Mike Neal

[Patler]

It's probably a make-or-break year for Neal, but I do think you're a little harsh on Sherrod. He's a second year player who was out the vast majority of last season with an injury. And I did not see him as ineffective as you seemed to. He showed flashed of ability to me, at least.

I'm not being harsh on Sherrod as in suggesting he never will become anything, but he has to prove it. Too many fans anointed him the LT this year, and seem to assume he will take over when healthy. In my opinion, he was awful in preseason last year, and was only marginally better in his brief appearances until the game he was injured in, when he was maybe just a bit better.

All in all I was much more disappointed in what he did last year than encouraged by it. Much, much more.

[rbaloha1]

Sherrod has nice feet and long arms. Shall battle Newhouse for lt.

[Brandon494]

Sherrod will be our starting LT next season barring any injury.

[pittstang5]

IMO - Richardson to IR to make room for Neal.

[OS PA]

Greg Jennings to IR designated to return. Neal in. After week 8, Merling gone.

[HarveyWallbangers]

You don't IR Jennings for a 2-3 week stint on IR. Save it in case somebody important is out for awhile (somebody you hope can make it back for the playoffs).

[Bretsky]

Pater...completely agree on your take on Sherry last year; I hope he ends up being our future stud LT but I didn't see any reason to drink the homer juice last year. To me, he went from being terrible to bad.

[Patler]

Sherrod has nice feet and long arms. Shall battle Newhouse for lt.

Sherrod will be our starting LT next season barring any injury.

I hope you are right. It would be good to have a big, dominant LT; one better than Newhouse.
.
Watching Sherrod last year I had flashbacks to John Michels. A very tall, thin, athletic LT with the frame to add muscle and bulk. He looked perfect for the position at the time. But, the game seemed too big for him when he played. Some say he would have still developed into what they expected, but a knee (or was it a hip) became a chronic issue that ended his career.

It would be good for the Packers if they didn't have to use another high draft pick to improve the position, which I suspect they will if Sherrod doesn't come through.

[smuggler]

I think Newhouse will be a backup swing tackle next year. He's okay, but Sherrod might be special.

[sharpe1027]

I hope Neal has a chip on his shoulder and wants to prove something. There is nothing like a pissed of DL to add some toughness to your team. Just as Detroit and Suh (Neal doesn't have to go that far).

[rbaloha1]

I hope Neal has a chip on his shoulder and wants to prove something. There is nothing like a pissed of DL to add some toughness to your team. Just as Detroit and Suh (Neal doesn't have to go that far).

Nice observation. Expect Neal to start performing like Jenkins.

[Patler]

I think Newhouse will be a backup swing tackle next year. He's okay, but Sherrod might be special.

Just curious, on what do you base that opinion of Sherrod? I don't recall any predraft opinions that he was anything more than a reasonable prospect. Has he done anything since to show that predraft opinions undervalued him?

[wist43]

Merling should be playing... he should be playing base downs in a rotation with Pickett and Raji.

It goes back to the 3 man rush thread and arguing about the usage of front seven personnel. Merling isn't a world beater, but he's a fat guy that can eat up blocks, eat up snaps, and take some of the workload off of both Pickett and Raji.

As it is, Capers is using his front seven almost identical to the way he used it last year - and he's going to end up burning Raji out the same as he did last year.

Not only should they keep Merling, they should add Neal, subtract from the roster somewhere else, and get both of those guys into a rotation.

Not holding my breath though... Capers isn't going to change what he's doing; and Pickett and Raji's effectiveness will likely wane as the season wears on - same as last year when we had 6 sacks in the last 7 games.

[Fritz]

We're doomed. We're all gonna die.

[Smeefers]

I thought if you IR'd someone, they had to stay out a minimum of 8 weeks before you brought them back... just to prevent this sort of thing.