Projecting the Packers' Offensive Line 2011/12

[HarveyWallbangers]

If Sherrod shows as much as a rookie as Bulaga did, I would not be surprised if the starting OL was Clifton, Bulaga, Wells, Sitton, Sherrod. Also, I have read that Sherrod might be able to play OG, so you can switch Bulaga and him and have Clifton, Sherrod, Wells, Sitton, Bulaga. That would be a pretty decent group.

[swede]

If Sherrod shows as much as a rookie as Bulaga did, I would not be surprised if the starting OL was Clifton, Bulaga, Wells, Sitton, Sherrod. Also, I have read that Sherrod might be able to play OG, so you can switch Bulaga and him and have Clifton, Sherrod, Wells, Sitton, Bulaga. That would be a pretty decent group.

Interesting take, Harv. For most of us our first thought about Sherrod was that it will be good to have him backing up Clifton until age or injury pushes Sherrod into starting LT.

But, you're right, there is no reason to think that MM and Philbin wouldn't throw their best five lineman out there in much the same way you outlined.

There is also no guarantee that Sherrod is LT before Bulaga.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

I am not so sure that Tauscher won’t be back. He still hasn’t retired and has one year left on his contract. I think he comes back and tries to play one more year, but whether he makes the team or not is another question. I could see:

T: Clifton, Bulaga, Sherrod, Tauscher
G: Sitton, Lang, Schlauderhaff, and maybe Colledge (if we go back to the old rules)
C: Wells, Mcdonald
PS: Newhouse

If I had to guess, I would think Tauscher is gone and Newhouse makes the team. We keep 9 without Colledge back if we go with new rules and 10 with Colledge back if we go back to the old rules.

[pbmax]

I have read that if one of the two first round tackles plays Guard it should be Bulaga. Sherrod was thought to possess less lower body strength and was less effective as a run blocker.

[Tarlam!]

 #	NAME			POS.		HT	WT	Age	EXP
Starters
[B]76	Clifton, Chad		T		6-5	320	34	 12[/B]
[B]74	Newhouse, Marshall	G/T		6-4	319	22	 2[/B]
[B]63	Wells, Scott		C		6-2	300	30	 8[/B]
[B]71	Sitton, Josh		G		6-3	318	24	 4[/B]
[B]75	Bulaga, Bryan		T		6-5	314	22	 2[/B]
[B]		Averagerages			6-4	314	26,4	 2[/B]

Second String
[I]62	Dietrich-Smith, Evan	C/G		6-2	308	24	 2[/I]
[I]78	Sherrod, Derek		T		6-5	321	22	 R[/I]
[I]65	Tauscher, Mark		T		6-3	320	33	 12[/I]
[I]70	Lang, T.J.		T/G		6-4	318	23	 3	[/I]
[I]67	McDonald, Nick		C/G		6-4	316	23	 2[/I]


Practice Squad
[U]	Schlauderaff, Caleb	G		6-4	302	23	 R[/U]
[U] 64	Battles, Adrian		G		6-3	318	24	 1[/U]

Sherrod's development coming out reminds me that of the best player on the roster; I would like to see him sit a year. Learn gain weight and mature. I haven't been a fan of Colledge since he went public with his demands for a bigger contract. I know, I'm alone on that, but his play has been inconsistant. I've seen enouth.

I like Tauscher as a backeruper. I like the youth movement, but I like a healthy mix of old hounds in the locker room.

I have 10 on the roster and two on the PS.

[King Friday]

Sherrod does not impress me as a RT. He's finesse. I don't think Bulaga moves from RT at this point. He's found a home, and there is no reason to move him at this point. Tauscher doesn't have anything left in the tank as a starter IMO.

Also, I don't see why Sherrod should be required to sit and learn. Bulaga stepped in and did fine...and Sherrod is almost on par in terms of raw ability coming out of college. SEC produces a lot of NFL ready DEs...and Sherrod stiffed most of them. Obviously, as long as Clifton is healthy, I don't mind Sherrod as a backup...but I think he's ready to step in and contribute immed if necessary.

[Guiness]

They held on to Giacomini for 3 years, but that was when he was the 4th tackle with the best measurables outside of Clifton. As of now, you have Clifton, Bulaga and Sherrod and Newhouse finds himself in a similar roster spot as Breno, though his prospects aren't as good with 2 high picks in front of him. But the team will likely carry a 4th tackle and its either him or Lang as emergency fill-in.

True, BG did stick around for a while without playing much (at all?). He's still with Seattle now, and still not playing! He was only here for two years though, behind Barbre and Moll though.

[Fritz]

I think Newhouse's health is a key factor. He hurt his back last year - if he comes back from that (and isn't sitting at Mama's table stuffing himself) and is in good shape, then he sticks at the game-day tackle/guard backup. If his back is still giving him trouble or has affected his play, then he's gone.

I think the starting lineup is Clifton/Lang/Wells/Sitton/Bulaga

The backups are Sherrod, Macdonald, Newhouse, and ??

[bobblehead]

Sherrod does not impress me as a RT. He's finesse. I don't think Bulaga moves from RT at this point. He's found a home, and there is no reason to move him at this point. Tauscher doesn't have anything left in the tank as a starter IMO.

Also, I don't see why Sherrod should be required to sit and learn. Bulaga stepped in and did fine...and Sherrod is almost on par in terms of raw ability coming out of college. SEC produces a lot of NFL ready DEs...and Sherrod stiffed most of them. Obviously, as long as Clifton is healthy, I don't mind Sherrod as a backup...but I think he's ready to step in and contribute immed if necessary.

Ok, 2 points in one here. Bulaga never lacked strength, Sherrod does. That is a double point. First, its the reason Sherrod isn't really as suited for the right side, while Bulaga was. Second its the reason Sherrod isn't as ready to start as Bulaga was. You can't gain any strength in an NFL training camp, you need an offseason. Technique you can learn within a training camp. Sherrod is destined to be a backup for a year, its in everyones best interest.

One other point, Bulaga has a tighter frame (shorter arms and legs), which is also better for a RT than a LT, while Sherrod has a longer frame. Sherrod is almost a true LT in every sense of the model.