It's the off-season, how many "ifs" are too many to hope for?

[bobblehead]

That might be an excuse not to expend big resources on a shiny new safety but the position must still be addressed. That secondary plays a lot worse than the sum of its parts yet we have to pay for the parts ala carte. I'm not asking for a new water pump, I want some duct tape so I stop pissing coolant on the ground and my new $39 million dollar radiator, $26 million dollar heating core, and old $33 million dollar thermostat can do what I paid for long enough to get me through a season.

I tried that....blew a head gasket

[red]

I disagree about Burnett's deal. I believe he got that deal because he was always "available" (prior to last years beginning). TT and MM seem to really like guys who are always there (see Hawk, AJ).

agreed. at no point have i ever though that burnett looked like a future star, at best i thought he could be a decent starter, nothing more

[Patler]

I disagree about Burnett's deal. I believe he got that deal because he was always "available" (prior to last years beginning). TT and MM seem to really like guys who are always there (see Hawk, AJ).

The 12 games he missed as a rookie didn't count?

[3irty1]

Also its good enough for Burnett but not Raji?

[Bossman641]

In the offseason I let the "ifs" fly. If Sherrod and Bulaga come back healthy and Tretter is the answer at center, we will have an unbelievable OL.

[red]

i'd like to know why anyone thinks tretter is the answer at center?

have we ever even seen him play the position, even in pre season? or are we just taking the coaches word that they think he could make a good center?

[Smidgeon]

i'd like to know why anyone thinks tretter is the answer at center?

have we ever even seen him play the position, even in pre season? or are we just taking the coaches word that they think he could make a good center?

Word around his draft was that he was a better Matt Birk prototype than Matt Birk was.

[red]

Word around his draft was that he was a better Matt Birk prototype than Matt Birk was.

he was a tackle in college, who many thought would have to move to guard, who the hell was comparing him to birk?

from what i can tell, all the optimism comes from this article

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/packers-rookie-tackle-jc-tretter-showing-skills-at-center-b99158059z1-234857661.html

where larry mac says he has "a long ways to go but has good knee bend"

the article also talks about how he could be a center because his body looks like a center

are we ready to hand over the starting center job to a guy who's never played there, and has only practiced at the position for a few weeks at the end of this season, when he was splitting time between center and guard?

the big thing i can find where people compare tretter to birk is the fact that they are both o-linemen that went to ivy league schools

[Smidgeon]

he was a tackle in college, who many thought would have to move to guard, who the hell was comparing him to birk?

from what i can tell, all the optimism comes from this article

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/packers-rookie-tackle-jc-tretter-showing-skills-at-center-b99158059z1-234857661.html

where larry mac says he has "a long ways to go but has good knee bend"

the article also talks about how he could be a center because his body looks like a center

are we ready to hand over the starting center job to a guy who's never played there, and has only practiced at the position for a few weeks at the end of this season, when he was splitting time between center and guard?

the big thing i can find where people compare tretter to birk is the fact that they are both o-linemen that went to ivy league schools

I remember the optimism regarding center from at least training camp if not long before. If I recall correctly, people were projecting him to center instead of guard, probably due to his Wonderlic.

[3irty1]

The Birk comparisons are because Birk was also a super athletic Ivy League tackle turned center. He's a former TE so you know he's got the hands for it as well. Also while both him and Rodgers were hurt last year they he got a golden opportunity to work with #12 for a couple of weeks before Rodgers was working with the number 1 offense again.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I'm guessing Tretter is a pretty good prospect. OCs don't get drafted very high because teams undervalue OCs, so one when one gets taken in the 4th round, he's usually a pretty good prospect--somewhat similar to when a FB or K gets taken that high. Word out of practice was he looked pretty good. We'll see. I'd like to get some veteran to compete with him.

[Patler]

McGinns work from the draft:

NFC scout: "One of the favorite guys I did this year. He was a late riser. He wasn't on my list until November. He played left tackle there. He has been the backup center, which he doesn't practice. He's an inside player. He is very athletic. Very smart and very tough. He could go as high as the third round, but you get him in the fourth you're getting a bargain. He will start at an interior position. I would work him at center right away. His strength isn't bad. He's not overwhelming but he's not a guy who's going to lose on strength. And he's only going to get better now that you've got him in an NFL system and he's not going to Ivy League classes all day long."

AFC scout: "He's a good developmental guy. I see him as a fourth- or fifth-round guy. Good up side."

AFC scout: "He's all right. I think he's a center but he never played there. He was a left tackle. He was a quarterback in high school. He's way better than (Greg) Van Roten."

AFC scout: "He actually has some ability. He's not a bad player, he really isn't. Mid-to-late rounds. He is physical."

Read more from Journal Sentinel: http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packe...#ixzz2vhPPCZST
Follow us: @JournalSentinel on Twitter

[red]

alright, alright

[bobblehead]

The 12 games he missed as a rookie didn't count?

No. In true statistical fashion I chose the sample that started immediately after that and thus fit my story best. TT has a lousy playoff record in the last 3 years.

[pbmax]

MULTIPLE ENDPOINTS!