Run Game Analysis: Its the Guys Upfront

[RashanGary]

Well, my comparison was to Lang, who sucked at tackle and at that point in his career was so/so at guard. I'm comfortable with my observations at the time. Guy has potential. He's just not ready and he's had a horrible stroke of luck.

[HarveyWallbangers]

On a side note from JSO's daily camp report:

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/camp-report-a-look-at-packers-monday-practice-b9973996z1-219357681.html

T Derek Sherrod progressed enough to perform some individual drills Monday with position coach James Campen.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Well, my comparison was to Lang, who sucked at tackle and at that point in his career was so/so at guard. I'm comfortable with my observations at the time. Guy has potential. He's just not ready and he's had a horrible stroke of luck.

Most were comparing Sherrod to Lang at OG. (The loser of the starting OG spot was auditioning as a backup OT.) Clifton and Bulaga were still playing at the OT spots, so the fact he was a shitty tackle didn't really factor into the evaluation. And most felt like Lang was looking pretty good at OG--which turned out to be prophetic for the Packer Rats because Lang went on to have a pretty good year as the starting LG.

[RashanGary]

We're not that far off, HW. Sherrod has a chance. I just think he's coming into a more competitive situation and he's no better than he was when he went down as he's done nothing to improve his game since. I think we both think he's not likely to start over one of the guys we have this year, right? He's gonna need time to get his game together?

I'm not calling him a failure, just a high-risk pick that's had a lot of thigns go wrong so far. I hope for the best and can envisino it too. I just think it's far more realistic to think he's going to be our 4th tackle this year, with the potential to be our #1 next year.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Look, I don't remember him looking stellar immediately, but I don't think he looked awful. He had some bad moments, but it's not Allen Barbre we are talking about. Just looking at the videos you can see a guy who has intriguing talent, if he was able to sharpen his game (e.g. become more consistent). The fact he didn't have any offseason work and was playing out of position at OG much of the time puts into perspective what he was trying to do. (Not to mention the fact that you even acknowledged at the time that the kid was raw because of where he played college ball.) It didn't always go well, but he obviously had some good and bad moments both in the preseason and the regular season, and flashed some good potential. He was also 6'6" 320 with serious athletic ability.

[HarveyWallbangers]

We're not that far off, HW. Sherrod has a chance. I just think he's coming into a more competitive situation and he's no better than he was when he went down as he's done nothing to improve his game since.

Very true, but I want to see him get healthy and get some practice because he probably still has the most upside of any of these OT candidates.

[RashanGary]

Very true, but I want to see him get healthy and get some practice because he probably still has the most upside of any of these OT candidates.

Yeah, for sure, and I'm with you that TT is a pretty good GM. There's a good chance Sherrod has some things that are NFL worthy. Most of Ted's high picks that bust, bust because of injury, not being bad football players.

[George Cumby]

Well, I looked for video and only found highlights of one preseason game in Green Bay.

Here he's playing a new position at LG. He does a nice job with the stunt by chipping the first guy and getting back to stop the stunt inside.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWUy1z7HdCU

At LT in the same game, he stones the rusher. Unlike Newhouse, he stuck with his block also.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qh2qR2NpElM

Here he is beat by an inside move, but Rodgers gets the ball off before being sacked:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8miUe6B7ieg

Here he makes a nice downfield block as a LG:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LzQOY7rElY

Dude is 6'6" 320 with good athletic ability. Personally, I hope he gets healthy because he has a lot of potential.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taaxYtUsefo

After Justin Harrell and his injuries, it's hard not to think his career is basically over before it began though.

Thanks, Harv.

The kid can move, can't he?

[pbmax]

PB, I don't remember seeing enough of Sherrod to formulate an opinion. What did you see in Sheerod to have such a high opinion of him? And when?

Well, my memory of this season is fading as I discovered a couple of months ago when I was convinced it was the Redskins he came in against to sub for Newhouse who had to move left for injured Clifton. Joe had to set me straight that it was versus the Falcons (Game#5). He did get what might be some scrub snaps the week before versus Denver (gm4). After Bulaga came back, Sherrod only saw some snaps in Game 9 versus the Vikes.

He split the Oakland game (#13, this is what Patler is referring to above) after having gotten practice reps at Left Tackle, competing with Newhouse. He did not start but went into the game after a Bulaga injury versus KC (#14) and then the rest of his time is speculation.

When he played in preseason, there were two things evident. He simply did not have the small space quickness or low level power (drive blocking) to be an elite Guard. He was clearly not in the mold of a Rivera or traditional Guard. He might have developed into a Wahle type, where power is not his game but technique, leverage, arms and movement are used. But he was not that player yet and it might be wise to remember Wahle looked like he was failing at two positions before figuring Guard out in Year 3 I think. As the scouts say, he wasn't a natural here.

But even at Guard where he could look like an out of position rookie, when he locked on to someone in pass pro, he did not lose his guy. They didn't blow by him and they did not disengage. Now sometimes he went one way and the play went another but early he looked most like a rookie sorting it out.

At tackle, you then saw his feet which are better than Newhouse's, his kick step (first movement out of stance to begin pass block) and punch. The first two were better than anyone else on the roster except Clifton and maybe Bulaga. His punch wasn't much and he might have needed to be stronger here.

But even catching the rushing end, he locked on and did not let his guy go. It wasn't Lang who was too aggressive and would lunge or lean one way and get beat by a counter move. It wasn't Newhouse who made an initial punch but often loses contact. I also think he was more stubborn than Newhouse if the end went wide, but they were fewer instances of that happening. He simply could take his guy where he wanted.

As I am sure Justin has pointed out somewhere in this thread, his run blocking was meh, he was essentially a big body in the way. He is not a drive blocker. But Clifton was the same guy and played at an Pro Bowl level for a decade. As Baranczyk pointed out, a big body standing up in the way, getting a draw, is sometimes all you need. He needed work and reps with the run blocking. But he is very smart and he would have continued to get better.

Outside of the college offense angle, his resume screams success. Best lineman on his team, won conference awards, started a ton of games. But he needs to get on the field.

I just don't understand the urge to say we did not see it in camp therefore it doesn't exist. Clifton didn't win the job in camp. Wahle failed Clifton into a starter.

[Zool]

Being called a homer when I don't consider myself a homer is insulting.

Here's a handy legend I've developed in my time here.

If you disagree with Wist you're a moron who can't make logical decisions.
If you disagree with Bretsky, you're a homer.

[Fritz]

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packe...219147971.html

After reading McGinn's very fair analysis of the tackles, I come away thinking Newhouse and Barclay are going to have a heck of battle for the RT job. I think perhaps it is God's plan for Barclay to win because he was created as a RT and Newhouse came from the LT bin. But I will not be shocked if Newhouse gets his act together and starts, he's bigger and more athletic.

I like this idea - God up in heaven, all white robes and flowing white beard, wondering who should start for the Packers at left tackle.

Belichek, of course, is the Faust of the NFL and will be chumming around with Aaron Hernandez in hell. St. Vince, on the other hand, will be ushering the new guys through St. Peter's gate and whispering in God's ear that they need to be patient with Sherrod and in the meantime, they ought to start that tough kid, Barclay, at right tackle.

[mraynrand]

T Derek Sherrod progressed enough to perform some individual drills Monday with position coach James Campen.

and Campen beat him

[denverYooper]

and Campen beat him

heh heh. When guys keep saying that Bakhitiari is well coached I keep thinking "they'll fix that"

[pbmax]

Forgot about this:

TomSilverstein: Derek Sherrod has a knee sprain. Both he and Cobb may come back this week. B.Jones has a knee sprain and is day to day. [via Twitter]

Was he playing with an injury Friday night? If he was, could possibly explain some of his problems Friday night.

Anyone remember how much time this cost him? Was this when lang moved to Guard full time and Sherrod to tackle when he came back?

[pbmax]

And oh the heady days of Sampson Genus. Where is he today?