Packers dominating the free agent market!!

[run pMc]

Wahle/Clifton/Taucher/Rivera/Flanagan(wells)

was a Top 5 OL, and one of the best GB has had in the last 25 years. Tough to match that criteria.

I'd put the current OL somewhere in the middle...like in the 15-20 range. It's not a dumpster fire, but they sure aren't a top 5 OL. Lacy made a lot of 1-2 yard runs into 3-4 yard runs in spite of the OL last year.
Getting Bulaga back and having Sherrod/Bahktiari duke it out for LT will be an improvement. EDS vs. either Tretter or Linsley is probably a wash. Many here will argue that not having Newhouse is addition by subtraction.

APRH, this will be a better OL.

[Zool]

Many here will argue that not having Newhouse is addition by subtraction.

Hard to argue against that based on his performance history.

[Fritz]

I think it was EDS who had the poor performance history.

Newhouse simply didn't play very well.

[MadScientist]

EDS vs. either Tretter or Linsley is probably a wash.

If it's only a wash, then both Tretter and Linsley are busts. EDS was not very good last year, which is why the Packers are going with completely untested guys, and EDS walked without so much as an offer.

Of course with Campen coaching the OL, we can expect them to be crap, especially for the first half of the season.

[Fritz]

He doesn't coach 'em up. He coaches 'em down.

[smuggler]

Damn Campen

[Bretsky]

But with Bulaga back, Bak no longer a rookie and either Tretter or Linsley at C our line might be better than some think.

NICE POINTS

I think Tretter has a shot and really like the fifth round center; he's a horse strength wise and comes form a high level program. I'm glad EDS is gone.
Also have always really like Bulaga when he's on the field and the fact that he played part of family night with a torn ACL lets us know he's a tough cookie....just needs to stay healthy

[Guiness]

NICE POINTS

I think Tretter has a shot and really like the fifth round center; he's a horse strength wise and comes form a high level program. I'm glad EDS is gone.
Also have always really like Bulaga when he's on the field and the fact that he played part of family night with a torn ACL lets us know he's a tough cookie....just needs to stay healthy

Center concerns me. The Pack is likely going to start a guy there that does not have an NFL snap under his belt, afaik no backup plan. TT has not often gone looking for outside help when things don't go as planned in TC (Ryan Grant would be the exception). What if the game proves too fast for them? I think I'm most concerned about the line calls, didn't we hear that Kuhn had to make them last year when EDS went down?

[Joemailman]

Center concerns me. The Pack is likely going to start a guy there that does not have an NFL snap under his belt, afaik no backup plan. TT has not often gone looking for outside help when things don't go as planned in TC (Ryan Grant would be the exception). What if the game proves too fast for them? I think I'm most concerned about the line calls, didn't we hear that Kuhn had to make them last year when EDS went down?

Last year Lang played C when EDS had to come out. He wasn't good, but he didn't fall apart either. Tretter is probably the smartest guy on the team, and knew things well enough to be elevated to the 53 man roster late in the season. I would imagine that Linsley playing in Urban Mayer's offense probably had to be pretty good at making line calls.

I think people worry too much about the Center position.

[mraynrand]

Last year Lang played C when EDS had to come out. He wasn't good, but he didn't fall apart either.

Lang is center-right.

[RashanGary]

I have a feeling the OL is going to be better than it's been in a while. There are a lot of arrows pointing up and EDS was pretty bad last year.

[Bretsky]

I disagree with the Campen Bashing; he's an average coach. He's developed some nice improvement on the OL. IMO there are worse coaches on this staff.

[Joemailman]

I disagree with the Campen Bashing; he's an average coach. He's developed some nice improvement on the OL. IMO there are worse coaches on this staff.

I agree. Last year he had a rookie 4th round pick and an UDFA as his starting tackles, and they weren't too bad I'll bet few OL coaches had to make do with less. Campen might have been in over his head when he got the job 8 years ago, but I think he's a decent coach now.

[Fritz]

I have a feeling the OL is going to be better than it's been in a while. There are a lot of arrows pointing up and EDS was pretty bad last year.

I agree with this assessment.

And it's obvious that the arrow wasn't going to be pointing up with EDS around....

[cheesner]

I disagree with the Campen Bashing; he's an average coach. He's developed some nice improvement on the OL. IMO there are worse coaches on this staff.

Who?


I agree that Campen has improved - but I still think he is a weak point for this team. It would be easy to say that the safeties coach must suck based on their play, but Darren Perry has done good things in the past and is fairly highly regarded. I'm willing to give him a pass for last year and say that things were out of his control with what he had to work with.

I forgot about Slocum. Maybe he is below Campen, but there are aspects of special teams which may indicate Slocum is improving as a coach.