Mike Vandermause has a good article online about the Green Bay Packers who should be expecting to fight for their roster spot come training camp based on who the Packers selected in the April draft. Assuming both 1st round pick LT Bryan Bulaga and 5th round OL Marshall Newhouse make the roster, who are the most likely offensive lineman to be released during training camp?
My first thought was someone who probably comes easily to mind (Allen Barbre!!!) but actually I didn't think it was fair to pick on him when there were a couple other lineman (G Evan Dietrich-Smith and RT Breno Giacomini) who couldn't beat out him for the starting spot during the preseason. As bad as Barbre was at right tackle, how bad must have those two players been? Maybe Dietrich-Smith was never given a chance since he played exclusively at center and guard. And that leads to the point that where the coaches decide they play will make a big difference.
Newhouse played left tackle in college but he played guard at the rookie camp. It's still possible he plays almost exclusively at another position like right tackle when the OTAs start on May 17. Who exactly is Newhouse competing against? Is it one of the interior lineman or one of the tackles?
Bulaga might not battle any lineman for a roster spot. Maybe he'll only play at left tackle and they'll carry one extra o-lineman in 2010 so they still have the same depth across the entire line.
I don't think we'll start to see who's really in trouble until the OTAs start later this month. If I'm wrong, then who is the most endangered offensive lineman going into next season?