Packers Free Agent Needs: Offensive Line

by Brandon on Feb 22, 2010 11:00 AM CST in Green Bay Packers Free Agency

Two general items up front: 1. Restricted free agents aren't real free agents. Anyone worth keeping will receive a high tender (1st and 3rd round, 1st round, or 2nd round picks as compensation) and it won't cause any salary cap problems in an uncapped year. "Teams have the leverage." Other NFL teams aren't going to offer a big contract and surrender a high draft pick. 2. The best thing the Green Bay Packers could do in free agency is resign all their current free agents.

The top two unrestricted offensive tackles are the Packers own: LT Chad Clifton and RT Mark Tauscher. So says Pro Football Focus, and Walter Football, as two examples. The downside: both players have dealt with injuries over the past two seasons and logged 10+ seasons in the NFL. The upside: they are the best the unrestricted free agent market has to offer, neither should attract a huge contract, and they both played well late in the season. With the exception of OL T.J. Lang, there is nobody else on the current roster that is good enough to play at either tackle position, so resigning both of them is important.

RG Josh Sitton is solid, and he started every snap in 2009. Unfortunately, the top 2 unrestricted guards play on the right side, Bengals G Bobbie Williams and Patriots G Stephen Neal. Signing either would require a move for Sitton to the left side, and I'm not sure that's a good idea. Plus Williams and Neal should expect big money. LG Daryn Colledge gave up a ridiculous 9 sacks last season, but his starting job was never in doubt either. The team seems to love C/G Jason Spitz for his size, on-field play, and versatility. The Packers should tender them both at their original draft spots (Colledge, 2nd round, and Spitz, 3rd round) for just over $1 million each. That tender should scare off most teams due to Colledge's poor 2009, and Spitz's season ending back injury.

Who should the Packers should sign? I'm not in favor of signing anyone from another team, but after Williams and Neal, I'll point out two other names.

Texans LG Chester Pitts. He'd be a pursued free agent this year, except he destroyed his knee back in September. His value before the injury was even in doubt over at Battle Red Blog. His knee might be so bad that he might not end up signing anywhere.

Browns RG Rex Hadnot. While he played mostly at right guard last season, the Packers could ask him to play on the left side. He's viewed as a backup in Cleveland, but he only allowed 2 QB pressures in 2009. While there's a lot of room to improve on Colledge, there's a lot of risk in asking a backup RG to become a starting LG. I'm not in favor of signing Hadnot, but it might be the best low cost free agent signing the Packers could make for the offensive line.

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bad luck

looks like the pack are gonna have to cross their fingers and hope cliffy and tausch make it through 1 more or possibly 2 more seasons. scary situation. especially the LT spot. cliffy is being held together by duct tape and we have nobody else on the roster who can play the position.

cliffy probably realizes this as well, so signing him on the cheap isn’t going to happen. if tt thinks he can sign cliffy to a 1 year deal he’s mistaken. cliffy has all the leverage in this situation. he’s the #1 lt free agent this year, shocks me as well———-2. the packers have a bunch of gaurds on their roster——-3 . by the time the pack drafts the legitimate LT’sil be long off the board.

by hermitcrab on Feb 22, 2010 11:49 AM CST reply actions

You really think Clifton has that much leverage? He only has leverage if someone else is interested in him. I honestly doubt there will be much interest. If he wants too much, they’ll look elsewhere. I really don’t think he holds the cards at all. If he was playing at a super high level…then he would have it but honestly at this stage, he average and old which are two traits taht will keep his value and leverage down. At least in my estimation.

by TrevorR on Feb 22, 2010 1:20 PM CST up reply actions

I'm With U TR ~

I don’t think Clifton has much leverage at all… He knows his days are numbered and the chance of him getting a big FA payday are long gone… i would tender him at a 3rd round pick at the most… I think he’ll start out at LT this year for the Pack… Unless we do draft a LT in the 1st… Then he’d still be good insurance… How many picks do we have right now? 8 counting a compensatory pick in the 5th??? I wouldn’t mind seeing 3 OL drafted!!! (1LT, 1RT, & 1 LG) 1 RB… and the rest Defense!!!!

Defense wins championships… (Sort of) : ) If you look at the SuperBowl this year… A jumped route by a good CB was the deciding factor… (Granted Wayne ran a terrible route and my 20 year old daughter could have defensed that play…) But one turnover by Peyton was the deciding factor!!!!

But… Watching that game… Neither defense was dominating… Though NO did get some pressure on Manning… and after the Colts put some pressure on Breezy… He went to the very short passing game which wasn’t their bread & butter… They adapted to the pressure by getting rid of the ball quick… ARod can do that too when he doesn’t have 3 guys in his face!!!! I’m excited… I want Clifton and Tauscher back… if only for insurance and I don’t think anyone will go after them in FA…

On a side note: If TT drafts a WR, QB, & a 5’10 CB… I might have to drive to Wisconsin!! LOL…

by Bird Dog Uni on Feb 23, 2010 3:43 PM CST up reply actions

Agree

He may even take a cut just to stay on a playoff team where he’ll start.

by MikeDB on Feb 23, 2010 7:02 PM CST up reply actions

yep

i really do think cliffy has more leverage. unless you know something most fans don’t. their is no other option at LT for the pack. look elsewhere? where would that be? the draft? that would require a drastic move up to get a legitimate LT and i just don’t see that happening…

by hermitcrab on Feb 22, 2010 1:44 PM CST reply actions

If the Packers move to take Bulaga, or he falls into the range of possibility

I think Thompson will most definitely draft Bulaga, resign Tauscher, and move Bulaga to LT.

Clifton will likely just hang on until someone decides what to do with him. I don’t know; Clifton was very, very iffy last year with all the injuries and the Packers may be more hesitant to hand him a new deal.

by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 22, 2010 5:24 PM CST reply actions

bulaga

this theory will blow up if bulaga is drafted before we pick——-first off nobody knows who tt is going to pick——you can break it down to 10 names and pick it out of a hat——heck he could trade out of the first rnd again and get 3 2nds and draft another wr,qb, and cb——-

by hermitcrab on Feb 22, 2010 6:00 PM CST reply actions

I agree there…Rodgers was NEVER supposed to be available when our pick came too. YOu are right, you NEVER know!

by TrevorR on Feb 22, 2010 9:26 PM CST up reply actions

Bulaga

Most recent most drafts have him as high as No. 6 overall to the Seahawks. His thyroid condition was a concern that left him available when the Packers were to select, but something changed recently, apparently it’s not a concern anymore, and now he’s a projected Top 10 pick.

by Brandon on Feb 23, 2010 1:42 AM CST reply actions

There is a LOT of time yet for all of this to change. Honestly mock drafts in February are junk. Things change a TON in the next month or so with combines and college visit days and stuff. He could blow his numbers and fall or do great and fly up the charts.

by TrevorR on Feb 23, 2010 9:11 AM CST up reply actions

Brandon -- you are nuts

Why in the world would you want to tender Colledge with a 2d round pick? You are3 correct that this would scare off all other teams, because the guy is definitely NOT worth a second round pick. Colledge, more than Barbre (I submit) is responsible for the pathetic o-line play during the first half of the season. With Barbre, at least, the coaches knew there would be a learning curve, and they could have adjusted protection schemes to help him out. That wasn’t possible, however, because Colledge kept getting blown up.

As hermitcrab (recently) and I (since last summer) have repeatedly pointed out, there are no legitimate tackles on the roster apart from the aging Tauscher and Clifton. Lange is a guard and EVERYBODY needs to dismiss the notion of him being a tackle; similarly, Barbre looks like a guard as well. That means that on the current roster there is Spitz (if you are willing to settle for Wells at center, which I would not), Sitton, Colledge, Lange and Barbre, and also that guy with the Italian name who can’t ever get on the field. That’s a lot of guards and no tackles. And contrary to Thompson’s belief, lienmen who are “versatile” are not good guards or good tackles — they tend to be mediocre at both positions.

by ktenreb on Feb 23, 2010 7:11 AM CST reply actions

I think you are right on here…we have no tackles. TT theory on athletic lineman is a failure. He MUST change that this year. We need to get a Loadholt kind of guy who is OBVIOUSLY in the mold of OT.

by TrevorR on Feb 23, 2010 9:10 AM CST up reply actions

It was his fascination with zone blocking

He figured he could get five guys who are all the same and put them in a zone blocking scheme, on the theory that mov3ement and cut blocking will hide a lack of talent. I think it’s crap, and I think he does too because Sitton is definitely NOT a prototype guard in a zone-blocking scheme.

by ktenreb on Feb 23, 2010 10:23 AM CST up reply actions

ZBS

The zone blocking scheme was brought in by McCarthy!!! It was not Thompson who wanted it… It was McCarthy! When Thompson hired McCarthy as HC he started looking for the smaller more athletic OL. Thompson had NOTHING to do w/ the decision to switch to the zbs. Other than hiring McCarthy!!!

Quite blaming Thompson for everything that you percieve is wrong. IF McCarthy had wanted a man blocking scheme that is what we would still have…

by Strohman on Feb 23, 2010 3:21 PM CST up reply actions

Hey Stroh ~ Keep Banging the TT DRUM!!! :)

I still haven’t forgiven him for Harrell… LOL… (I forgave him for Rodgers!!!) At the time I wasn’t thrilled… He saw the future… I didn’t…

Too bad he didn’t see the future of our Tackle problems… (I’m not fully over him drafting 2 QB’s last year!!!)

I will be right beside you banging that drum as long as he drafts for our needs this year!!!!! We’ve discussed our needs many times over the past few weeks… We agree on the most part… I just hope Ted doesn’t make a bone head pick when we are sooooo close to going to the big dance!!!! (Like McCluster in the 2nd!!! That would not make my day!!!)

Seems like every year… He makes one pick that just leaves me scratching my head!!!! lol

GO PACK!!!!!

by Bird Dog Uni on Feb 23, 2010 4:08 PM CST up reply actions

TT did draft tackles

While I don’t praise the picks as particularly wise or effective, TT has looked to the future and drafted tackles: Giacomini, Merideth, Barbre and Moll. Unfortunately, none have worked out. Lang and Colledge were also tackles in college. The problem is not that TT wasn’t looking to the future in regards to tackles, but that his evaluation of players at that position seems to have been as weak as his picks at that position.

by MikeDB on Feb 23, 2010 7:09 PM CST up reply actions

Yeah, your right. It’s not like the guy has just ignored us needing tackles, it’s that he just hasn’t been able to get any good ones.

by packallday555 on Feb 23, 2010 7:47 PM CST up reply actions

huh? I think you are confused. I am one of the guys who backs TT most of the time…you must have me confused with someone else. Unless you are being sarcastic…

In support of my comment, is TT not the guy pulling the strings on the draft picks for the most part? Its a team effort for sure, my point was NOT to criticize Thompson but to emphasize that we are drafting the WRONG kinds of guys and its shown.

by TrevorR on Feb 23, 2010 9:54 PM CST up reply actions

McCarthy brought it in to cover up a lack of talent in the offensive line

Zone blocking is a way to skimp on offensive linemen because it is easier to find smaller guys who are “athletic” than it is to find pile-driving studs. Don’t fool yourself — Thompson was behind the zone blocking scheme. McCarthy had no choice because he didn’t have true NFL-caliber guards at the time. He has one now — Sitton — but unfortunately he doesn’t have two (Spitz might be, but then you have to go with a below average center), and the tackles who Thompson inherited are now past their prime with no viable replacements on the roster.

I disagree with your arguments about Thompson’s draft of tackles. Virtually all of the “tackles” he drafted were tweeners. They may have played tackle in college, but they are not NFL-caliber tackles (and I submit that this was known when they were taken). In fact, of all the names mentioned, none are true tackles.

by ktenreb on Feb 24, 2010 5:26 AM CST up reply actions

Agreed, we need to draft REAL OTs. The whole versaile OL thing is a joke, and it’s pretty clear now that, that does NOT work. I hope to god we don’t re-sign Colledge, he is absolutely terrible. Can’t run block what so ever, and is probably even worse in protection, which for an OG is pretty embarrassing. The guy needs to go.

by packallday555 on Feb 23, 2010 10:20 AM CST up reply actions

Hey Packallday... ; )

Me 3…. Colledge might be a great guy… but, that doesn’t win FB Games!!!! Hope Lang can play left guard this year beside a Bulaga or Williams…. or even Brown if we have to go that route…

Agree with you & Brandon that Clifton and Tauscher… are our only tackles… That is why I wouldn’t mind drafting A REAL LT and a RT this Draft!!! Can’t wait for the combine to start…

Does anyone think that Jared Veldheer kid is worth a 7th round pick? Or will his stock go up after the combine? I’m really hoping TT has a couple guys he’s looking at as undrafted FA too… and get rid of some of the dead weight on our roster!!!

GO PACK!!!!!

by Bird Dog Uni on Feb 23, 2010 3:57 PM CST up reply actions

wow

fat guys win football games.

football 101

13 out of 16 o-lineman in the pro bowl this year were either 1st or 2nd round picks. i know it’s not a wow pick, but besides the qb, quality o-lineman are the 2nd most imp. position on the field. afterall, they do protect and run block for teams franchise players.

by hermitcrab on Feb 23, 2010 12:08 PM CST reply actions