, .517) is smart and persistent but doesn't play with strength.

Dominguez, a free agent from Arkansas, has lost 10 pounds, a key to his improvement. Unlike Schlauderaff, he played tackle in college and probably can play there in the NFL. In flashes, Dominguez has shown potential.

Genus (14-10-3, .574) is an excellent technician but might be too short at 6-0½. Campbell, also a free agent, looked much better than last summer and might have had a shot before a knee injury knocked him out the last 10 days.

[Harlan Huckleby]

What really jumps out from McGinn's analysis is that the group lacks strong run blockers. Newhouse, Sherrod, Schlauderaff, McDonald are not going to be able to play RG, and maybe not RT.

[Fritz]

I agree with Harlan - it seems an awkward mix. Newhouse was playing rather well as the backup LT, but struggles now where they need him - at RT. Sherrod and Lang are both better suited to the left side. If I recall correctly, MacDonald plays center and backed up at LG (?) last year a bit. Or maybe it was RG - but apparently he hasn't been all that impressive in camp at center this year, which is a bad sign.

There's talent, but it's concentrated on the left side. I'd like to see them keep Lang at guard and train Sherrod at left and right tackle. But I don't know much about all this. It's just my feeling.

[RashanGary]

We're a passing team.

[Harlan Huckleby]

We're a passing team. Tell that to Sitton and Bulaga.

You're probably right that TT favors pass blockers for a pass-first team.

It seems from McGinn's analysis and camp buzz that the only candidate suitable to play on right side in event of injury is Lang. Not good. You really don't want to weaken two positions on line in event of an injury. It will be better for team strength if Sherrod manages to win LG job.

[TennesseePackerBacker]

While Colledge was stalwart when it came to playing, he was little more than above-average. The person replacing the hole left at LG doesn't have to be a world-beater right off the bat.

I'm more worried about our OLB situation (besides Clay) and lack of DL depth than how the OL will come together. IMO the talent is there, they just have to gel; much like any other year.

[Harlan Huckleby]

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/128720553.html

situation seems to grow worse at backups inside

Dietrich-Smith will have to be the iron man

[mraynrand]

"He's still growing," Campen said, referring to McDonald. "The thing is, he has to keep his pad level down when he has guys in his face."

You could see that coming a mile away.

[Harlan Huckleby]

where are all the f-ing punks who said the offensive line depth would be fine? Lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, thinking about last night's O-line disasters I suppose.

Sherrod and Newhouse will be OK, but they have nothing inside.

[pbmax]

where are all the f-ing punks who said the offensive line depth would be fine? Lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, thinking about last night's O-line disasters I suppose.

Sherrod and Newhouse will be OK, but they have nothing inside.

Genus will have to grow, literally, into his new role as backup RG.

[Pugger]

where are all the f-ing punks who said the offensive line depth would be fine? Lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, thinking about last night's O-line disasters I suppose.

Sherrod and Newhouse will be OK, but they have nothing inside.

Hopefully the entire starting O line doesn't get hurt all at once... :shock: