Bring back my man Scott Wells!

[Harlan Huckleby]

Clifton-Spitz-Wells-Sitton-Colledge

Come on, they have to do it.

Remember how bad Colledge sucked when he first tried to play NFL tackle? It takes a couple years to break these guys in.

I like Barbre, I place no limit on how good he can be. Playing in space as a pass-blocking tackle might never be his thing, nobody knows, but Sunday night shows he has a long way to go.

The team is too good to be dragged-down by such a weak link. Put the five best linemen on the field. It doesn't do any good to "build continuity" with a lineup that you are going to have to shift later on.

[HarveyWallbangers]

They might have to, if Barbre keeps it up. I doubt Lang is ready. Any word on when Tauscher will be healthy?

[Harlan Huckleby]

"Tauscher, who is out of the NFL, is believed to be continuing his rehabilitation on his own and could be ready to return to football in the next month. Shortly before training camp opened, General Manager Ted Thompson refused to close the door on Tauscher’s possible return. It might be time to consider that."

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20090913/PKR01/90913042/1058/PKR01

[boiga]

But Harlan, Colledge got better by getting live reps every week with the starting lineup. I can't say Barbre performed so much worse than a couple of those revolving door games Colledge had in '06, '07. Unlike Colledge in '06, Barbre isn't lacking the strength to perform at this level, so he should be able to adjust faster.

My take is that the guy spazzed in his first NFL start under the bright lights of Sunday Night Football. He forgot all his technique and fundamentals under the pressure, but the guy's got great upside should he get his head in the game. Give him a few weeks to settle into his position, and I think he'll be fine by the time we get into the bye week.

If not, that's when Tausch should be healthy again anyway. No need to redo the Oline from scratch.

[Guiness]

I wonder what the team's feelings are Tauscher really are. It seems to me he was playing at a high level up until his injury. I seem to remember it being said that we might not be able to afford to re-sign him.

Is there no mechanism by which the Pack could sign him so he could use their facilities and medical staff to rehab, without costing the team too much? If he signed for the vet minimum, he wouldn't count because he wouldn't be one of the 'x' top salaries, right?

Seems to me this is a shortcoming in how the salary cap is set up. A team should be able to sign a guy trying to come back from an injury and let him rehab on their dime if they want. The only reason this situation occurred is because he got injured at the end of his contract year. If he had a year left on his contract, he'd still be on the tab.

[Gunakor]

But Harlan, Colledge got better by getting live reps every week with the starting lineup. I can't say Barbre performed so much worse than a couple of those revolving door games Colledge had in '06, '07. Unlike Colledge in '06, Barbre isn't lacking the strength to perform at this level, so he should be able to adjust faster.

My take is that the guy spazzed in his first NFL start under the bright lights of Sunday Night Football. He forgot all his technique and fundamentals under the pressure, but the guy's got great upside should he get his head in the game. Give him a few weeks to settle into his position, and I think he'll be fine by the time we get into the bye week.

If not, that's when Tausch should be healthy again anyway. No need to redo the Oline from scratch.

Yet every loss counts. If making this switch to the OL gives us a better opportunity to win right now, then we should make that switch in an effort to win as many games as possible before the bye week.

[Harlan Huckleby]

But Harlan, Colledge got better by getting live reps every week with the starting lineup. I can't say Barbre performed so much worse than a couple of those revolving door games Colledge had in '06, '07. Unlike Colledge in '06, Barbre isn't lacking the strength to perform at this level, so he should be able to adjust faster.

ya, Barbre is a real moose, I was optimistic going into the season about having Sitton-Barbre.

IF memory serves me correctly, Colledge got benched at left tackle the year he struggled so badly. They put some veteran slug out there in his place.

My take is that the guy spazzed in his first NFL start under the bright lights of Sunday Night Football. He forgot all his technique and fundamentals under the pressure, but the guy's got great upside should he get his head in the game.

Possibly true.

I'm skeptical that he has the quick feet for pass blocking on the edge. It wasn't technique, he was moving in the right direction but was just too damn slow.

Give him a few weeks to settle into his position, and I think he'll be fine by the time we get into the bye week. If not, that's when Tausch should be healthy again anyway. No need to redo the Oline from scratch.

I'm not so patient. Rodgers will be watching the games from his hospital bed, gumming his oatmeal. I hope Tauscher comes back, but honestly that is nothing to count on. I'm just barely comfortable with waiting another week to make the switch. MM, are you listening?

[mission]

I'm just barely comfortable with waiting another week to make the switch. MM, are you listening?

I sure hope he is ... Im with you on this one.

[gbpackfan]

I'm just barely comfortable with waiting another week to make the switch. MM, are you listening?

I sure hope he is ... Im with you on this one.

I'll let you both in a on a little secret. No, he's not listening (or reading). Sorry to burst your bubble.

[boiga]

Yet every loss counts. If making this switch to the OL gives us a better opportunity to win right now, then we should make that switch in an effort to win as many games as possible before the bye week.

I'm more patient right now, mostly because we're up against the Bengals and the Rams the next two weeks. That should give Barbre time to settle in without threatening Rodger's life. They'll give him some chip help if necessary and the QB will be more heads up. He'll live.

IF memory serves me correctly, Colledge got benched at left tackle the year he struggled so badly. They put some veteran slug out there in his place

Colledge started in 46 of 50 career games, and while he was benched for the second half of that Dallas game in '07 where he got Favre hurt, I think he started the next week anyway. As bad as Barbre was Sunday, he's still way far ahead of '06 Colledge. He can at least run block occasionally.

And yes, Barbre looked slow, but don't you think that was a matter of playing slow rather than being slow? Read what Campen said here to Bedard. Barbre's fundamentals were much much worse during the game than during practice or the preseason. That means that he can improve quickly from Sunday's performance if he gets his head on straight.

And he has two relatively easy weeks to acclimate himself to the pressure, so it's way to early to panic after one bad game.

[cheesner]

Yet every loss counts. If making this switch to the OL gives us a better opportunity to win right now, then we should make that switch in an effort to win as many games as possible before the bye week.

I'm more patient right now, mostly because we're up against the Bengals and the Rams the next two weeks. That should give Barbre time to settle in without threatening Rodger's life. They'll give him some chip help if necessary and the QB will be more heads up. He'll live.

IF memory serves me correctly, Colledge got benched at left tackle the year he struggled so badly. They put some veteran slug out there in his place

Colledge started in 46 of 50 career games, and while he was benched for the second half of that Dallas game in '07 where he got Favre hurt, I think he started the next week anyway. As bad as Barbre was Sunday, he's still way far ahead of '06 Colledge. He can at least run block occasionally.

And yes, Barbre looked slow, but don't you think that was a matter of playing slow rather than being slow? Read what Campen said here to Bedard. Barbre's fundamentals were much much worse during the game than during practice or the preseason. That means that he can improve quickly from Sunday's performance if he gets his head on straight.

And he has two relatively easy weeks to acclimate himself to the pressure, so it's way to early to panic after one bad game.

Good post. You cannot over react to these things. Barbre performed poorly in the first half and played much better in the 2nd half. He actually had some pretty good blocks on some of those running plays. If we gave up this quickly on all our OL who had rough beginnings, Rivera, Colledge, Wahle, Spitz and others would never have developed.

MM will do a little better game planning next week, Barber will be better prepared, and I expect to see much better play as a result.

Remember, he is very big, strong, and athletic. If it clicks for him, he could be a dominant force on the right side. Tausch was good, Barbre could be great. It is simply worth the growing pains to see if he develops into what he can. I am not sure there are any better options on the roster or on the FA market right now anyway. Certainly nobody who offers as much upside.

Play on!

[digitaldean]

There's no way I want Wells back at center. Yes, moving someone in to spell Barbre plus moving Spitz over would mean bringing in Wells. But then he makes your center area more of a liability. He has a ton of fight in him, but he is too small and got pushed around too easily last year.

I am for trading one of our FBs for even a mediocre tackle as a stopgap.

Barbre looked like a turnstile out there, I'll grant you that.

[Harlan Huckleby]

As bad as Barbre was Sunday, he's still way far ahead of '06 Colledge. He can at least run block occasionally.

You're killing me. NOBODY was as bad as Barbre Sunday night, that was a historic exhibition. That was worse than some of the classic olineman stinkers up in the humper dome. It doesn't matter if Barbre is an all-pro run blocker if he can't protect the QB.

And he has two relatively easy weeks to acclimate himself to the pressure, so it's way to early to panic after one bad game.

Every game that you delay making the switch is one less game that a new lineup has to work together. It's not a question of panic, its getting the best five best guys on the field EARLY in the season so they can build some consistency.

As unenthusiastic as I am about Wells, he doesn't hurt the team.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I am for trading one of our FBs for even a mediocre tackle as a stopgap .

To get a guy who can play, you'd have to trade Chiller.

[pbmax]

Colledge was not benched while playing tackle. He has always been an injury replacement at tackle. Jason Taylor made Colledge look like Barbre the first two pass plays then they sent the TE over on a more or less permanent basis for that Miami game.

I would hope Lang would go to LG in your configuration of Colledge at Right Tackle. But if Wells is truly their sixth best, he might go in. I think swapping around 3 lineman would be worse than waiting for Barbre to get his act together. Has Colledge played any Right Tackle at all?

And remember, Bruce Wilkerson started finally in Game 4 versus Minnesota I think of the 96 season.