Who's Gonna Poop the Bed?

[Patler]

On the field its no contest who is better. But he has not been on the field and he needs practice reps.

That is where you and I disagree, at least as to how they played in 2011. Yes, on the fateful play, Sherrod was doing OK and Newhouse wasn't, but overall I thought Sherrod was awful from TC on, including the brief times he was forced into action during the season. I will agree that Sherrod should be the better player, but clearly was not during 2011. If he was, he would have been playing ahead of Newhouse, because the opportunity was there.

I agree that Sherrod needs practice time, reps and game exposure. I'm just not sure the Packers can give it to him, because of other tackles with potential, most of whom are cheaper:

Bakhtiari - his draft position virtually guarantees him a spot.
Newhouse - may still be the only viable option to backup "china doll" Bulaga at LT.
Datko - could be the surprise of the group, could eliminate the need for Newhouse as backup LT.
Barclay - showed enough to warrant a serious look at tackle or guard.

Going into their respective final seasons in college, Datko may have been a more highly considered prospect than Sherrod had been. His injury wiped that out, but is apparently finally fixed. One of the writers mentioned that Datko was very noticeably bigger and stronger in his upper body compared to last year, which seems to indicate the shoulder is not restricting his workouts.

Sherrod's best scenario to hang around probably requires that Datko either supplants Newhouse as the Backup LT, or fails miserably and is released. Further, he needs Bakhtiari to win the starting job at RT, since he will be on the roster regardless. He probably needs Barclay to move inside, or to play like an undrafted FA and be released. This would leave Bulaga and Bakhtiari as starters, one of Newhouse and Datko as the backup tackle on either side and the other one off the roster, Barclay out of the picture at tackle and SHerrod as the #4 tackle.

Of course, he could make it easier on himself and outplay all of them for the starting RT spot, or as the primary backup, but I don't see that happening, and then it becomes a numbers problem for him.

Not totally out of the picture that he starts out on PUP list again.

[Guiness]

Ok, I have no idea how this would work in such an odd situation, but is Sherrod eligible for the practice squad????

Pretty close to unprecedented to put a 1st rounder on the PS, and I assume some other team would pick him up just because it could be a great value.

Other than that, I agree that it's a vicious numbers game. Can the dude play center? That seems to be the only OL position that shows some need.

[Maxie the Taxi]

Patler, which guy, out of all the candidates you mention, is the better run blocker?

[Patler]

Patler, which guy, out of all the candidates you mention, is the better run blocker?

Of Newhouse, Barclay, Datko, Bakhtiari and Sherrod? Hard to say, because we have seen nothing of Bakhtiari and Datko when it counts, and not that much from Sherrod. Between Barclay and Newhouse? From what people who know a lot more about it than I do have to say, it might be Barclay.

In reality, it doesn't matter that much, because the best at pass pro will get the jobs. Run blocking will count only if it is close in pass pro.

[Maxie the Taxi]

Thanks. I was thinking that this year, due to the addition of the Golddust Twins II, the running game might throw a whole new complexion on the offense. They say a good pass rush makes the secondary better. I'm thinking a good running game might take some pressure off Arod. Of course the coach has to really commit to it.

[pbmax]

Commitment to a running game wasn't a problem last year, it was the production they got out of it that was a problem. I think a better argument is that they stuck with running too much in 2012 but felt they had no alternative to keep Rodgers upright with problems in pass pro.

Datko could be a guy that replaces Sherrod but his injury comes with as many questions as Sherrod's double fracture. The difference at this point is that Datko got serious reps last year while Sherrod did not. Due to the CBA negotiations, Sherrod has not had that long a period of activity in the pros yet, even including a year he made it to Week 10 of the regular season. In season practice is not as good as training camp reps, and Datko nearly caught Sherrod last year (I think Datko missed a little time at the beginning of camp).

Newhouse was a better run blocker than Night of the Living Dead Clifton. But that isn't saying much. Barclay is a better run blocker than Newhouse, but he was on the right side and that might work to Newhouse's advantage as well now that he has moved. Sherrod was not a drive blocker in college but people had trouble disengaging with him, so he might be OK. Have not seen enough of Datko or Bakhtiari to know.

College film is tough for tackles in the Packers system because what you would really like to do is cut the backside end on zone runs, but the Packers abandoned that with Clifton and Tauscher unable to do it. Newhouse wasn't asked to do it that I saw. College teams run it, but the Packer draft picks are pass pro first guys. I think that goes for Datko too, but I don't recall his profile on run blocking.

[Guiness]

As for Newhouse over Sherrod, availability gives the battle it to Newhouse, obviously. But do not forget that in the fateful KC game, Newhouse lost control of his guy wide once again (and failed to followup again). The KC rusher crashed into RT Sherrod who was doing a fine job blocking his man and giving Rodgers a pocket.

1 play, don't give it too much weight of course. This one time, at football camp, I made the most amazing over the shoulder catch!
(I actually did, and the guys watching cheered. It never happened again )

[HarveyWallbangers]

I remember Sherrod being better than Patler remembers. He didn't dominant and struggled at times, but I don't remember him being awful from TC on. Of course, my memory is getting shorter in my old age. Newhouse has gone through similar stretches in his career - although he's mostly been serviceable. You definitely want better than him, but he hasn't been Allen Barbre awful.

[Bretsky]

IMO he was nothing short of dreadful in training camp before he got hurt. We all pray our OL could be a bit ready and show something like Bulaga...Tauscher....when they are drafted high. ..but he was clearly way behind the eight ball from the start. He showed a couple flashes in his final game before getting Harrelled and some dwell on those flashes as him turning things around IMO.
I stand with Patler on this one.

[Joemailman]

They tried to let Sherrod compete for the starting LG position and he was terrible. He also didn't play well in the preseason at LT. He was forced into the lineup at Atlanta at RT (not his natural position), and after struggling on his first series, I remember the coaches saying they thought he played pretty well. He seemed to be playing well at Kansas City when before he got hurt. I see him as a guy who got off to a rough start, but recovered. Hopefully he'll stay healthy enough that we'll find out which view of him is correct.

[pbmax]

They tried to let Sherrod compete for the starting LG position and he was terrible. He also didn't play well in the preseason at LT. He was forced into the lineup at Atlanta at RT (not his natural position), and after struggling on his first series, I remember the coaches saying they thought he played pretty well. He seemed to be playing well at Kansas City when before he got hurt. I see him as a guy who got off to a rough start, but recovered. Hopefully he'll stay healthy enough that we'll find out which view of him is correct.

I thought it was Washington for his first, mid-season time at RT?

As for Guin's point, it was absolutely only one play. But it perfectly illustrates what you could get out of each. Newhouse at times can barely hang on and he doesn't have a tenacious or hang on for dear life streak. Sherrod more easily dominates (in pass pro anyway). I love what Newhouse has done what he has. I would also love for his limited self to be the best backup tackle in the League.

[RashanGary]

IMO he was nothing short of dreadful in training camp before he got hurt. We all pray our OL could be a bit ready and show something like Bulaga...Tauscher....when they are drafted high. ..but he was clearly way behind the eight ball from the start. He showed a couple flashes in his final game before getting Harrelled and some dwell on those flashes as him turning things around IMO.
I stand with Patler on this one.

I'm with you guys too. He was beaten out by Newhouse. That's just a fact. Sherrod hasn't been able to do anything since he was beaten out by Newhouse 2 years ago. Newhouse is 2 years better. Sherrod is the same, except now he's coming off an injury. I'd be SHOCKED if Sherrod won a job this year. Absolutely shocked. And I'm starting to think he is on the bubble to make this team. Any OL who's worse than Newhouse 2 seasons ago probably isn't good enough to make this team. We're getting better and deeper. It's going to be tough for him.

[Patler]

I'm with you guys too. He was beaten out by Newhouse. That's just a fact. Sherrod hasn't been able to do anything since he was beaten out by Newhouse 2 years ago. Newhouse is 2 years better. Sherrod is the same, except now he's coming off an injury. I'd be SHOCKED if Sherrod won a job this year. Absolutely shocked. And I'm starting to think he is on the bubble to make this team. Any OL who's worse than Newhouse 2 seasons ago probably isn't good enough to make this team. We're getting better and deeper. It's going to be tough for him.

As even more evidence of that, I was reminded over the weekend toward the end of the year, just a bit before he broke his leg, Sherrod and Newhouse alternated at LT during one game. The next week they went back to Newhouse starting and playing full time. That was Sherrod's chance, because Newhouse was just sort of hanging on. Apparently, the coaches still thought Newhouse was the better option then.

[Maxie the Taxi]

Here's the writeup on Sherrod from the NFL Draft Tracker 2011:

Sherrod currently looks more like a backup but could be a future starting tackle if he can add quite a bit of bulk and strength. A nice blend of length and good feet, he can slide laterally with pass rushers and push them by the launch point but struggles to anchor against the bull rush. Could benefit from improving awareness against pressure looks. Uses positioning and instincts as a run blocker to create running lanes but isn't an effective drive blocker and won't push defenders backwards. Has a solid makeup but doesn't possess a non-stop motor or great aggressiveness. Early Day 3 grade.

I'm thinking that TT messed up drafting him in the 1st round.

[Guiness]

JH and pbmax are both right, and that's why this will come down to a camp battle. Bulaga is written in stone, Bakhtiari is a given unless he rots. Sherrod/Newhouse/Datko/Barclay, which of these (or which two) doesn't belong?

For interest's sake, their draft positions, in that order, are 1st/5th/7th/UD. I don't know if Sherrod's draft status will grant him a reprieve anymore, and you have to wonder if the team will show any more patience if he's not 100% ready to go for TC.

Someone remind me who played RT in KC after Sherrod went down? Looking at the game book http://www.nfl.com/liveupdate/gamece...C_Gamebook.pdf the only other OL substitution is EDS. Did he plat RT, or did he come in at RG and Sitton slid outside?