Cobb

[HarveyWallbangers]

Linsley has done better than expected, but he's had quite a few penalties. I think Tretter is a better player, but I'm not sure Tretter with 6-8 weeks off is better. I wouldn't be surprised if he wins back the job--probably won't happen until an injury opens a spot for him. Who is more likely to kick out with an injury? My guess is Linsley because I think they want Tretter as their long-term starter at OC.

[pbmax]

Linsley has done better than expected, but he's had quite a few penalties. I think Tretter is a better player, but I'm not sure Tretter with 6-8 weeks off is better. I wouldn't be surprised if he wins back the job--probably won't happen until an injury opens a spot for him. Who is more likely to kick out with an injury? My guess is Linsley because I think they want Tretter as their long-term starter at OC.

Two of Linsley's penalties were him simply man-handling his guy and twisting him to the ground (either Bears or Vikings). Looked for all the world like holding to the ref though. Was quite amazing.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Two of Linsley's penalties were him simply man-handling his guy and twisting him to the ground (either Bears or Vikings). Looked for all the world like holding to the ref though. Was quite amazing.

I haven't seen him make a bad penalty all year. The holds were bogus.

I wonder if Sherrod, Taylor and Gerhardt are the worst backups in the NFL. I know it is impossible for a fan to judge this. For sure they are the worst backups the Packers have ever had in my perception.

Tretter coming back is not a luxury, some starter will miss some time.

[sharpe1027]

I don't think that means much anymore. Under the new rules, only the strength & conditioning coaches are allowed to work with the players, except for the few days of off season camps. The players are permitted only minimal time with footballs. MM complained about the fact that centers, qbs, holders, punters and kickers whose basic functions require handling the football aren't allowed to use one during most of the off season.

Tretter never played center in a game until the first preseason game this year. I suspect that he will have to focus on the basics of being a center more than an experienced center like Linsley would have to.

By the time Tretter comes back, he will be the green-eyed rookie and Linsley will be the "vet".

Good point, but he also had a full year learning the green bay offense. Linsley had a lot more to learn from an X and O standpoint.

[Patler]

Good point, but he also had a full year learning the green bay offense. Linsley had a lot more to learn from an X and O standpoint.

Book study, maybe; but Tretter has no advantage over Linsley in practice time with GB. In fact, the advantage might actually go to Linsley in actual practice time. With Linsley's overall advantage in game time as a center in college and the NFL, I think any subtleties for silent count plays would be easier for Linsley to handle than Tretter at this point.

Long term, Tretter might be their guy, but Linsley won't be a push-over to get out of the starting lineup, especially with MM's comments this week about Linsley long term career path.

[sharpe1027]

Book study, maybe; but Tretter has no advantage over Linsley in practice time with GB. In fact, the advantage might actually go to Linsley in actual practice time. With Linsley's overall advantage in game time as a center in college and the NFL, I think any subtleties for silent count plays would be easier for Linsley to handle than Tretter at this point.

Long term, Tretter might be their guy, but Linsley won't be a push-over to get out of the starting lineup, especially with MM's comments this week about Linsley long term career path.

I do not think that's accurate.

"Mentally, everything that he could possibly do to this standpoint based on the medical situation that he went through, you'd be very pleased with now," McCarthy said. "He hasn't played a snap in a game, and I get all the concerns and I understand that, but he's another young man that's in there early in the morning every day working out, voluntarily."

Tretter spent most of the season on the physically unable to perform list, but he was added to the 53-man roster so that he could get in valuable practice time. He was able to start practicing Nov. 19 and got in seven weeks of work.

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/jc-tretter-to-get-first-stab-at-packers-center-job-b99235183z1-252842491.html

[denverYooper]

I do not think that's accurate.

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packe...252842491.html

?? Your article is from March 24, 2014. A lot has changed since then, including Linsley being drafted, being asked to play on little preparation and playing well in live game situations. If you're referring to the number of weeks/reps, Tretter injured his leg on Aug 22nd. We're in week 7, and Linsley has started every week. So he's gotten 7 weeks of practice and game reps with the #1 offense plus 2 weeks. That's 9 weeks with the 1s and there are 3.5 weeks until they can activate Tretter. 12.5 weeks with the 1s and 8 real games. There is a lot of difference between mental reps and live ones, and by the time Tretter gets back, Linsley will have played over half of this season's away games (SEA,DET,CHI,MIA,NOR) in some very challenging environs -- which was the original animus of this whole Linsley vs Tretter snap count discussion.

I don't see how it's going to just be straightforward to unseat Linsley at this point, regardless of what M3 said in March of this year.

[Pugger]

Tretter was a tackle in college. Seeing as how poorly the most recent Sherrod experiment went, I think it's more likely he is cut and Tretter is a backup tackle, not guard.

However, by all accounts Tretter was winning the center contest in TC hands down so I wouldn't dismiss Tretter returning to the starting lineup just yet.

[3irty1]

I'm not convinced Linsley is doing a good job. He's certainly has proven to not be a liability as a snapper or blocker but the responsibility of making line calls and such also falls on the center and I can't help but wonder if he's the reason our line is playing so much worse than the sum of its parts, particularly in the run game.

However, Tretter can probably play 5/5 positions on the OL. He may be the better starter at center but he's definitely the better backup.

[Patler]

From Mike McCarthy:

I think from a confidence standpoint with Corey, no one ever wavered because what you were able to see him do in training camp. He's one of those guys, as a rookie, that came in here and you knew right away he belonged. First day of pads, this guy – he's a powerful young man and fit right in. That's why I was never worried about him because mentally he's very sharp, very detailed, played in a big time program. He has a lot of things going for him. I will say this, if things keep going the way they're going, I think we'll look back on this start as one of the more impressive situations a young player has stepped up and performed in my time here, and we've had a lot guys step up.(Emphasis added.)

Doesn't sound to me like MM is likely to put Tretter in, just to see how he will do. There might be an open competition in training camp next year, but I suspect the job is Linsley's for this year.

Tretter was doing well, but that was preseason facing a lot of marginal guys and simple defenses. We have seen a lot of preseason stars who perform much less well when the season starts. Linsley will have half the season in by the time Tretter is ready to play, maybe more.

[Patler]

I do not think that's accurate.



http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packe...252842491.html

what are you questioning the accuracy of?

[Guiness]

However, by all accounts Tretter was winning the center contest in TC hands down so I wouldn't dismiss Tretter returning to the starting lineup just yet.

He might, but I don't think it will be this season without an injury or someone really shitting the bed. I agree with the others here that Tretter's starting experience (0 games!) is key, it's not like it's Alex Mack or Nick Mangold coming back. Linsey is a season vet in comparison. The dude in charge of line calls, snap counts, etc, is not something you want to change part way through the seaon

[sharpe1027]

?? Your article is from March 24, 2014. A lot has changed since then, including Linsley being drafted, being asked to play on little preparation and playing well in live game situations. If you're referring to the number of weeks/reps, Tretter injured his leg on Aug 22nd. We're in week 7, and Linsley has started every week. So he's gotten 7 weeks of practice and game reps with the #1 offense plus 2 weeks. That's 9 weeks with the 1s and there are 3.5 weeks until they can activate Tretter. 12.5 weeks with the 1s and 8 real games. There is a lot of difference between mental reps and live ones, and by the time Tretter gets back, Linsley will have played over half of this season's away games (SEA,DET,CHI,MIA,NOR) in some very challenging environs -- which was the original animus of this whole Linsley vs Tretter snap count discussion.

I don't see how it's going to just be straightforward to unseat Linsley at this point, regardless of what M3 said in March of this year.

I don't expect Tretter to unseat Linsley at this point either.

[3irty1]

He might, but I don't think it will be this season without an injury or someone really shitting the bed. I agree with the others here that Tretter's starting experience (0 games!) is key, it's not like it's Alex Mack or Nick Mangold coming back. Linsey is a season vet in comparison. The dude in charge of line calls, snap counts, etc, is not something you want to change part way through the seaon

Linsley was a vet in comparison coming into this season as well though and didn't win the job. He's snapped more games than everyone else on the Packers roster combined. And not disrupting the line to not interrupt its chemistry only makes sense if they aren't playing like shit.

[sharpe1027]

what are you questioning the accuracy of?

Relative to the issue we were discussing, snap counts during the past games, they might have been more limited with Linsely because he had less practice time than Tretter. Of course, this will eventually reverse itself as the injury time mounts.