CLIFTON COULD INTEREST SEAHAWKS
A WANTED MAN
The retirement of Seattle’s Walter Jones normally wouldn’t be of much interest to fans of the Packers, but it’s worth paying attention to for one reason – how it could possibly affect the future of Chad Clifton. The 36-year-old Jones didn’t play this past season due to a knee injury, but the Seahawks were hopeful that he would be able to resume his career in 2010. That apparently isn’t going to happen, although we remain dubious any time a star athlete retires (can you blame us?) – especially when the announcement comes via his Twitter page.
Anyway, with Jones apparently not coming back and incumbent Sean Locklear much better suited for the right side, new coach Pete Carroll could be in the market for an experienced left tackle. And nobody will be able to give him a better scouting report on Clifton than John Schneider, the Hawks’ new GM who was hired last month after spending the previous eight years in Green Bay’s front office. Schneider obviously knows Clifton inside and out. Whether that will make the 33-year-old more or less attractive to Seattle is unknown, but assuming Schneider gives a thumbs up, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Carroll move quickly in an effort to shore up the most important position on the line. After all, Seattle isn’t looking to rebuild – not with a coach determined to prove he can win in the NFL and a quarterback who turns 35 early next season.
While the Seahawks’ interest in Clifton is more speculative than anything else at this point, what’s far more certain is that the former Tennessee star is in for a larger than expected payday in the very near future. “His body may be breaking down and his play may be slipping, but he can still protect the quarterback,” said a scout for another team. “That will make him attractive if he makes it to the open market. If [GM] Ted Thompson doesn’t want to pay him, somebody else will.” It always been said that a left-handed pitcher can play forever in the majors. The same is apparently true for a left tackle in the NFL.
So, if GB doesn’t sign Clifton, who plays OLT? What would the Packers likely do in FA and the draft? Can anyone else currently on the staff play LT?