Josh Sitton and TJ Lang on the right side of the line. Just got done watching Packers-and Dallas. I likes how these two worked with each other on the right side of the line. Grant had some nice runs to the right side. Lang just needs to practice and take reps at one position. This could be the future for a long time on the right side of the line.

The left side however needs to be overhauled.

Yea and on a couple of plays Grant had some really nice long runs called back because of holding, usually one of the other lineman on the other side, other wise he might have had 120+ yards rushing. As the o line goes so does this team, wonder if Barbre would work better at a guard spot instead of tackle, he run blocks good and has good speed to get up field, but has been horrible in pass pro on the outside, let him compete for College's spot and hope to draft a good left tackle early in the draft.

I agree on Lang and Sitton. Sitton has been the most consistent performer on the line all year. The only one that hasn't given up a sack. I'm also encouraged by what Lang has been able to do. With more practice and experience, I think he can be a long term starter at RG if they leave him there.

I'm also willing to give Spitz another shot at center next year to see how he does. I think he did ok against the Bears year before moving over to Guard in the middle of the Bengals game because of Cliffy getting injured.

If Spitz can be solid at Center, I think we will only have to worry about 2 spots next year. LG and LT.

For LG, let Barbre, Colledge, and Detrich-Smith fight it out (wouldn't be surprised to Detrich-Smith win).

For LT, see what happens to Cliffy. If he doesn't comes back, draft or sign a LT to replace him and throw Giacomini into the mix to see if he is ready to take a step forward. If he does come back, you still need a decent LT draft pick or Vet FA to be his backup as he will get injured or play poorly during the season. It's very likely that if he is brought back, his play will be worse than it was this year.

Hopefully soon we are going to like the combination of 5 starters!

After the 4 corners of the earth stops shaking the Packers will introduce their new LG Veteran FA signee Logan Mankins.

Darryn Colledge has all the talent necessary to be a fine LG in the NFL but crcumstances has eroded his develpoment. Darryn will stay on the Packers but not as a LG. Most likely as the starting LT until our rookie draft selection is ready.

I would have to say, I'm warming up to Lang (but on the right side).

If the Packers came into next year and the right/middle looked like this Spitz/Sitton/Lang. I would be okay with that.

LT and LG are positions that need to be addressed and given a new look ASAP.

If the Packers snatched Logan Mankins away from the Patriots, I'd be ecstatic. But honestly, TT, more then ever, needs to open up that pocketbook and get aggressive with one of the FA O-lineman this year.

Are there LT's in this next draft that you like? How about Jason Fox? Add him and Mankins to this OL and the unit would be incredibly improved, imo.

I don't think TT can afford to wait and see what happens with Clifton. They need to address LT early with a stud prospect. Period. Wouldn't mind a solid FA signing either. Mankins would make me very happy. I would be more than satisfied with that. Will TT do it? Maybe he feels the heat under his seat a little more than ever this year. Here's hopin'!

In retospect I wish The Pack would have taken Oher in last years draft. He might have been the solution for the next 10 years. I was torn between him and Raji.

How did you feel about Harrell's selection? Because you're saying it's okay to reach about 12 slots and millions of dollars for Oher.

Harrell? Not so good. Oher may have been a reach last year at our spot, but not much of one. I had Raji and Oher as the two guys on my wish list for The Pack's 1st pick. Rated them about even.

I also liked the way TJ Lang handled himself over at RT.Josh Sitton is the Packers best linemen right now so a right side of Sitton and Lang isn't a bad thing for the future or present.

Logan Mankins will not be tagged by NE and I agree with Patty I think he owuld be a player Thompson targets. I would also keep an eye on Jamaal Brown (New Orleans), he is 28 and will be a FA at the end of the 2009 season. He is hurt (knee) but he has Pro Bowl ability. I would LOVE to have a line of Brown, Mankins,Jason Spitz/Scott Wells, Sitton and Lang protecting Aaron Rodgers.

Ryan Grant though is another issue. I am not as sold on him as others. I think the Packers need to address RB early in the draft. I really like Jonathan Dwyer (GT) and LeGarrette Blount (Oregon). I think CJ Spiller (Clemson) will be a top 10 pick, unless Mark Ingram Jr. (Alabama) comes out pushing him a bit.

I think Colledge has regressed and may be let go if he thinks he is intitled to a big payday. Hell, if the McCarthy thinks Tauscher is ready, he may move Lang to LG and bench Colledge for the rest of the year.

I have liked Lang since he was drafted and I have said repeatedly in this forum that he'd be a starter in year one and not look back. The right side of the line with Lang and Sitton is a real positive.

The left side needs an overhaul. I like the idea of Mankins, but I'm not too big on going after FA's coming off injuries, so I'd be real leary of signing Jamal Brown.

As for RB, I do like Dwyer alot and you can throw Anthony Dixon into that mix as well.

My hope is they just settle on a position for Lang (RT) and let the kid blossom. No more shulffling him all around. They can let Colledge go, he's just not worth a big payday.

Barbre was tried at LG and couldn't beat out Colledge there. Barbre can run block, it's his pass blocking that needs work. Maybe he is better suited inside for that reason. His athleticism could give MM flexibility to pull him a la Mike Wahle, but I know MM doesn't do much of that with his run blocking schemes. Either way, I'm frustrated that our OL staff can't discern where these guys are best suited to play.

I'm really disappointed in Colledge's regression. I don't know what it is, but his bad play leaves 3 positions in question (LT, LG and RT) instead of two (LT, RT) if he were playing well. If Lang locks down the RT spot, we would only have to focus on LT in the off-season. RIght now, the only sure thing is that Sitton can play RG, and Lang can play (period).

I really like Lang on the right side as well. So what happens when Tausch comes back?

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/articl...start-vs.-49ers?

I'd rather see Lang get more playing time, but I'd hate to see him shuffled around again. I appreciate all Tausch has done for the Pack, but perhaps his role is better served as a backup? Unless he could play LG!

why not? worked for Leonard Davis.

If you ask me this may be one on the best ways to keep an oline maturing and dominate, draft really good tackles high in the draft, covet them, then as their careers get a little long and their step starts to slow a bit move them inside where their mobility is not a problem but their experience and leadership is still available to help train and break in the new guys. If you keep them on one side then they don't even have to adjust that much, and it is much easier to go from playing the outside to the inside than it is to start playing inside and move to the outside like they are trying to do with College.

I like Sitton and Lang. Lang reminds me of a young Mark Tauscher, but a little more athletic. I think he has an excellent shot at being the RT in 2010, but it looks like tauscher will probably maintain that role as along as he's healthy for 2009. There's just too much instability and assiignment errors. In the short term, I think the team is just looking for consistent play and Tauscher can offer that with a little more "certainty" than Lang right now.

Sitton has been solid at RG. I like his mnetality and think he has a bright future.

The others, well, there is a saying that says "If you're not part of the solution, you are part of the problem". I think that is the case WITH ALL of the other "starting" Packer O-linemen. The O-line is UNDOUBTEDLY in my mind the biggest failure of ted Thompson in green bay. He inherited and aging, but EXCELLENT offensive line and has simply NOT adequitely replaced them AT ALL. I could make a case for firing him just through his failures to adequitely address this offesnive line.

Colledge, Spitz, Tauscher & Clifton are all UFAs after 2009. I would not sign any of them to long term deals. IF any of them are re-signed it should be to a short term, minimal deals to COMPETE for a spot and to provide depth.

Barbre has some ability, but maybe no more than NFL back-up ability. I'm willing to chalk him up as a Mike Wahle "project" right now. Those of us who have been fans long enough remember how long it took him to settle into a spot and accel. Like Wahle, Barbre has unique athletic ability. I bring him back to compete for sure and let his play in 2010 speak for his future here. Is he going to be Mike Wahle or Tony Moll?

Wells is "ok", but I would call him the answer either.

GB NEEDS to spend UFA CASH HERE> If TT keeps his job, this should be a MANDATE, not an option, from Murphy. His method of using the 4th-6th round to fill out the offensive line IS NOT WORKING. Go out and PAY for some premium talent in the UFA market in addtion to using their 1st round pick on the O-line. The have a franchise QB, they NEED to protect him. Priority #1 of the 2010 off-season.

I like Sitton and Lang. Lang reminds me of a young Mark Tauscher, but a little more athletic. I think he has an excellent shot at being the RT in 2010, but it looks like Tauscher will probably maintain that role as along as he's healthy for 2009. There's just too much instability and too many assignment errors for GB to feel comfortable with more youth on the o-line. In the short term, I think the team is just looking for consistent play and Tauscher can offer that with a little more "certainty" than Lang right now.

Sitton has been solid at RG. I like his mentality and think he has a bright future.

The others, well, there is a saying that says "If you're not part of the solution, you are part of the problem". I think that is the case WITH ALL of the other "starting" Packer O-linemen. The O-line is UNDOUBTEDLY in my mind the biggest failure of Ted Thompson in Green Bay. He inherited an aging, but EXCELLENT offensive line and has simply NOT adequitely replaced them AT ALL. I could make a case for firing him just through his failures to adequitely address this offensive line.

Colledge, Spitz, Tauscher & Clifton are all UFAs after 2009. I would not sign any of them to long term deals. IF any of them are re-signed it should be to a short term, minimal deals to COMPETE for a spot and to provide depth. I do not think we will miss Daryn Colledge routinely beign over-powered and outleveraged. He's the definition of inconsistency & expendability. Spitz has serious chronic injury concerns with the back issues and his play has been more solid than Colledge's, but still unspectacular. I'd welcome him back to compete, but with an asterisk due to his injury situation.

Barbre has some ability, but maybe no more than NFL back-up ability. I'm willing to chalk him up as a Mike Wahle "project" right now. Those of us who have been fans long enough remember how long it took him to settle into a spot and accel. Like Wahle, Barbre has unique athletic ability. I bring him back to compete for sure and let his play in 2010 speak for his future here. Is he going to be Mike Wahle or Tony Moll?

Wells is "ok", but I would NOT call him the answer either. He's a servicable starting NFL center. Better than some, but not the best around.

GB NEEDS to spend UFA CASH HERE. If TT keeps his job, this should be a MANDATE, not an option, from Murphy. His method of using the 4th-6th round to fill out the offensive line IS NOT WORKING. Go out and PAY for some premium talent in the UFA market in addtion to using their 1st round pick (among other HIGH picks) on the O-line. They have a franchise QB, they NEED to protect him. Priority #1 of the 2010 off-season.

Lang and Sitton make a pretty good team but as everyone in this blog has pointed out it is the left side that has a major problem. What hasn't been mentioned is that Spitz may not make it back from back surgery. His was the same problem as Harrels and no sure-thing he will be back at his former level or even back at all.
It's a downer statement but back's are very tricky issues and have to think that the team has to recognize they may need long term solutions to LT,LG and C. FA will have to fill some of that and possibly Barbre will evenually come around with the proper coaching and instruction.

Sitton and Lang are both 4th-round draft picks.

True, you never know with a back injury
but according to a JSO article on Wednesday
things went well with his surgery.

QUOTE

JSO article link

Go Pack!!

Yes they are and so was Allen Barbre, Breno Giacomini, Jamon Meredith, Tony Moll, William Whitticker & Junius Coston

Let's not get too carried away either. Lang and Sitton are playing well, but they arent pro-bowlers or even great starters. Even the 2 higher picks that TT has used (total in 5 years!), Spitz & Colledge, are only medicore to average. Bottom line TT has done a lousy job of drafting OLmen.

The fact that basically every other postion on the team has been COMPLETELY overhauled by his drafts or acquisitions, except OL, which still boasts 3/5 starters from previous regimes, speaks loud and clear to TT's ineffectiveness on the OL.

I'm not getting carried away...maybe you are? All I said is Sitton and Lang are 4th-round picks--which they are. That neither are pro-bowlers (which Lang couldn't have possibly been to this point anyway) or even great starters--that's stuff you added.

You said you liked Sitton and Lang--I assumed that meant you liked them.

The point I was trying to make is that just because I am intruiged by Lang and Sitton's promise doesnt mean that TT's overall approach has even come close to working. Yes, it it just so happens that two of their best linemen in 2009 (That I do like) were 4th round picks, but the line as a whole is aweful and the list I gave you shows the amount of failures TT has had that's all.

I've liked Sitton from the day he was drafted: Lang; I reserve judgement...

Perhaps the reason for the lack of production from the OL can be attributed to the OL coach as well as the players?

Good offensive linemen can be found in any round. Tauscher was a 7th round pick. Jahri Evans and Jermon Bushrod were also both 4th round picks and are starters for one of the top offenses in the league. My biggest complaint isn't that TT hasn't drafted them. . . because he has. . . it's been his philosophy thus far. I'm tired of undersized athletic and ultimately finesse players. The O-Line needs some strength and power. I'm hoping to see some added this offseason. Also, I think that they need to go back to Ron Wolf's philosophy of drafting OTs and moving them inside when needed. Stop drafting interior linemen with the early picks.

I agree, that like any players, good OLmen can be found in the late rounds, but your odds get slimmer the lower that you go. The thing that gets to me about TT is that he literally inherited an O-line of virtually all Pro-Bowlers, granted they were aging, but there was no real emphasis put on their replacements. In 5 Drafts TT used 0 first rounders, 1 2nd rounder and 1 3rd round pick on OL. The rest were all basement free agents (that made no contribution) or 4th-7th round picks that were, for the most part, were as advertised.

IF TT RETAINS HIS JOB, GB needs to use UFA (not the basement route) and at least 2 TOP PICKS (1st-3rd round) on OL in 2010. TT flat out has not addressed the o-line and it has decline SEVERELY under his watch.