It is official -- Bulaga and Sitton are on the left side

[RashanGary]

I think because of what happened to J. Harrell some folks automatically assume Sherrod is just another Harrell. Harrell's problem was he screwed up his back lifting and that did him in. I've seen other players come back from serious fractures like Sherrod's so I'm not ready to declare Derek a bust. We'll see if he is a full participant in the OTAs later this month.

I'm with you on this. By the time he plays he'll be about a year and a half from seeing the field (if he plays in the preseason.)

A year and a half out of football is a long time. And it's not like he has a lot of experience. He came from Mississippi State. He lacked fundamentals and strength. He's hasn't really been able to practice or work out right since he got in the league. You'd have to look at him similar to a rookie. Except now, rather than being a regular rookie, he's a rookie who's missed 18 mos of football.

Giving up on a high upside player like Sherrod would seem silly. He's got all of the tools and he's a solid person. If his gets back from this injury, he has a real shot at becoming all he can be.

But you have to give him time, even still. It's been a series of bad events for the guy, but he has a chance. Probably mid-season or next year though. You hate to wait that long, but patience can be a virtue. It might be in this case.

[RashanGary]

As for the announced changes, I've been pimping Bulaga for LT since last year, not because he is a budding all-pro, but he will be better than Newhouse. That makes it a step in the right direction.

If Barclay turns into the play it looks like he might be, Lacy (and/or one of the other running backs comes on) and this new left side can run block. . . . Just having balance will slow down the pass rush. As an individual pass protector, I'm not sure Bulaga is all that much better than Newhouse, but his overall game (being a run blocker too) combined with the new look running game, could be enough where the sum of the parts sort of adds up to a little more.

I don't dislike this move, at all. It's a huge shake-up, and there's not a lot of certainty going forward, but they had to do something to get the run game going (which will probably give a boost to all areas of the offense.)

[bobblehead]

If Sherrod is ready to go he may surprise us all and win the RT spot.

If Sherrod were ready to go, none of this would have happened. He is a bigger longer more athletic guy than Bulaga and a more natural LT imho.

This to me means one thing and one thing only. Sherrod is still a year away, and as long as MM was moving Bulaga, he was making the best run blocking OL he could. Right now, I would bet dollars to donuts that Barclay is the RT on day one. In addition to making the best run blocking OL, I believe we are upgrading the LT spot (2nd most important offensive position) significantly which had to be done.

[Pugger]

Bobble, you might be right but then again MM and company may be weary of seeing Aaron get hit like he did with Newhouse over there and the prospect of a kid that has been out of football for 18 months protecting Rodgers' blindside wasn't all that appealing. Seeing who will win the RT spot this summer will be one of the more interesting battles.

[Carolina_Packer]

MM rolled the dice last year when they didn't move Bulaga over to LT and let Newhouse have his chance to solidify the position. It didn't work out. It gave MM time to see if Derek would make a full recovery from his injury. Unfortunately sometimes it's just a wait and see. At some point, you have to make a decision on what is best and go with based on the information you have. That's what MM can control now.

To me, a desperation move would have been to keep waiting until training camp to see if Derek was ready, only to find out he was not. Telling four guys they have to make a position switch at that point would have been much more challenging. I think MM did the right thing for the team based on the information he had now and the time left before the preparation begins.

I wonder where Andrew Datko fits into the picture potentially? I think you could project a depth chart based on who you think will win the RT spot.

Here is one depth chart that I saw from a site called ourlads.com

LT 75 Bulaga, Bryan 10/1 69 Bakhtiari, David 13/4 77 Datko, Andrew 12/7
LG 71 Sitton, Josh 08/4 64 Van Roten, Greg CF12
C 62 Dietrich-Smith, Evan CF09 72 Gerhart, Garth SF12
RG 70 Lang, TJ 09/4 73 Tretter, JC 13/4 68 Hughes, Kevin SF13
RT 74 Newhouse, Marshall 10/5 78 Sherrod, Derek 11/1 67 Barclay, Don CF12

If Sherrod is ready health-wise in training camp, I don't know how he couldn't compete and win the RT spot. Again, IF HEALTHY by training camp, does he almost have to win the RT spot to stay with the team? It would seem pretty embarrassing to be a bench warmer if he's cleared medically and was a full participant in practice. I also think that depth chart discounts what Barclay might do. Also, Newhouse wasn't a stiff at TCU. He played OT. He might excel with the move to RT, unless they want to make him the backup at LT because he knows the position. I guess they could let him compete for the starting spot at RT and then move him back to backup LT once it shakes out.

[bobblehead]

The line has been a sieve no matter how you slice it - this is a desperation move. I don't think I've ever heard of a team doing something like this... it isn't unheard of to flop a couple of guys, but to reorder the entire line - wow!! I'm still shocked.

They flip-flop the entire line b/c of a lack of production; they draft more offensive linemen out of the same cookie cutter mold they've been using for years, and then say they have no idea where they will play - why does anyone wonder why we have problems on the OL??

Why didn't they just try a new formula for evaluating OL in the draft... like some drive blocking ability and toughness?? Wonder where the circus midget will end up??

I believe they did this for the sole purpose of not having Newhouse at LT. He was, imo, a bottom 5 starting LT in the league. I believe that if Sherrod were healthy and ready to go he would be the starting LT unless he fell on his face in camp.

Just my 2 cents.

[bobblehead]

This is about gettin the best players in the most important spots. IMO Bulaga is no star but he's solid. He'll be a better LT than the Smellow. Sitton is good wherever he goes and Lang is decent. Sherrod sucks....I'm not watching his three to five good plays in his career and saying the dude was pulling it together. He blows. Send him sailing along with Brad Jones to JAG Land if they are even that good.

MM also probabaly realizes his 4th round LT is needs to get a lot stronger to contribute at LT......or maybe anywhere this year.

EDS ....not a Fan

DAM................BRIAN SCHWEKE anybody ???????? Dude would also have looked nice with our 3rd round draft pick.

When Tennessee drafted him two picks before our 4th, that is when profanity started bouncing off the Packer Room Walls in the Basement

I thought you were the big draft/college fan. Did you ever watch sherrod in college??

[KYPack]

I think you are being rather severe towards Bulaga. He played like crap against the seahens but he's played well most of the time during his career. I'd rather have him there than another season watching Newhouse get beat like a drum at Aaron's blindside.

Yeah, I gave BB a shot. He is a decent hand, mostly. Smart guy, very prepared with film study, work-out warrior, does all the things you need to do. He's the classic over-achiever, a limited athlete who built himself into a #1 pick. He does real well against guys of equal or lesser ability.

Against the elite?

Look out Nurse.

Bulaga panics when he gets whipped by the top guys and totally freaks out. Lange does the same thing. When things go bad, you must get hold of things and go back to your fundamentals. Bulaga has a tendency to skitz out and try to play harder or quicker or something & it doesn't work. Overall, he has played very well at times, but now we are moving to the side where most teams have their elite pass rush man. I just don't like the percentage of having a limited guy minding that store for us. But was Marshall a better answer at that spot? Hell, I couldn't say that either.

The big move I wanted to see happen was Lang move to C. Have one of the new boys play LG and Sherry become Superman at LT was probably a pipe dream anyway. Let's do the coach's plan. It's aggressive as shit. If this line falls apart, they will look at Mac more than the boys.

[woodbuck27]

If Sherrod were ready to go, none of this would have happened. He is a bigger longer more athletic guy than Bulaga and a more natural LT imho.

This to me means one thing and one thing only. Sherrod is still a year away, and as long as MM was moving Bulaga, he was making the best run blocking OL he could. Right now, I would bet dollars to donuts that Barclay is the RT on day one. In addition to making the best run blocking OL, I believe we are upgrading the LT spot (2nd most important offensive position) significantly which had to be done.

With two more OT's in via the DRAFT:

What's going to happen to OT Marshall Newhouse?

GO PACKERS !

[woodbuck27]

Yeah, I gave BB a shot. He is a decent hand, mostly. Smart guy, very prepared with film study, work-out warrior, does all the things you need to do. He's the classic over-achiever, a limited athlete who built himself into a #1 pick. He does real well against guys of equal or lesser ability.

Against the elite?

Look out Nurse.

Bulaga panics when he gets whipped by the top guys and totally freaks out. Lange does the same thing. When things go bad, you must get hold of things and go back to your fundamentals. Bulaga has a tendency to skitz out and try to play harder or quicker or something & it doesn't work. Overall, he has played very well at times, but now we are moving to the side where most teams have their elite pass rush man. I just don't like the percentage of having a limited guy minding that store for us. But was Marshall a better answer at that spot? Hell, I couldn't say that either.

The big move I wanted to see happen was Lang move to C. Have one of the new boys play LG and Sherry become Superman at LT was probably a pipe dream anyway. Let's do the coach's plan. It's aggressive as shit. If this line falls apart, they will look at Mac more than the boys.

Yes KY... it's going to be intriguing.

I do think this:

MM will be as safe as baked beans and brown bread on a Saturday >>>

He's untouchable.

PACKERS !

[Packman_26]

Let's think about what this really can mean for Sherrod. The guy has missed a year and a half because he broke both bones in his leg and wasn't really in the running for the starting LT position when he got hurt in the first place. Even if McCarthy thought he is back to 100% today, why would he put him back in the running for LT right away without any meaningful playing time? Better yet, what would it say about him if it did? If you keep Bulaga on the right side, the options at LT would be Newhouse and Sherrod. One guy that he wasn't satisfied with last year and one guy that no one really has any idea what he will be able to do. I don't see how this can be viewed as anything other than simply favoring Bulaga over Newhouse and in turn, giving the RT position possibly four viable options with Newhouse, Barclay, Sherrod, and Bakhtiari. I think it's pretty clear that this is the safest play and gives eight offensive lineman a chance for playing time.
If you just don't like all or most of the offensive lineman on the team, fair enough, but that really isn't the issue here. This is the best way to possibly get your 5 best without heavily counting on one of the question marks.

[pbmax]

Bulaga was drafted to be the LT of the future. On an interim basis, he played LG where he seemed to have the upper hand to start until an injury. He became the emergency RT after never practicing there.

I'm not worried about him at LT. I'm not holding my breath for All-Pro awards coming his way, but I expect a significant improvement over what Newhouse has been.

I also expect Barclay to follow Bulaga's developmental path and be much improved in year two. The kid is a scraper. I don't expect significant fall-off from Bulaga at RT to Barclay.

I thought so too when Bulaga was drafted. but subsequent events (Sherrod pick) and the fact that all Packer O line prospects have either played Left Tackle or project to it make me think I was too certain initially.

Bulaga, outside of injuries and the bad start to the year last year, is a picture perfect right tackle with the only weakness being speed on edge. Sherrod was the one who projected most clearly to the left.

But with Newhouse having been found wanting (also the Packers possibly believing he has topped out) and Sherrod no sure thing in terms of his availability, Bulaga is the best candidate available and it makes sense to give him as much time as possibly. But I worry about his trouble with speed on the left side.

But if he is there for camp and preseason, we will get a first hand look at how he fits. I am curious, how much have we seen of Bulaga at Left Tackle?

Patler mentioned his time at LG prior to a camp injury, but where did he practice after that? Because he had 12 starts and played in all 16 games in his rookie year and I think the starts were all at Right Tackle. How much of him have we seen at LT?

[HarveyWallbangers]

I don't see how this can be viewed as anything other than simply favoring Bulaga over Newhouse and in turn, giving the RT position possibly four viable options with Newhouse, Barclay, Sherrod, and Bakhtiari. I think it's pretty clear that this is the safest play and gives eight offensive lineman a chance for playing time.

Indeed.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I thought so too when Bulaga was drafted. but subsequent events (Sherrod pick) and the fact that all Packer O line prospects have either played Left Tackle or project to it make me think I was too certain initially.

Bulaga, outside of injuries and the bad start to the year last year, is a picture perfect right tackle with the only weakness being speed on edge. Sherrod was the one who projected most clearly to the left.

But with Newhouse having been found wanting (also the Packers possibly believing he has topped out) and Sherrod no sure thing in terms of his availability, Bulaga is the best candidate available and it makes sense to give him as much time as possibly. But I worry about his trouble with speed on the left side.

But if he is there for camp and preseason, we will get a first hand look at how he fits. I am curious, how much have we seen of Bulaga at Left Tackle?

Patler mentioned his time at LG prior to a camp injury, but where did he practice after that? Because he had 12 starts and played in all 16 games in his rookie year and I think the starts were all at Right Tackle. How much of him have we seen at LT?

There are definitely question marks. But, worst case scenario, it shouldn't be hard for Bulaga to move back to RT and Newhouse back to LT. McCarthy wants these guys working hard at their new positions, so he won't publicly say this, but I think that is his fallback plan.

[pbmax]

If Sherrod were ready to go, none of this would have happened. He is a bigger longer more athletic guy than Bulaga and a more natural LT imho.

This to me means one thing and one thing only. Sherrod is still a year away, and as long as MM was moving Bulaga, he was making the best run blocking OL he could. Right now, I would bet dollars to donuts that Barclay is the RT on day one. In addition to making the best run blocking OL, I believe we are upgrading the LT spot (2nd most important offensive position) significantly which had to be done.

I think when McCarthy, if being completely honest, said there was no timetable for Sherrod's healthy return to normal practice, that sealed the move.

But even if there was I am not sure if they would trust him yet. And I am not sure they want to yank 3 positions around anymore this year by switching back. I almost cannot imagine the performance from a LT prospect that would unseat Bulaga now.

What is puzzling is why there is no timetable for Sherrod. If it was just medical, there is almost always a timetable. I suspect he simply still isn't comfortable trusting that leg yet, or its giving him discomfort in some way.