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]

[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.