Clifton » Packer Update

POSTCARD FROM TRAINING CAMP

Posted by Michael Rodney at 10:27 am 4 Responses »

Aug 082011

Starks is battling Grant for the starting halfback job

The one thing I’ve learned from watching Matt Flynn the past four summers is that he will always play better than he practices. Aaron Rodgers‘ backup is off to another relatively slow start, but there’s no reason to be concerned. He’ll find a way to move the offense as soon as the opposition is wearing different colored uniforms. I didn’t see what the coaches saw in Graham Harrell last summer and I still don’t see it. His arm is weak and his accuracy is average at best. The lockout is the only argument I can make for keeping him around. At least he knows the system.

I used to think James Starks looked like a poor man’s Eric Dickerson, but now I’m tempted to remove the words poor and man. That’s how terrific he’s looked in training camp. The playoff sensation is running with great power and decisiveness. While Ryan Grant appears fully recovered from the ankle injury that ended his 2010 season, he simply doesn’t possess Starks’ physical ability. The former 1,200 yard rusher may be the nominal starter when the Saints come to Lambeau, but I can’t imagine him getting the bulk of the carries. Rookie Alex Green hasn’t done much through the first week of practices.

Jermichael Finley is an absolute freak. His height, athletic ability and soft hands make him almost impossible to defend. He’s almost toying with the poor souls who are assigned to cover him. Barring injury or stupidity, there’s no way I can imagine general manager Ted Thompson letting this guy get away. Prior to Finley’s return to the practice field, the most impressive tight end was seventh-round pick Ryan Taylor. He isn’t as savvy a route runner as fellow rookie D.J. Williams or as strong a blocker as Tom Crabtree, but he’s a more complete player. He has a good chance of making the team.

The coaches are giving the young receivers plenty of snaps, and a few of them have taken advantage of the heavy workload. Second-round pick Randall Cobb has looked terrific. His incredible quickness makes him stand out from the crowd. I realize the Packers have the best quartet of veteran receivers in the league, but coach Mike McCarthy will find ways to get Cobb on the field. Count on it. If the team wasn’t so deep at this position, either Chastin West or Shaky Smithson would have a legitimate chance to stick. West isn’t flashy, but he runs good routes and catches almost everything. Smithson is a quick as a hiccup return specialist with enough raw skills to eventually develop into a useful NFL receiver.

Bryan Bulaga looks like the player ready to take the biggest leap from season one to season two. He’s so much more confident than he was a year ago. And why not? He now has 16 starts under his belt, and more importantly, the coaches are no longer asking him to learn multiple positions. First-round pick Derek Sherrod has struggled at left guard after spending his entire college career at tackle. Veteran T.J. Lang has been more impressive, but it’s early. If Sherrod doesn’t start, he might find himself backing up Bulaga. That’s because Marshall Newhouse will be hard to supplant as Chad Clifton‘s understudy. The quick-footed youngster been one of the most improved players in camp. I was surprised when Nick McDonald made the team last summer. I didn’t see anything to get excited about – and I still don’t. Right now, journeyman Evan Dietrich-Smith is the second-best center on the roster.

Anyone waiting for C.J. Wilson to flash big-time pass rushing skills had better get a chair. It’s going to be a very long wait. He’s not athletic enough to beat quality offensive linemen on a consistent basis. On the other hand, Jarius Wynn just might be. The undersized three-year veteran is enjoying his finest camp. He looks quicker than before and he seems to have added to his repertoire of moves. If he continues to improve, there will be a place for him on the final roster. Mike Neal has only practiced sparingly, but it doesn’t take long to see his potential. Assuming he can stay healthy, he’ll be a more than adequate replacement for Cullen Jenkins. Ryan Pickett and Howard Green look more like sumo wrestlers than defensive linemen, but extra pounds won’t be an issue as long as they can shut down the run.

Erik Walden has taken the early lead in the battle to start opposite Clay Matthews. The former street free agent is playing more like a high draft choice. He looks bigger, stronger and more explosive than he did last season. Frank Zombo and Brad Jones have been OK, but neither has flashed nearly as often as Walden. Sixth-round pick Ricky Elmore was a productive pass rusher in college, but he hasn’t gotten many sniffs of the quarterback yet. In fact, undrafted free agent Jamari Lattimore has probably been more impressive. He needs to get stronger, but he runs well and seems to pack a punch. Depth at inside linebacker is still a concern, but it isn’t quite as big a concern thanks to Robert Francois. The third-year player is much-improved now that he’s taking all of his snaps at one position. He isn’t a big hitter. but he’s smart and fairly athletic. Not surprisingly, sixth-round pick D.J. Smith is still thinking too much.

Davon House and Brandon Underwood were both enjoying solid camps before suffering injuries. The former was making a strong push to be the No. 4 corner and the latter was showing real promise at safety. Veteran Jarrett Bush is covering like a blanket so far, but I’m not getting carried away. He typically plays better in practice than he does in games. Sam Shields was the talk of camp at this time a year ago, but he’s been pretty unspectacular so far. He doesn’t seem to be playing with the same sense of urgency. I’m not worried, but it’s something to keep an eye on. There probably won’t be room for Josh Gordy, but he can play corner in this league. Morgan Burnett has been up-and-down in his return from knee surgery, but his potential is obvious. He has superior range. Brandion Ross and Anthony Levine are talented small-school players who don’t seem to be intimidated by the bright lights.

Mason Crosby is off to another slow start, but he’ll be OK. Tim Masthay, on the other hand, looks terrific. It’s amazing how much better he’s gotten since last summer. Cobb has a chance to be the team’s best returner since Allen Rossum. Under-appreciated long snapper Brett Goode is almost automatic.

-Special thanks to contributor Mike Tahan, who has been covering training camp for Packer Update. Mike wrote this post – all I had to do was edit his shaky spelling and atrocious grammar!

Tackles must play well today

Posted by Michael Rodney at 12:38 am 1 Response »

Jan 092011

Both tackles will need to play well against the Eagles

Both tackles will need to play very well against the Eagles

The Packers beat the Eagles in week 1, but in a precursor of things to come, the offense was extremely inconsistent in that game. Even with a healthy Jermichael Finley at tight end, quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw for only 188 yards and was intercepted twice. The problem wasn’t Philadelphia’s secondary. Receivers were running free most of the day against a unit that was starting a journeyman at one corner and a rookie at free safety. The problem was pass protection – specifically on the outside. Chad Clifton, who would be benched seven days later, really struggled with Trent Cole and Mark Tauscher had his hands full with Juqua Parker.

As is usually the case, adequately protecting Rodgers will be the key to scoring points today. And while the Eagles’ secondary is even more suspect now than it was back in September, we’ve all seen what suspect secondaries can do against Green Bay’s offense when the pass rush gets home. The Bears and especially the Lions aren’t blessed with an abundance of talent at cornerback and safety, but their defenses held the Packers to a combined 13 points in a pair of recent games.

Clifton, who surprisingly got voted to the Pro Bowl last week, has had an up-and-down season. After playing poorly in December, the 34-year-old bounced back with a strong game against Julius Peppers in week 17. Which Clifton shows up in Philadelphia on Sunday will go a long way in determining the Packers’ chances of advancing to the divisional round. If he can handle the speedy Cole, who is far and away the Eagles’ best rusher, Rodgers should have sufficient time to find his receivers down the field.

Bryan Bulaga will be asked to block Parker, who used leverage and quickness to give Tauscher all kinds of trouble four months ago. To be effective, the rookie first-round draft choice from Iowa will have to shake off his recent struggles – including last week’s nightmarish four-penalty game against the Bears - and get back to playing the way he did in October and November. Bulaga needs to stay extremely focused, keep his feet moving and stop allowing defensive linemen to get their hands on him.

If the Packers can handle Cole and Parker, defensive coordinator Sean McDermott will be forced to blitz even more frequently than usual. That would play into the Packers’ hands. No quarterback is better against the blitz than Rodgers and it’s almost impossible to imagine youngsters Kurt Coleman and Dimitri Patterson and journeyman Joselio Hanson holding up on the back end without plenty of help.

As well as Green Bay’s defense has played this season, it’s difficult to imagine the Eagles not scoring a decent amount of points. Vick, running back LeSean McCoy and wide receivers DeSean Jackson and JeSean Maclin are tremendous talents and coach Andy Reid usually does a very good job of game-planning when he has extra time to prepare (that’s kind of the case this week since Philadelphia treated its season finale against Dallas as a bye). To win, the Packers will probably have to score between 24 and 34 points, something that can only happen if the tackles play well from start to finish.

Plenty of Packers got snubbed

Posted by Michael Rodney at 1:47 pm No Responses »

Dec 292010

Raji is one of a number of deserving players who didn't make the Pro Bowl

Five Packers deserved to go to the Pro Bowl and five were chosen on Tuesday. The problem is which players will be in Hawaii on Jan. 30, 2011 and which players will be on a golf course that Sunday (of course, fans hope that none of the five Packers will be playing in that “game” and instead they’ll be preparing for a much, much bigger one a week later). Offensive tackle Chad Clifton, safety Nick Collins, wide receiver Greg Jennings, outside linebacker Clay Matthews and cornerback Charles Woodson were named to the NFC squad. That’s the highest number of Packers selected to the Pro Bowl since 2007.

Collins, Jennings and Matthews are very deserving. Collins hasn’t had a great season by his standards, but he’s still one of the top three safeties in the conference. Jennings, who only caught 14 passes in the first five games, has been arguably the league’s premiere wide receiver since the middle of October. Matthews is the most feared member of one of the league’s best defenses and a likely top-5 finisher in the defensive player of the year voting. So that’s where the fans, players and coaches got it right. But they got it wrong by rewarding Clifton and Woodson and snubbing Aaron Rodgers and Tramon Williams.

Clifton deserves all the credit in the world for bouncing back from a week 2 benching and putting together a very solid season. But at this point in his career, the only way he should be in Hawaii in January is if he’s taking his family on vacation. The 34-year-old has never been much of a run blocker, but he was so good in pass protection earlier in his career that a trip to the Pro Bowl wouldn’t have raised an eyebrow. That’s not the case now. He’s still not much of a run blocker and his protection isn’t good enough to offset that deficiency – at least as far as postseason honors are concerned.

Woodson is having a good season, but he isn’t even the best corner on his own team. That distinction goes to Williams, who was named the first alternate. While Woodson, the reigning defensive player of the year, is third on the team in tackles and has forced 5 fumbles, his coverage has been spotty. And since covering receivers is a pretty big part of a corner’s job, it’s safe to say this trip to Hawaii is borne more out of respect for what he’s done than for what he’s actually doing. Williams, on the other hand, has played so well that it’s actually a surprise when a receiver catches a pass on his watch.

Mike Vick, Drew Brees and Matt Ryan are the quarterbacks. All three are having very good seasons for very good teams, but the latter two simply aren’t as deserving as Rodgers, who’s the first alternate. Brees has thrown 21 picks in what has been an up-and-down year and Ryan is blessed to have Pro Bowlers all around him on offense. The Falcons’ star gets to hand off to Michael Turner and throw to Tony Gonzalez. The Packers’ star gets to hand off to Brandon Jackson and attempt to beat the cover-2 with Andrew Quarless. Rodgers has carried the offense on his back for the past nine weeks. That will likely get him some strong MVP consideration. Somehow, it didn’t get him to Hawaii.

The good news for Rodgers and Williams is that they’ll probably wind up in Hawaii if the Packers don’t get to the Super Bowl. Since either Philadelphia, New Orleans or Atlanta is likely to get there if Green Bay doesn’t, the first alternate would step in for Vick, Brees or Ryan. The only fly in the ointment would be if the Bears and Jay Cutler make it all the way to Dallas. As for Williams, he’ll get his ticket punched the minute Woodson begs out of the game. And the odds of No. 21 making the trip are about the same as, well, they’re about the same as the Bears and Jay Cutler making it to Dallas.

Offensive guard Josh Sitton and nose tackle B.J. Raji were also overlooked, but that didn’t come as a big surprise. Young linemen often have to wait their turn while bigger-named veterans bask in the Hawaii sun for an undeserving year or two. Guard Chris Snee of the Giants and nose tackle Jay Ratliff of Dallas are two prime examples. Both are perennial Pro Bowlers, but neither has had a particularly good season. Unfortunately, that’s how this whole process works and why it’s so flawed. Fans vote for their favorites, and let’s be honest, players and coaches vote for who they know and who they see. For example, do you think Sitton and Raji got votes from any coaches or players from the Saints?

Anyway, we’ve spent way too much time writing about a fake game – especially when the Packers have such a huge real game coming up in a matter of days. And if the Packers are to beat the Bears and then go on a run through the playoffs, they’ll do it on the backs of players like Rodgers, Sitton, Raji and Williams. And if those four are sipping champagne and holding the Lombardi Trophy on Feb. 6, 2011 at Cowboys Stadium, do you think any of them will care one iota about not making the Pro Bowl?

TED’S PAYING FOR HIS MISTAKES

Posted by Michael Rodney at 10:00 am 7 Responses »

Mar 172010

CA$HED IN

The Green Bay Packers were able to re-sign Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher, but it came at a very high cost. The veteran tackles will be paid over $11 million next season – a remarkably high number for players clearly in the twilight of their respective careers. But that’s what happens when a team needs the players as much, if not more, than the players need the team. GM Ted Thompson had five long years to find adequate replacements for Clifton and Tauscher, but he didn’t get the job done. From Daryn Colledge to Allen Barbre to Breno Giacomini to Jamon Meredith, one college tackle after another failed to step up. And while T.J. Lang showed potential as a rookie, even his relatively solid play wasn’t enough to convince the organization that he could be counted on in 2010. “Lang is highly thought of, but I think what happened early last season really spooked Thompson and [coach] Mike McCarthy,” said a person familiar with the situation. “They saw first-hand what happens when a young offensive tackle isn’t up to the challenge and they’re obviously determined not to let that happen again.” And if that means overpaying a couple of old warhorses in an uncapped year, then so be it.

PACKERS ANTE UP TO KEEP CLIFTON

Posted by Michael Rodney at 12:34 am No Responses »

Mar 062010

$20 MILLION MAN

The Green Bay Packers just gave $20 million – $7.5 million guaranteed – to an aging left tackle whose body is capable of breaking down at any moment. Sounds crazy, but that’s what happens when a GM fails to adequately prepare for the future. Ted Thompson had five years to find a successor to Chad Clifton, and not only did he fail, but he barely tried. Sure he drafted a few players (Daryn Colledge and Allen Barbre) who had experience at the position in college, but each was moved to guard almost immediately upon entering the NFL. That left Clifton as the only legitimate left tackle on the roster heading into the offseason, and crafty agent Jimmy Sexton used that leverage to get exactly what he wanted for his client.

While keeping Clifton isn’t a bad thing (after all, it’s not our money), it’s imperative for Thompson to come up with a legitimate backup this offseason. And whoever that player is had better be ready to strap on his chin strap right away. That’s because the odds of getting another 12 starts out of Clifton are probably about the same as the odds of Brett Favre showing up for mini-camps and OTAs. “They keeping trying to squeeze one more year out of the guy,” said a scout for another team, “but there’s going to come a time when there’s simply no juice left. And that time could come at any moment. Look, he wasn’t nearly as good last season as he was in 2008 and 34-year-old players seldom improve.”

T.J. Lang is the backup as of now, but he’s a serious candidate to start at right tackle. Besides, head coach Mike McCarthy admitted recently that the former Eastern Michigan star isn’t an ideal fit at left tackle. “Lang can get you through a few games, but he’d be exposed if forced to start for an extended period of time,” opined the scout. “He has short arms and only average size and athletic ability. The good pass rushing right ends will quickly figure out ways to get by him. That’s why Thompson must add a legitimate left tackle. That would protect the team in 2010 and allow them to finally move on from Clifton in 2011.” Sounds good, but haven’t we been saying that same thing for the past five years?

PACKERS PLAY TAG WITH PICKETT

Posted by Michael Rodney at 6:36 pm 1 Response »

Feb 242010

TAG, YOU'RE IT!

The Packers have officially placed their franchise tag on Ryan Pickett. The 30-year-old nose tackle will be paid $7.003 million in 2010. That sounds like a lot of money for a guy who played fewer than 30 snaps in a handful of games last season – and it is – but the former Ohio State star will make considerably more than that if and when he agrees to a multi-year deal. Speaking of which, the Pats are close to getting something done with Vince Wilfork. And while their veteran nose tackle is a better player than Pickett and thus will command a bigger contract, it never hurts to have parameters while negotiating.

With Pickett now tagged, Green Bay’s four remaining unrestricted free agents will hit the open market on March 5. Halfback Ahman Green and offensive tackle Mark Tauscher won’t draw much interest, but rehabbing defensive end/linebacker Aaron Kampman and broken-down left tackle Chad Clifton figure to be surprisingly popular. “Aside from a very select few players, most of the unrestricted free agents are has-beens and never-weres,” said a former scout. “So while Kampman and Clifton have major questions surrounding them, the fact that both players started on an 11-win team last season and went to the Pro Bowl as recently as 2008 will be appealing to GMs with money to burn and in desperate need of a pass rusher or a left tackle.”

CLIFTON COULD INTEREST SEAHAWKS

Posted by Michael Rodney at 10:28 am 1 Response »

Feb 172010

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.

TO TAG OR NOT TO TAG?

Posted by Michael Rodney at 1:02 pm 1 Response »

Feb 112010

SOON TO BE FREE?

Teams can begin placing franchise and transition tags on potential unrestricted free agents as early as today. Assuming there’s no CBA in place by Mar. 5, only five Packers are eligible to be tagged. Left tackle Chad Clifton, running back Ahman Green, outside linebacker Aaron Kampman, nose tackle Ryan Pickett and right tackle Mark Tauscher make up that exclusive group.

The following is a look at how much it would cost to tag each one of the aforementioned players along with a brief analysis:

CHAD CLIFTON ($10.7M/$9.1M) – The Packers would like to re-sign Clifton, but they probably won’t use either of the tags. He was franchised six years ago, but that was then and this is now. Despite Clifton’s long history of injuries and steadily declining play, he can still protect the blind side of the quarterback and that will make him a decent option for any team – including Green Bay – that is looking for a stopgap left tackle.

AHMAN GREEN ($8.2M/$7.2M) – It’s questionable whether Ted Thompson would’ve been willing to spend this type of money on Green five years ago. He served his purpose last season, but there’s no valid reason to bring him back. The Packers need to add an explosive runner – someone who can provide more of a breakaway threat out of the backfield.

AARON KAMPMAN ($9.7M/$8.3M) – While Thompson is unlikely to use either tag on Kampman, things could get a little tricky if he does. The money for a defensive end is considerably higher ($13.3M/$10.2) than it is for a linebacker and any good agent will argue that Kampman should be tagged at the position he played for the majority of his career. But even at $8.3M, it’s hard to imagine Thompson going in that direction unless he’s sure a trade can be worked out.

RYAN PICKETT ($7.1M/$6.4) – The Packers want to keep Pickett and Pickett wants to stay with the Packers, so expect a deal to be reached before the start of free agency. If not, the odds are that Thompson won’t use either tag. Green Bay is already paying significant money to another natural nose tackle (B.J. Raji), and as important as run stuffers are to a 3-4 defense, it’s still hard to justify spending over $10 million on that position in 2010.

MARK TAUSCHER ($10.7M/$9.1M) – It’s hard to tell if the Packers even want Tauscher back. He played better than Clifton last season, but he won’t generate nearly as much interest on the open market. That’s because right tackles are easier to find. Thompson likes T.J. Lang and Breno Giacomini (OK, stop laughing), but there’s very little downside in re-signing Tauscher. He would be an excellent – not to mention relatively cheap – insurance policy.

The Packers also have eight players who will become restricted free agents in a few weeks if there’s no CBA in place. That list includes safeties Atari Bigby and Nick Collins, guard Daryn Colledge, fullback John Kuhn, defensive end Johnny Jolly and offensive lineman Jason Spitz.

VETERAN TACKLE TO HIT THE MARKET

Posted by Michael Rodney at 2:15 pm 3 Responses »

Feb 102010

TRA THOMAS

There won’t be many starting-caliber left tackles available in the off-season, but the outlook is no longer quite so bleak for teams looking to add a veteran who can protect the quarterback. That’s because three-time Pro Bowler Tra Thomas is expected to be released by Jacksonville within the next few days. The 35-year-old spent last season with the Jags, but he started only three games due to the emergence of highly-touted rookies Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton. The former Florida State star spent his first 11 seasons in Philadelphia, where he started 165 out of a possible 176 games.

The Packers could be in the market for an experienced left tackle should Chad Clifton not be re-signed. GM Ted Thompson would like to bring back the 10-year veteran, but working out a new contract won’t be easy. Clifton is unlikely to accept a one-year deal and it remains to be seen if Thompson is willing to offer more than that to a player whose body is clearly breaking down. While the 33-year-old did manage to start 13 games in 2009, he was able to finish only 10. He also practiced very infrequently.

Thomas is almost certain to eventually sign a one-year deal worth no more than $2 or $3 million. He’s a very similar player to Clifton at this point in his career. Both guys are solid in pass protection (Clifton is probably a little better) and neither offers much pop in the running game. Thomas’ biggest advantage is his health. Prior to being inactive for the final two months of last season, he had missed only one game since 2006.

OLDIES STILL PLAYING LIKE GOODIES

Posted by Packer Update at 10:14 am 2 Responses »

Dec 242009

Getting it done

Tackles Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher came into the league together in 2000, and the two have anchored Green Bay’s offensive line ever since. Along the way, each player has been forced to overcome significant hardships. Clifton suffered a serious pelvic injury in 2002 that kept him in the hospital for almost a week. Tauscher has undergone two ACL surgeries – including one a year ago at the age of 31. And yet here they are, still performing well enough to keep a franchise quarterback upright and to help get their team to the cusp of the playoffs. There’s absolutely no question as to what Clifton and Tauscher have meant, and continue to mean to the Packers. The only question is whether they’ll be back in 2010.

Clifton and Tauscher are unrestricted free agents after the season. “I don’t see either player commanding a big contract on the open market, so at the end of the day, it’ll come down to whether [GM] Ted Thompson wants them back,” said a former scout. “My hunch is that he’ll re-sign Clifton, and after what happened at right tackle in September and October, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Tauscher return as well. I realize that at some point the organization has to move on with younger and healthier players, but what’s the harm in protecting yourself at two of the most important positions on the team?”

Thompson attempted to move on with younger players at right tackle this season, but Breno Giacomini wasn’t ready and Allen Barbre proved to be a disaster once the real games began. And while some in the organization have high hopes for T.J. Lang, there are others who are convinced that his best position is guard. “Physically, he reminds me of Tauscher,” opined the scout. “He’s not a great athlete and he’ll never look graceful in protection, but he usually finds a way to get the job done. There’s no doubt that he’d perform better than Barbre, but would he be an upgrade over Tauscher? That’s the question. To me, it makes sense to have a veteran around just in case.”

As far as left tackle is concerned, it’s hard to imagine a scenario for 2010 that doesn’t include Clifton. While he isn’t the player he was even two or three years ago, he’s stepped up his game as of late and there’s no viable replacement on the roster. Daryn Colledge was terrible in a pair of early-season starts, and while Lang fared better in his two starts, he doesn’t seem to have the skills to play on that side of the line on a long-term basis. So unless Thompson decides to spend $50 or $60 million in free agency, he almost has to re-sign Clifton. “The left tackle of the future is most likely getting ready for a Bowl game right now,” said the scout. “And while there’s always a chance they could get lucky with a rookie – the way they did with Clifton a decade ago – that’s not something Thompson can count on.”

There’s obviously no guarantee that both Clifton and Tauscher will be back for an 11th season in Green Bay, but it’s no longer as far-fetched an idea as it appeared just a few months ago. That’s good news and bad news. The good news is that both veterans have stayed reasonably healthy and played pretty well. The bad news – with the possible exception of Lang – is that none of the young players have really stepped up. “I’m not convinced that [offensive line coaches] James Campen and Jerry Fontenot are even capable of developing a quality tackle,” said the scout. “The Packers are extremely fortunate to have Clifton and Tauscher. I wouldn’t be so quick to discard either player – especially when you’re talking about a team that figures to go into next season as one of the heavy favorites to make it to the Super Bowl.”

PACKERS ARE GETTING KGB'D AGAIN

Posted by Packer Update at 12:00 am 2 Responses »

Nov 122009

A familiar sight

Ted Thompson seems like a smart man. That’s why what has happened with Chad Clifton is so surprising, and so disappointing. Less than a year after getting burned by placing too much faith in an aging defensive end coming off multiple surgeries, Green Bay’s fifth-year GM is once again getting burned by placing too much faith in an aging left tackle coming off multiple surgeries. What’s that old saying about those who don’t learn from history? “I’m shocked that Thompson went into this season without a viable option behind Clifton,” said a scout for another team. “I’m even more shocked considering what happened with [Kabeer] Gbaja-Biamilia in 2008.”

Gbaja-Biamilia, one of the league’s premier pass rushers for much of this decade, played 8 1/2 seasons for the Packers. He recorded 74.5 sacks during that time, and was often the only real threat the team had when it came to getting after the opposing quarterback. And even after Aaron Kampman burst onto the scene in 2006, Gbaja-Biamilia was still the player that kept opposing offensive coordinators up at night. “His first step was so damn quick,” said the scout. “The top tackles in the league could usually handle him, but he destroyed the average ones. I always thought that he was the most important player on that ‘07 defense. His explosiveness off the edge made Kampman more effective on the other side and it enabled [cornerbacks] Al Harris and Charles Woodson to thrive in Bob Sanders’ bump-and-run scheme.”

Gbaja-Biamila played extremely well for much of ‘07, but a nagging knee injury reduced his effectiveness late in the year and ultimately forced him to undergo a pair of operations following the season. After watching the pass rush tail off dramatically once KGB got hurt, it would’ve been logical to expect Thompson to do virtually anything he could to find a suitable replacement. Instead, he spent the spring signing a backup linebacker in free agency and selecting a run-stuffing defensive tackle in the first round of the draft. “Thompson tried to squeeze one more season out of Gbaja-Biamila, but there was no juice left in that body.” After playing ineffectively for seven games, KGB was released in October.

This brings us back to Clifton. The former Pro Bowler struggled in ‘08 due to assorted injuries that kept him from practicing for most of the season. Couple his sub par play with four, count em, four surgeries in January, and even a casual fan could see what needed to be done in the months leading up to training camp. “Thompson had to find a good tackle,” said the scout. “There were a number of decent veterans available and [former Ole Miss star] Michael Oher was sitting there for him at No. 9. Instead he signed a journeyman center/guard and an underachieving safety in free agency and selected a defensive tackle and a linebacker in the first round of the draft. It made no sense.”

Not surprisingly, Clifton has battled an ankle injury all season. And even less surprising is the fact that there’s nobody on the roster capable of adequately replacing him. Daryn Colledge tried, but he was a disaster. Even worse, his play at left guard seems to have been negatively affected by his experience outside. T.J. Lang was next in line, and while the rookie didn’t embarrass himself in a pair of starts, he simply isn’t prepared to go from blocking MAC defensive ends to protecting the blindside of a $60 million signal caller. “After quarterback, arguably the most important positions on a football team are offensive tackle, defensive end and cornerback,” said the scout. “It’s a general manager’s responsibility to make sure that those positions are always as talented and deep as possible. Thompson didn’t do nearly enough to make that happen.” What’s that old saying about fooling a person once?