Should the Packers Go to Colle(d)ge?

[Fritz]

I've been peeking ahead to the offseason, and wondering how the Packers will handle that left tackle position. It seems clear that either this year or next will be Clifton's last - at least as a Packer. He never did seem to fit well with what the zone blocking thing is about, and he seems to be losing a little, maybe due to age and the constant physical toll.

I don't get to see many Packer games and I'm not the student of the offensive line that some of you are, so I wanted to get opinions as to whether people think Daryn Colledge is a good choice as the heir apparent at left tackle, or whether he's A) better off as a guard or B) not really all that good at either spot, or C) good enough to take over for one year while the Packers groom a high draft pick taken in '09 for the job in '10. Or something altogether different.

IF Colledge is above average starting material as a left tackle, next year's line could conceivably be Colledge, Barbre, Spitz, Sitton, and Tauscher. Is that line appealing to anyone? Has Barbre come along enough for you all to be encouraged, or is he turning into a dud? Or is it still too early to tell? And is Sitton the real deal still, or have we not seen enough lately to tell?

[cheesner]

Re: Should the Packers Go to Colle(d)ge?

I've been peeking ahead to the offseason, and wondering how the Packers will handle that left tackle position. It seems clear that either this year or next will be Clifton's last - at least as a Packer. He never did seem to fit well with what the zone blocking thing is about, and he seems to be losing a little, maybe due to age and the constant physical toll.

I don't get to see many Packer games and I'm not the student of the offensive line that some of you are, so I wanted to get opinions as to whether people think Daryn Colledge is a good choice as the heir apparent at left tackle, or whether he's A) better off as a guard or B) not really all that good at either spot, or C) good enough to take over for one year while the Packers groom a high draft pick taken in '09 for the job in '10. Or something altogether different.

IF Colledge is above average starting material as a left tackle, next year's line could conceivably be Colledge, Barbre, Spitz, Sitton, and Tauscher. Is that line appealing to anyone? Has Barbre come along enough for you all to be encouraged, or is he turning into a dud? Or is it still too early to tell? And is Sitton the real deal still, or have we not seen enough lately to tell?

I'll take it. Unless we can grab a starter with our 1st pick next season, that lineup sounds pretty good.

I think it is time to move on with Clifton. Colledge played about as well or better than Clifton. With a full off-season working at LT he should be even better plus he should be about in his prime in the next couple of years. As far as Sitton goes, he would have likely been the starter this season if not for an injury, that says quite a bit about him right there. Having an entire line who can excel in zone blocking (no weak links) will be a considerable improvement.

[rbaloha1]

Colledge played lt in college and played well.

Appears more comfortable at lt. O-line looks promising once Barbee and Sitton are starters.

[The Shadow]

Colledge will eventually take over the LT position.
I think it may eventually shake out as
Coolege LT, Barbre LG, Spitz C. Sitton RG, Tauschet RT (and an eventual replacement).
Wells may not wind up as the longterm C.

[The Shadow]

Apologies, cheesner - didn't see you had the same.

[BobDobbs]

I think that people are way too down on Clifton this year. He's being talked about like he is a swinging gate or something. He played great against Allen and Freeney and those were his two toughest assignments this year. He is not as good as he was, but he was near Pro Bowl Caliber. He's never been a good run blocker, but LT is a position that you sacrifice run blocking for pass blocking if you have to. He just needs to stop drawing the holding penalties and he's fine.

I do think they have to draft an LT probably in the first round. Those guys go fast so there may not be anyone there. I have serious doubts about Colledge as our LT. I think the only reason anyone is talking about him is because he's been around. He will be a definite drop off if he replaces Clifton.

A great way to settle the disagreement will be to watch the game on Sunday. The O-line will have their hands full. Anybody playing weak is going to get exposed. I'll watch both those guys real close this week and see how they do.

[RashanGary]

I think the line of the future could go a couple ways. . . .


LT could be Colledge, Barbre or draft
LG could be Colledge, Barbre or draft
C could be Spitz or draft
RG could be Spitz, Sitton or draft
RT could be Tasch, Moll, Sitton or draft


We just have to keep adding guys and let the cream will rise to the top. It doesn't look like we'll end up with rookies at tackle the way we got stuck at guard a couple years ago, but hopefully something real steps forward so we don't have any let off when that day comes.

[gbpackfan]

I have ZERO confidence in Colledge at LT. He's an average guard and gets lots of help when he lines up at LT. He's not the future there. I hope I'm wrong, but I doubt it.

[bobblehead]

I've been suggesting this for a long time...unfortunately it is just an opinion. LT is probably the second hardest position to adequately fill in all of football. My thought is that college is better suited as LT than LG, but I could be entirely wrong.

I also have been as down on clifton as anyone, but lets remember, its one shoddy stretch he had. The guy isn't ready for the glue factory yet as long as he turns it around (I haven't seen the last 2 games, but sounds like he has).

Ryan Grant looked like dickerson for a stretch, but now he can't hold onto the football OR break a big run....NFL players have good and bad runs....thats why you gotta be careful in handing out big paydays (nick collins needs to continue his season to get a blockbuster deal....NOT YET)

Cliffy might have 3 good years left, I hope he does. If not, I hope college is the answer.

[Deputy Nutz]

Simple, he just isn't physical enough and doesn't play underneath the defensive player at guard. More importantly he doesn't have the leg strength to drive a 320 pound defensive tackle out of the hole.

I wish I knew how he would convert back to left tackle where he played at Boise St. but I just don't have that answer. He has been a below average starter at guard, and I think the Packers were really hoping that he would get beaten out by Babre, then Sitton so that he could move back to left tackle and relearn and refocus his effort there in hopes that by the time Clifton was done he would be prepared to take over the left tackle position or at least compete. The problem is, that the Packers still haven't solved the situation at left guard. Colledge is the best of the mess. Babre is talented, but apparently he became physical with a coach in OTAs and has had to work himself back into the graces of the coaching staff. Sitton is a rookie that didn't play very well in the couple of pre season games before he became injured.

Anyways, the Packers might have to actually search the free agent market to solve their failure with the interior offensive line.

[Fritz]

Simple, he just isn't physical enough and doesn't play underneath the defensive player at guard. More importantly he doesn't have the leg strength to drive a 320 pound defensive tackle out of the hole.

I wish I knew how he would convert back to left tackle where he played at Boise St. but I just don't have that answer. He has been a below average starter at guard, and I think the Packers were really hoping that he would get beaten out by Babre, then Sitton so that he could move back to left tackle and relearn and refocus his effort there in hopes that by the time Clifton was done he would be prepared to take over the left tackle position or at least compete. The problem is, that the Packers still haven't solved the situation at left guard. Colledge is the best of the mess. Babre is talented, but apparently he became physical with a coach in OTAs and has had to work himself back into the graces of the coaching staff. Sitton is a rookie that didn't play very well in the couple of pre season games before he became injured.

Anyways, the Packers might have to actually search the free agent market to solve their failure with the interior offensive line.

This I did not know, Nutz. wow. As Jack Black said in Tropic Thunder, the dude's going to have to swallow the gravy to get back in the good graces of the staff. That's a serious offense.

[SnakeLH2006]

Hell no! We don't win games with Colledge starting anywhere. Winning teams do not have some dude (Colledge) getting reversely pancaked by D-Lineman routinely on youtube) as his GB run thus proven thus far. Let Clifton finish out his contract or sign a FA (top notch) as those dudes slip through the cracks as the best guys to get in FA the past few years. Gimme some FA stud for 8 million over 4 million for some subpar reject named Colledge....just sucks. Bring FA on. if we jettison Clifton if he's really over the hill, then the cap exchange is close for a prob. 26-28 year Pro-Bowl caliber dude that can actually run-block. Cliffy is done. Bring in a good player, F.U.C.K. Darren Colledge, I actually hung out with him last summer in GB bar hopping with some bro's. He was fun to drink with, but dumb as fuck, and showed NOTHING to be someone to take over at LT (then, or even EVER in ANY game he's played). Fuck Colledge as a LT. Bring on FA.

[run pMc]

Like Fritz, I've been curious about the OL and how other think it's doing. From what I can tell, Colledge will stay at the LG spot and maybe serve as a backup LT because he's done it before. I don't think he's a starter at LT though...might not be athletic and fluid enough to handle DE's like Freeney and Allen.
DC has improved since his rookie season, as he should, but I think they keep him at LG. The dropoff from Clifton to Colledge is significant. Clifton can still get it done (especially in pass pro), but both he and Tauscher have shown some rust this year. I think Clifton will be done after next year, and it's possible that Tauscher might sign elsewhere.

I'm thinking TT drafts a couple of OL players in the hope that someone emerges. I think Spitz becomes the C and Sitton takes the RG spot. Wells will stay as the backup, probably with a renegotiated contract. Coston is probably done. Moll is the backup at RT. If they don't re-up Tauscher they'll need Moll/Giacomini/??? to step up, which might be asking a lot. Sitton and Giacomini might improve with a full offseason.

I'd say it's a middle of the road group that TT will look to upgrade in the draft.

[Bossman641]

Simple, he just isn't physical enough and doesn't play underneath the defensive player at guard. More importantly he doesn't have the leg strength to drive a 320 pound defensive tackle out of the hole.

I wish I knew how he would convert back to left tackle where he played at Boise St. but I just don't have that answer. He has been a below average starter at guard, and I think the Packers were really hoping that he would get beaten out by Babre, then Sitton so that he could move back to left tackle and relearn and refocus his effort there in hopes that by the time Clifton was done he would be prepared to take over the left tackle position or at least compete. The problem is, that the Packers still haven't solved the situation at left guard. Colledge is the best of the mess. Babre is talented, but apparently he became physical with a coach in OTAs and has had to work himself back into the graces of the coaching staff. Sitton is a rookie that didn't play very well in the couple of pre season games before he became injured.

Anyways, the Packers might have to actually search the free agent market to solve their failure with the interior offensive line.

This I did not know, Nutz. wow. As Jack Black said in Tropic Thunder, the dude's going to have to swallow the gravy to get back in the good graces of the staff. That's a serious offense.

Is this fact?

I remember someone suggesting this during training camp but I never thought it was confirmed.

[KYPack]

Babre is talented, but apparently he became physical with a coach in OTAs and has had to work himself back into the graces of the coaching staff.

Think this is a joke, Nutz. somebody was remarking that Barbre was so buried by the coaching staff that he must have slugged somebody. It wasn't meant to be taken literally. Unless you have heard something from the Nutz Garbage Can News Service or something.

I read that Barbre had some flat out horrible practices where he gave up bull rushes to his inside foot and the coaches lost all confidence in him (per the GBPG).

Barbre is feisty, I was rooting for him to step up. Sitton, too. Those two look like they could be brawlers.

I loved Colledge at LT. He looks so much more comfortable playing T as opposed to guard. Then came the SF Pre-Season game, where he looked lost at LT.

I don't know, man. I just don't know.