SB Nation - Tony Moll

The Eric DeCosta Scorecard

John Morgan — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 02:32:25 -0000

Eric DeCosta's living resume, in repose.

(What follows is over seven pages and 2,500 words long. If you're interested in the gist of it, scroll down to the end.)

I did an overview on Eric DeCosta, but think I can do better and think you deserve better. Here's an attempt to hold DeCosta by the same standard I held Steve Keim. First I will look at his work as a Midwest scout for the Ravens from 1998-2002, and then his work as the director of college scouting from 2003-2009.

Baltimore did not draft a talent from the Midwest until 2001.

2001

3) 92 Casey Rabach C Wisconsin

4) 126 Edgerton Hartwell LB Western Illinois

7) 231 Dwayne Missouri DE Northwestern

Casey Rabach might remind some of Seattle's Chris Spencer situation. Rabach was drafted in the third round by the Ravens but struggled to break through early in his career. He then signed with the Redskins and became the most consistent player on their offensive line.

Hartwell was a pretty good value for the round he was taken in. He started his second season and from 2002-2004 before leaving in free agency. His approximate value in those seasons is 9, 8 and 9. Atlanta signed him to a six-year, $26.25 million contract before 2005, but injuries sapped his ability and he was cut in 2007.

Missouri is a seventh round pick that never broke through.

2002

2) 52 Anthony Weaver DE Notre Dame

4) 112 Dave Zastudil P Ohio U.

4) 123 Ron Johnson WR Minnesota

6) 206 Javin Hunter WR Notre Dame

6) 207 Chester Taylor RB Toledo

We see the rising influence of DeCosta in this draft, his last as a regional scout before being promoted. Weaver was a solid pick in the second. He was able to start his rookie season and started 16, 15 and 15 games before a host of injuries sidelined him in 2005. DeCosta scores twice on Weaver: For drafting him in the second and acquiring a Lawrence Jackson like end and for not re-signing him after injuries took their toll. Weaver looked like a stud back then, but fizzled away from Baltimore.

If you draft a punter in the fourth, he better stick and he better be great. Zastudil is not, by all accounts. His rookie season with Baltimore, the Ravens were below average punting the ball, and over his four season, he was twice below average and twice above average - almost in equal degrees. I am starting to think it is very hard to evaluate a punter from an outsider's perspective. I disagree with drafting a punter so early, but it seems Zastudil is, if nothing else, a competent punter that can be good.

Johnson never developed as a receiver or returner and was last a linebacker and receiver for the Cleveland Gladiators.

Hunter's career peak was a 63 yard kickoff return in 2002. He is not the same kind of flat bust as Johnson. Hunter started strong in the preseason and started three regular season games as a rookie. He ruptured his Achilles before the start of 2003 and was never the same player. Push.

Chester Taylor started his career as a third down back, but slowly worked himself into the running back rotation. Taylor was buried behind Jamal Lewis, but still produced, was signed by Minnesota in 2006, rushed for 1,200 yards, and was then buried behind Adrian Peterson. Taylor has been valuable throughout his career and is a huge win on DeCosta's resume.

Starting in 2003, we must assume DeCosta took a leadership position in the Ravens entire draft.

2003

1) 10 Terrell Suggs OLB Arizona State

1) 19 Kyle Boller QB California

3) 77 Musa Smith RB Georgia

4) 109 Jarret Johnson DE Alabama

4) 134 Ovie Mughelli FB Wake Forest

5) 146 Aubrayo Franklin DT Tennessee

5) 173 Tony Pashos T Illinois

6) 182 Gerome Sapp DB Notre Dame

7) 223 Trent Smith TE Oklahoma

7) 250 Mike Mabry C Central Florida

7) 258 Antwoine Sanders - Utah

Suggs has been a baller from snap one. He was a situational pass rusher as a rookie and recorded 12 sacks. He has 56.5 for his career, 5 interceptions, 32 passes defended and 18 forced fumbles. Suggs is an elite player, still only 27, and a young 27, and a grand slam pick for DeCosta.

Boller is everything I said about Suggs, applied to a quarterback, inverted and intensified. A complete bust that looked the part of a bust, my only tempering of this massive misstep by DeCosta is that Brian Billick pushed hard for Boller, and in those days, Billick was a respected coach, and a force slapdicks shouldn't defy.

Musa Smith looked like a talented back on his way up before Roy Williams effectively ended his career with a horse collar tackle. Smith suffered a compound fracture of his tibia. The play directly led to the banning of horse collar tackles, but the damage was done for Smith. He played sparingly the next two seasons and could never reestablish himself. Push.

Jarret Johnson took a slow path to success, but has been a regular starter in four of the last five seasons. A very good pick that is still paying dividends for the Ravens, notably, Johnson's AV in 2008 was 10, better than Bart Scott.

Mughelli didn't break through right away with the Ravens, but is now considered one of the best fullbacks in football. He was good in his final two seasons in Baltimore, but lured away when Atlanta offered him big bucks. A minor success for what they got.

The hits keep coming: Franklin was a valuable rotational player for Baltimore, even starting once, and is now a starter for San Francisco. Mike Nolan targeted Franklin, which says something about his perceived value, and though he never fully broke through with Baltimore, he was playing behind Kelly Gregg. Not a horn-blowing success, but very good value for the pick.

Pashos is what a right tackle should be: cheap and good enough. A good player for Baltimore and eventually Jacksonville, Pashos is a good run blocker that was a great value for the Ravens.

Gerome Sapp couldn't stick with the Ravens, signed with the Colts and then signed again with the Ravens. He played nickelback. Neither a bust nor hit, but a pick spent on a semi-talented player that just didn't fit on the roster.

Smith, Mabry and Sanders had no noteworthy NFL career.

2004

2) 51 Dwan Edwards DT Oregon State

3) 82 Devard Darling WR Washington State

5) 153 Roderick Green LB Central Missouri State

6) 187 Josh Harris QB Bowling Green State

6) 199 Clarence Moore WR Northern Arizona

7) 244 Derek Abney WR Kentucky

7) 246 Brian Rimpf T East Carolina

Edwards is still a sometimes starter, sometimes rotational end for the Ravens. He is neither a bust nor a hit, but a semi-valuable player acquired with a semi-valuable pick.

Darling never produced for Baltimore, and that's quite an achievement, because the 2004 Ravens leading receiver was Travis Taylor. Taylor had 421 yards receiving. Darling was last in Kansas City. His current whereabouts are unknown, but, presumably, not in Kansas anymore.

Green struggled to produce, was stabbed July 2006, subsequently released and is now out of the league.

The rest of the draft barely made an impact and all four are now out of the league. After ruling draft day, DeCosta's second draft produced no starters, and only one regular.

2005

1) 22 Mark Clayton WR Oklahoma

2) 53 Dan Cody LB Oklahoma

2) 64 Adam Terry T Syracuse

4) 124 Jason Brown C North Carolina

5) 158 Justin Green RB Montana

6) 213 Derek Anderson QB Oregon State

7) 234 Mike Smith LB Texas Tech

Clayton had a strong rookie season, an even better sophomore season and has since spun his wheels into the mud. The 22^nd overall pick, Clayton is not a prize, but surely a value, still young, and maybe has better seasons ahead of him.

Cody was a fine prospect whose career has been eaten by injuries. He started 42 games in college. Best to call this a push, as the injury seemed unpredictable and traumatic.

Terry was a second round selection that never fully broke out of spot starter duties. Terry has not played in 2009. This is another pick muddled by injuries and therefore hard to evaluate.

Jason Brown started his second season and is a highly regarded center. St. Louis threw smarts to the wind and signed him to googolplex dollars this past offseason, but, for three seasons, he was a cheap and very good center for Baltimore.

Justin Green was a special teams contributor.

Anderson was waived his first season and claimed by the Cleveland Browns. He then had one of the great fluke quarterback seasons of all time, before retreating into his well furnished mansion of suck.

Smith contributed briefly for the Ravens on special teams.

2006

1) 12 Haloti Ngata DT Oregon

2) 56 Chris Chester C Oklahoma

3) 87 David Pittman DB Northwestern State-Louisiana

4) 111 Demetrius Williams WR Oregon

4) 132 P.J. Daniels RB Georgia Tech

5) 146 Dawan Landry SS Georgia Tech

5) 166 Quinn Sypniewski TE Colorado

6) 203 Sam Koch P Nebraska

6) 208 Derrick Martin CB Wyoming

7) 219 Ryan LaCasse LB Syracuse

Ngata is considered one of the best 3-4 linemen in football. He has played end and tackle, is just entering his prime, and should the conditions be right, could be entering a lengthy run of Pro Bowl appearances.

Chester was recruited as a tight end, drafted as a center, converted to guard, converted again to tight end and then converted back to guard again. He has 32 starts in his NFL career, and if never a stand out on his own, has been a good part of some very good offensive lines.

Pittman had two interception in 2007 and a forced fumble. That about summarizes his NFL career. He now plays in the UFL.

Williams is a field stretcher that has never come into his own as an actual receiver. He is not a bad player, and is valuable for his draft position.

Daniels was put on injured reserve prior to his second season and never recovered.

Dawan Landry has started three of the last four seasons, and, apart from 2008, has been a very solid starter for Baltimore since his rookie season. He used to noogie LaRon Landry.

Sypniewski was primarily a blocking tight end, but received some in 2007 after Todd Heap and Daniel Wilcox suffered injuries. He tore his ACL prior to this season.

Koch is the Ravens current punter. This season the team is slightly above average punting.

Martin is a talented young defensive back that was buried in Baltimore and now plays in Green Bay. Baltimore traded Martin for offensive tackle Tony Moll.

LaCasse never factored.

2007

1) 29 Ben Grubbs G Auburn

3) 74 Yamon Figurs WR Kansas State

3) 86 Marshal Yanda T Iowa

4) 134 Antwan Barnes LB Florida International

4) 137 Le'Ron McClain FB Alabama

5) 174 Troy Smith QB Ohio State

6) 207 Prescott Burgess LB Michigan

Supplemental

5) Jared Gaither T Maryland

Baltimore built their left side with this draft and in impressive fashion. Grubbs is a promising young starter and on the short list for best young offensive guards in football.

Yamon Figurs returned a kick and a punt for a touchdown in his first season, but could never stick as a receiver. Once the Ravens found a better return man, Figurs was cut, and is currently a free agent.

Yanda is a spot starter at guard and tackle that may have outright won the right guard position this season after starting the last four games and playing ably. I'm a big fan of Yanda.

Barnes is a rotational linebacker and special teams player for the Ravens.

McClain is a fullback better known for his rushing than blocking, but so what? He was astonishingly valuable in 2008 and the 11-5 Ravens leading rusher. This season he is buried behind Ray Rice and Willis McGahee. McClain's is a curious story to say the least. I am not sure he will ever repeat his 2008 performance, and certainly some of that performance must be credited the Ravens line, but for that year alone, we must credit DeCosta with another fullback find.

Smith was a member of the jobbers row of quarterbacks Seattle fattened against in 2007. He is now a Wildcat quarterback.

Burgess has split time between the Ravens and Patriots, and is, essentially, depth and a special teams player.

Gaither is the crown jewel of this class. DeCosta got Gaither for a fifth round pick in the supplemental draft, and now he is their starting left tackle, and franchise tackle of the future. Gaither isn't in the class of young Turk left tackles taking over the NFL, but he's close, a rare physical specimen (the tallest man in the NFL), a powerful drive blocker with developing pass pro skills. He was available in the supplemental draft because of bad grades, and available in the fifth round of the supplemental draft because a lot of other GMs didn't do their homework.

That leads us to the last draft we'll look at in detail.

1) 18 Joe Flacco QB Delaware

2) 55 Ray Rice RB Rutgers

3) 71 Tavares Gooden OLB Miami (Fla.)

3) 86 Tom Zbikowski FS Notre Dame

3) 99 Oniel Cousins T Texas-El Paso

4) 106 Marcus Smith WR New Mexico

4) 133 David Hale G Weber State

6) 206 Haruki Nakamura FS Cincinnati

7) 215 Justin Harper WR Virginia Tech

7) 240 Allen Patrick RB Oklahoma

Joe Flacco is a franchise quarterback.

Ray Rice is one of the best young running backs in football.

Bart Scott's replacement doesn't fill a stat sheet, but Tavares Gooden is starting for a top ten defense in his second season. It's premature to pass judgment on T-Good.

Everyone's favorite boxing white safety is mostly a special teams force, but in three starts this season, he has two interceptions and four passes defended. I liked this pick when it was made, but it's, again, a little early to project his future value.

Cousins has started the last two games at right tackle, but through force of attrition rather than eminent skill. Nevertheless, one injury ravaged offensive line to another, Cousins seems more capable than some of Seattle's replacements.

The next three players are special teamers, and Allen Patrick was cut.

2004 was a hot mess, and, tellingly, occurred after DeCosta swept the 2003 draft. So, all GMs and potential GMs have their highs and lows, but DeCosta's highs certainly seem to outnumber and more than compensate for his lows. If we wanted to put a stamp on his career in Baltimore, I would stamp it a success, but let's attempt something a little more nuanced.

He seems to excel at drafting offensive line talent. He has never invested major resources into the offensive line but still acquired Rabach, Pashos, Terry, Brown, Chester, Sypnewski, Grubbs, Yanda, Gaither and Cousins. He also has had several successes drafting defensive linemen, linebackers, running backs, fullbacks and safeties. His run of backs is particularly impressive. He doesn't trend towards a specific region and seems to have no major leanings towards small schools or big schools. His success at drafting quarterbacks is mixed. Kyle Boller was an inexcusable failure, but Anderson and Smith were decent value for their pick position and Flacco is a young stud. Truthfully, I'm not wild about Flacco's profile, and though he's stepping into this own, the big bodied, big armed profile DeCosta seems to favor is notorious for producing busts.

What excites me most about DeCosta is not his drafting record, but the prolific picks he secures. Few teams enter draft day so consistently stocked with picks throughout the draft, and unlike other GMs that will burn those picks to move up and select their guy, DeCosta stands pat and picks many players. He has benefited immensely from trawling the draft and seeing what value shakes out.

His high profile and history of finding offensive line talent should make him a favorite for the Seattle position. I don't know that DeCosta is the "Z" we desire, but on second inspection, he is a young, well connected executive with a diverse portfolio of success.

Analysis: The Green Bay Packers New Look Secondary

Brandon — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:15:19 -0000

More photos » by Morry Gash - AP

3 months ago: In this July 30, 2007, photo, Green Bay Packers' Charles Woodson (21) talks to Al Harris during NFL football training camp in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers return almost all of last year's defensive players, and they'll all be adjusting to different roles--including Harris and Woodson, man-to-man specialists who now will be playing more zone. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

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With three defensive backs injured during the final preseason game, and two injuries at safety entering it, the depth in the secondary has been shaken up. The whole roster got more confusing when two players were placed on I.R. (S Charlie Peprah and CB Pat Lee), and one of the preseason's stars was released (S Anthony Smith). And one new face was added in a trade.

The best news in all of this was that the starting lineup is the same. CB Charles Woodson and CB Al Harris will start, alongside S Atari Bigby and S Nick Collins. CB Tramon Williams could play as much as 60% of the time as the nickel back.

So meet the new face: CB Derrick Martin.

He was a 6th round draft choice of Baltimore in 2006, and the Green Bay Packers acquired him in trade for OL Tony Moll. The Packers have had their eye on Martin since they scouted him in college at Wyoming.
In his first three seasons, he played exclusively at cornerback, starting 3 games in 2007. He played in 4 games in 2008 before a shoulder injury ended his season.
This preseason, he's been playing exclusively at safety. Now that he's in Green Bay, I expected he'd be playing some at cornerback again, but, according to Tom Pelissero, he spent his first practice following safeties coach Darren Perry around. So he's a safety.
He projected as high as a 3rd round pick in 2006. But according NFL Draft Scout, as a cornerback, the best he can be is a nickel back, so the move to safety might be a good one.
And he had some problems with a bowling pin and some marijuana back in 2008, but was never charged.

S Anthony Smith had a great preseason, there were even rumors he might unseat Bigby, but surprisingly he was released last weekend. CB Pat Lee was a 2nd round pick in 2008 and seemed certain to move up the depth chart in 2009, but a back injury kept him out most of training camp and a knee injury ended his season.

Cornerbacks:

CB Will Blackmon. According to Tom Pelissero, he's still not dressed for practice. If he's healthy, he'll be the top reserve.

CB Brandon Underwood. They love those guys that can play multiple positions. Although he played safety during his final college season at Cincinnati, the 6th round pick has been playing exclusively at cornerback in the NFL. He's got some promise; he appears to be able to close on receivers with a good jump and his tall 6'1" frame. But he also plays with a lot of cushion and has gotten spun around by a double move on more than one occassion. He's not ready to play right now, but he's the next healthy cornerback currently on the depth chart.

Safety:

S Aaron Rouse. According to Tom Pelissero, he was in practice on Monday. Just as in 2008; he remains the top backup at safety.

S Jarrett Bush. The former nickel back has been playing exclusively at safety this preseason. The team roster lists him as a cornerback/safety, but he'd only play cornerback in an emergency.

S Derrick Martin. He'll be a safety, so he seems like an odd addition because they need cornerback depth. Apparently the Packers just had a "thing" for him, so says GM Ted Thompson:

Q: Was the decision on Anthony Smith a performance-based one?
A: It was just a thing, we had an opportunity to get a player from Baltimore that kind of fit what we were looking for. A little bit of a corner, a little bit of a safety, special teams. It just came down to that.

Ravens Roster Cuts + Other Moves

Bruce Raffel — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 21:03:25 -0000

Keep it here for the list of players being released or moved in other ways by the Baltimore Ravens as the team gets down to the maximum of 53 players by this afternoon's deadlines. So far, this is what we have heard:

Waived: Graham Gano, Justin Harper, Yamon Figurs, Evan Olglesby, Will Johnson, Jayson Foster, Jason Cook, Robby Felix, William VanDeSteeg have been waived.

Also waived with the announcement of the 53 man roster were: Nader Abdallah, Ernie Wheelwright, Eron Riley, K.J. Gerard, Tony Fein, Isaac Smolko, Tre Stallings, Stefan Rodgers, Cedric Peerman AND Devon Drew!

LB Jason Phillips has been placed on Injured Reserve, thereby ending his 2009 season but allows the Ravens to keep his rights and gives him his full salary. This is what I predicted in my earlier posting today.

Derrick Martin has been traded to the Green Bay Packers for what was thought be an undisclosed late round 2010 draft pick, but turned out to be offensive guard/tackle Tony Moll, who was added to the 53 man roster.

We will add more names as they are released by the team or when they list their final 53 players.

(See the first comment below for the full list of the 53 players on the Ravens roster, as posted, thank you very much, by Mr MaLoR.)

Reportedly, the tem is interested in adding a player or two and the names that have come up are former Jacksonville Jaguars (and Ravens) OT Tony Pashos and recently released NY Giant WR David Tyree.

See the entire story and recently updated roster on by clicking on BaltimoreRavens.com.

Analysis: Green Bay Packers Trade for Derrick Martin

Brandon — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 20:50:47 -0000

More photos » by Rob Carr - AP

4 months ago: Baltimore Ravens cornerback Derrick Martin (29) breaks up a pass intended for New York Jets wide receiver Britt Davis (17) during the second half of a preseason NFL football game, Monday, Aug. 24, 2009, in Baltimore. The Ravens won 24-23. At left is Ravens Tom Zbikowski (28). (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

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I haven't posted my game review from the final preseason game yet, but it was pretty obvious why they might trade for a cornerback. CBs Pat Lee, Will Blackmon, and Brandon Underwood are all battling injuries, and CB Trevor Ford looked just awful, and he too was hurt in the last minute. WR Brett Swain played cornerback in the 4th quarter, and except for his tackling (which is something I'm sure he never practices), he was their best CB on the field. CB Jarrett Bush and CB Joe Porter are better, but they were both playing at safety, where depth is a problem too because of injuries to S Aaron Rouse and S Charlie Peprah.

With depth an issue, they made a trade for CB/S Derrick Martin, according to Aaron Wilson at the National Football Post. Baltimore will receive a 6th or 7th round pick in 2010 in return. Although Baltimore's secondary isn't loaded with big name players, including former Packer CB Frank Walker, they were a very good unit last season, so he's been competing for playing time against some good players. Martin was injured all last season, and although he's played CB in the past, the Ravens were using him exclusively at safety this preseason. Baltimore Beatdown expected that Martin would win a spot on the 53 man roster, so he should be good.

UPDATE: Great minds think alike. Mitchell and I were writing about this at the same time and his post got up before mine. Check out his post below.

UPDATE #2: It's a straight up trade of OL Tony Moll for Martin. Moll was the starting RT at the end of last season, filling in after RT Mark Tauscher went down with an injury, but he was always prone to the occasional lapse (i.e. missed assignment, holding penalty) so he was out of favor, and never even consider as Tauscher's replacement this season. He was probably going to be released, so acquiring a needed player for the secondary was a good move.

Analysis: Green Bay Packers defeat Bills 31-21

Brandon — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:00:13 -0000

More photos » by Jim Prisching - AP

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This was another impressive win. While the first team offense and defense were on the field, the Green Bay Packers jumped out to a 21-0 lead and Buffalo committed 3 turnovers. RB Ryan Grant ran well and QB Aaron Rodgers had time to find open receivers. The defensive front seven were constantly in Buffalo's backfield, and QB Trent Edwards was usually on the run. It was by far Buffalo's worst preseason game this season.

Unfortunately there were a couple injuries. According to Tom Pelissero:

QB Matt Flynn had a shoulder sprain but he feels OK.
S Nick Collins has bruised ribs. The x-rays were negative, but he'll probably take it slowly next week.
Undrafted rookie TE Devin Frischknecht was taken to the hospital with a shin injury.

There aren't a lot of starting jobs being fought for in training camp. DT B.J. Raji is trying to start ahead of DE Johnny Jolly, but it seems like a given that Raji will be the starter at some point. LB Clay Matthews, LB Jeremy Thompson, and LB Brady Poppinga are battling for the starting outside LB spot, but Poppinga is winning that by default as the others are still being held out with injuries. On the offensive line, C Scott Wells outplayed RG Josh Sitton in this game while RT Allen Barbre outplayed RT Breno Giacomini, but Pete Dougherty believes Sitton is ahead of Wells. One play shouldn't knock a player out of a starting job, but the one block that Giacomini blew led to Flynn's injured throwing shoulder, so it's a bit more glaring.

Yes, it was just one game, and yes, it was just one preseason game, but it couldn't have gone much better. Continue after the jump for the complete game review.

Bills vs Packers coverage; Bills vs Packers recap; Bills vs Packers boxscore; Buffalo Rumblings

For my complete game review, I'm using the NFL.com play-by-play.

First Quarter

(13:06) (Shotgun) 23-M.Lynch left tackle to BUF 29 for -1 yards (77-C.Jenkins).

It's good to see DE Cullen Jenkins healthy and busting into the opponent's backfield again.

(12:36) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 5-T.Edwards pass deep left intended for 83-L.Evans INTERCEPTED by 51-B.Poppinga (36-N.Collins) at BUF 45. 51-B.Poppinga to BUF 37 for 8 yards (63-G.Hangartner).

The refs have their preseason too. S Nick Collins got to WR Lee Evans early and they could have called pass interference. But Collins still looked great, he seemed to be all over the field, before they pulled him early due to a rib injury.

(11:18) 25-R.Grant right tackle to BUF 23 for 1 yard (95-K.Williams, 99-M.Stroud).

If your keeping track whether C Scott Wells or RG Josh Sitton should start, DT Marcus Stroud shoved Sitton aside to tackle RB Ryan Grant at the line of scrimmage.

(8:57) 25-R.Grant left tackle to BUF 17 for -2 yards (56-K.Ellison).

Getting stuffed on 4th and 1 might be a sign that the Packers' offensive line is struggling. Buffalo committed all their linebackers into the middle determined to stop the run. On this play, there were just more defenders then blockers on the line. This overcommitment comes back to bite them.

(8:53) 5-T.Edwards sacked at BUF 9 for -3 yards (97-J.Jolly).

(7:43) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 5-T.Edwards sacked at BUF 5 for -7 yards (97-J.Jolly). FUMBLES (97-J.Jolly), RECOVERED by GB-50-A.Hawk at BUF 5. 50-A.Hawk to BUF 5 for no gain (5-T.Edwards).

It was a nice play by DE Johnny Jolly, but I can't say enough how about unimpressed I was by Buffalo's offensive line. They played back on their heels the entire game. The 1st string defense killed them with speed from the linebackers and power from the defensive lineman. On the sack, LB A.J. Hawk and LB Brandon Chillar just ran right around the offensive lineman in a second. QB Trent Edwards was either running for his life or throwing quick 5 yard outs to avoid the rush. Buffalo's O-line wasn't good last season and they jettisoned three starters, including current Packer C Duke Preston, from that group. They're rebuilding their line, and it's just not ready.

(7:33) 12-A.Rodgers pass short left to 85-G.Jennings for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

Once again, Buffalo run blitzed their linebackers to fill the gaps in a short yardage situation. This time, QB Aaron Rodgers dropped back and hit WR Greg Jennings on a quick slant. The cornerback was outside and Rodgers threw it inside where there were no linebackers back in coverage.

(4:09) 12-A.Rodgers pass short right to 88-J.Finley to BUF 35 for 21 yards (20-D.Whitner).

This was one of many plays by TE Jermichael Finley. He was showing off what he can do in the passing game. He was running by their linebackers and is too big for their corners and safeties. He showed the same thing last week vs. Cleveland. He'll have to prove it during the regular season too, but so far, he's looking like a big, dangerous target in the middle of the field.

The Packers march down 79 yards for their 2nd TD. The offense looked great, but this was some plain vanilla defense. They used a four man rush that wasn't providing enough pass pressure, their linebackers were focused on the run, and their secondary and linebackers were getting killed in single coverage. The offense looked better than the defense, but their defense would have played it differently during the regular season.

(:29) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 5-T.Edwards pass short left to 22-F.Jackson to BUF 43 for 13 yards (21-C.Woodson).

This was the first play I noticed with DT B.J. Raji and he dropped into pass coverage. He seemed to have no trouble with the Buffalo offensive line, but you could say the same thing for Jolly and Jenkins. Like I said above, I wasn't impressed at all with Buffalo's O-line.

Second Quarter

(13:59) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 5-T.Edwards pass short middle to 22-F.Jackson to BUF 41 for 4 yards (77-C.Jenkins). FUMBLES (77-C.Jenkins), RECOVERED by GB-51-B.Poppinga at BUF 41. 51-B.Poppinga to BUF 41 for no gain (63-G.Hangartner).

The fumble was all Jenkins. He read the screen, avoided all the offensive lineman trying to block him, and stripped RB Fred Jackson. It's the 2nd turnover for LB Brady Poppinga who's been in the right place at the right time on both of them.

(13:15) 25-R.Grant left guard to BUF 22 for 14 yards (20-D.Whitner, 24-T.McGee).

In the battle for the starting right tackle job, RT Breno Giacomini blew open the entire middle of the field for Grant to run through on this play.

(12:08) 12-A.Rodgers pass short left to 25-R.Grant to BUF 10 for 13 yards (92-R.Denney).

The Packers are usually lousy on screen passes, but this one worked. C Scott Wells came off clean and made a block to spring Grant for a few extra yards.

(10:54) 12-A.Rodgers pass short right to 80-D.Driver for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

The description doesn't show Rodgers scrambling and waiting for WR Donald Driver to get open. The pass was behind Driver, but the defender couldn't get to it.

(7:12) 32-B.Jackson right end ran ob at BUF 46 for 4 yards (43-B.Scott). PENALTY on GB-78-A.Barbre, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at 50 - No Play.

By this point, RT Allen Barbre is behind Giacomini in the starting right tackle battle.

(3:57) (No Huddle) 14-R.Fitzpatrick up the middle to BUF 34 for 1 yard (55-D.Bishop).

This could have been a big play for Buffalo. The coverage was great, but the defensive lineman were blocked and lost contain. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick had the entire middle of the field open, but LB Desmond Bishop kept his contain and tackled him.

(3:16) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 14-R.Fitzpatrick pass incomplete deep right to 17-J.Jenkins (29-A.Smith).

I'm really starting to like free agent S Anthony Smith, but then he drops a INT thrown right to him. That doesn't mean he isn't a good backup, but I can see he's talented and I can also see why he lost his starting job in Pittsburgh.

(2:00) 11-B.Brohm pass short right to 87-J.Nelson ran ob at GB 32 for 10 yards (26-A.Youboty).

(1:54) (Shotgun) 11-B.Brohm pass short middle to 87-J.Nelson to GB 45 for 13 yards (30-K.Simpson).

(1:31) (Shotgun) 11-B.Brohm pass incomplete deep right to 89-J.Jones (46-E.Lankster). PENALTY on BUF-46-E.Lankster, Defensive Pass Interference, 34 yards, enforced at GB 45 - No Play.

(1:06) (Shotgun) 11-B.Brohm pass short left intended for 82-R.Martin INTERCEPTED by 27-R.Corner at BUF 9. 27-R.Corner to BUF 12 for 3 yards (82-R.Martin).

I'm a fan of QB Brian Brohm. He's clearly the 3rd QB on the roster, but that doesn't mean he isn't getting better. He's a talented pocket passer. He showed a little of it on back-to-back completions to WR Jordy Nelson. Unfortunately he then threw too late and behind to WR James Jones, but the defender hit Jones as he was trying to catch up to the play. The interception wasn't intended for WR Ruvell Martin; he was trying to hit Nelson underneath but he overthrew it. Either way, the pass that was intercepted was a bad decision.

(:41) (Shotgun) 14-R.Fitzpatrick sacked at BUF 26 for -5 yards (59-B.Jones). FUMBLES (59-B.Jones), RECOVERED by GB-55-D.Bishop at BUF 26. 55-D.Bishop to BUF 26 for no gain (79-J.Scott).

As if the Packers didn't have enough tough choices at linebacker. LB Nick Barnett was still held out for this game, but rookie 7th round pick LB Brad Jones was finally cleared to play. He beat the right tackle on the pass rush and he played well in pass coverage. If he keeps this up, they might have no choice but to make room for him on the roster.

Third Quarter

(14:52) 28-K.Lumpkin right end to GB 45 for -5 yards (97-J.McCargo). FUMBLES (97-J.McCargo), recovered by GB-60-D.Preston at GB 37. 60-D.Preston to GB 37 for no gain (53-M.Buggs).

RG Evan Dietrich-Smith got beat and let DT John McCargo hit RB Kregg Lumpkin in the backfield. Lumpkin still should have held onto the ball.

(12:53) 7-J.Kapinos punts 47 yards to BUF 2, Center-61-B.Goode. 26-A.Youboty to BUF 2 for no gain (82-R.Martin). PENALTY on GB-16-B.Swain, Interference with Opportunity to Catch, 15 yards, enforced at BUF 6.

I keep reading Tweets about the great camp WR Brett Swain is having. He hasn't played much as a receiver in the first two preseason games, and he blew it on special teams. With all the good receivers in camp, he can't afford to have another bad play like this again.

P Jeremy Kapinos looked good on five punts, but he'll have to keep it up.

(11:57) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 14-R.Fitzpatrick pass deep right to 13-St.Johnson to BUF 48 for 24 yards (27-W.Blackmon).

Buffalo had a lot more success passing the ball in the 2nd half. The Packers' 3rd string defense came in and didn't provide much pass rush. Outside LB Spencer Havner and LB Cyril Obiozor have made some noise in camp, but they couldn't near the QB in this game. Although rookie DE Jarius Wynn and DE Ronald Talley did a pretty good job at getting into the backfield on a couple plays.

(8:41) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 14-R.Fitzpatrick pass short right to 88-J.Stupar to GB 21 for 12 yards (24-J.Bush). Green Bay challenged the pass completion ruling, and the play was Upheld. (Timeout #1.)

The refs in preseason form; the pass bounced off the turf before it was "caught". But it didn't matter...

(8:17) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 14-R.Fitzpatrick pass short left intended for 33-D.Rhodes INTERCEPTED by 55-D.Bishop at GB 17. 55-D.Bishop to GB 20 for 3 yards. Lateral to 29-A.Smith to GB 20 for no gain (73-K.Chambers). GB-33-B.Underwood was injured during the play. PENALTY on GB-33-B.Underwood, Illegal Block Above the Waist, 10 yards, enforced at GB 20.

Next time, don't lateral it. But otherwise it was great play as Bishop jumped all over the quick slant.

(7:31) 11-B.Brohm pass incomplete short right to 45-Q.Johnson (96-C.Bryan).

Buffalo DE Copeland Bryan was a pain in the butt. He shoved Barbre back into Brohm on this play.

(7:26) (Shotgun) 11-B.Brohm pass short left to 46-D.Frischknecht to GB 12 for 1 yard (54-N.Harris). GB-46-D.Frischknecht was injured during the play.

I don't like to see anyone hurt, but I was pulling for undrafted rookie TE Devin Frischknecht. He was taken to the hospital with a shin injury. I would be shocked if he's not placed on I.R. this week.

(5:42) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 14-R.Fitzpatrick pass short middle to 15-F.Huggins to GB 48 for 15 yards (40-J.Porter).

I'm picking on CB Joe Porter here, he was the chief offender, but the same can be said for CB Trevor Ford and CB Brandon Underwood. They're all fighting for the 5th cornerback spot, or maybe a job on the practice squad. I don't know if it's how they play, or if by design, but they all gave a lot of cushion. They're all great in coming up in run support and they appear to be good tacklers. But Buffalo came back in the game because the tight coverage and the pass rush vanished.

(1:13) (No Huddle) 14-R.Fitzpatrick pass short middle to 88-J.Stupar for 9 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

Rookie LB Brad Jones was in on the coverage, but he was all over the tight end in coverage. Somehow the pass missed hitting Jones and the tight end grabbed it.

Fourth Quarter

(12:24) 10-M.Flynn sacked at GB 18 for -8 yards (96-C.Bryan). FUMBLES (96-C.Bryan), recovered by GB-68-B.Giacomini at GB 16. 68-B.Giacomini to GB 16 for no gain (93-C.Ellis).

Well if you're wondering how Barbre beat Giacomini for the starting right tackle job, this might have been the play. He was beat by Bryan to the outside. QB Matt Flynn had his night cut short because he Bryan hit him while he was throwing.

(4:53) 23-T.Sutton left end pushed ob at BUF 41 for 10 yards (71-A.Etukeren). PENALTY on BUF-46-E.Lankster, Face Mask (15 Yards), 15 yards, enforced at BUF 41.

Rookie LT Jamon Meredith looked good on this drive. On this play, he cleared the left side open for RB Tyrell Sutton. He's still behind LT Tony Moll for the backup spot and still in a major fight to make the roster.

(4:07) 23-T.Sutton left tackle to BUF 11 for 10 yards (21-J.Wendling).

(3:25) 11-B.Brohm pass short right to 19-K.Heckendorf to BUF 3 for 8 yards (47-C.Harris).

(2:55) 23-T.Sutton right tackle for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

WR Kole Heckendorf, the pride of Mosinee, is still a long shot to make the roster. I don't know against who he is competing. I guess it's possible he could beat out WR Ruvell Martin. But he really looked good; showing good hands while taking some big hits.

Sutton followed up a great first preseason game with another one. But he still is the last running back given playing time, so I would guess the coaches still have him behind Lumpkin and RB DeShawn Wynn.

(2:03) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 10-G.Hamdan pass short right to 44-X.Omon to GB 10 for 52 yards (40-J.Porter).

There were about three blown tackles on this play. Defensive coordinator Dom Capers is going to burst a blood vessel when he watches this replay.

(1:49) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 10-G.Hamdan pass incomplete short left to 88-J.Stupar [94-J.Wynn]. PENALTY on GB-29-A.Smith, Defensive Pass Interference, 9 yards, enforced at GB 10 - No Play.

Back to what I was saying about Smith on the dropped INT; he makes a couple good plays but then mixes them in with a bad one. Although I couldn't see the pass interference on this one.

Analysis: Green Bay Packers defeat Browns 17-0

Brandon — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 21:55:58 -0000

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That was a dominant performance. The score: 17-0. Total yards: 392 to 191. Time of possession: 39:56 to 20:04. Of course then I read another game recap that said it wasn't dominant because Cleveland blew two plays. Well almost doesn't count. It would have been dominant even if Cleveland hadn't dropped one TD reception and committed a penalty that nullified a made FG.

The bad news is that it's just one win. The 1st string looked great against Cincinnati in last season's first preseason game, although the backups couldn't hold that lead. And it really showed how bad Cincinnati would be, not how good the Packers were.

But the good news is that a lot of players looked great. And the preseason is all about trends. Watch out for players or units that are playing bad throughout the preseason, like last season's defensive line. And Mike McCarthy said there were no significant injuries, which is the most important thing in the preseason.

Some players that really stood out:

Middle linebacker. LB Desmond Bishop made Cleveland's backup look bad, but LB Brandon Chillar did the same thing to their starters. The new 3-4 defense will make the linebackers look really good. But they still have to show that they can drop back in pass coverage too.
Backup QB. These guys look so much better than they did last season, even if the stats don't show it.
Defensive line. Cleveland's offensive line is good, and the Packers' defensive line did a good job holding their ground, something they were lousy at last season.

My complete game review after the jump.

Browns vs Packers coverage; Browns vs Packers recap; Browns vs Packers boxscore; Dawgs By Nature (Cleveland fan site).

But for my complete game review, I'm using the NFL.com play-by-play.

First Quarter

(12:54) 25-R.Grant right tackle to GB 47 for 14 yards.

It doesn't really matter, but seeing RB Ryan Grant play in the preseason is great. Except for one play, he missed all of last preseason with his bad hamstring. The starting offensive line is Clifton, Colledge, Wells, Spitz, and Barbre, and they got a great push. They gave Grant room to run and QB Aaron Rodgers time to throw. The time at right tackle was split exclusively between RT Allen Barbre and RT Breno Giacomini as they battle for the starting job. Both played well, but neither stood out.

(12:15) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass deep middle to 80-D.Driver for 53 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

Rodgers is so good at throwing on the run. Nice move by WR Donald Driver to get behind the secondary.

(10:50) (Shotgun) 10-B.Quinn pass short middle to 88-M.Furrey to CLE 36 for 9 yards.

(9:00) (Shotgun) 10-B.Quinn pass short middle to 88-M.Furrey to GB 21 for 11 yards.

Two completions on 3rd down. It looked like WR Mike Furrey was matched up against a linebacker and beat them to keep the drive alive. All of the Packers' linebackers can play, but the starters will be the ones who can drop back into coverage. If you're keeping track of the cornerback depth chart, Harris and Woodson sat out so CB Tramon Williams and CB Will Blackmon started. CB Jarrett Bush was the nickel back.

LB Brady Poppinga got the start at right OLB since LB Clay Matthews and LB Jeremy Thompson were both held out with minor injuries. All of three are very active and have some pass rushing ability, but Matthews should be the best in pass coverage.

(6:53) 12-A.Rodgers pass short left to 88-J.Finley to GB 44 for 12 yards.

(6:14) 12-A.Rodgers pass short right to 89-J.Jones to CLE 48 for 8 yards.

Both TE Jermichael Finley and WR James Jones had good games. They both look better than last season, which isn't surprising since Finley is so young and Jones battled injuries. Neither will start, but they'll help.

(4:55) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass incomplete short middle to 25-R.Grant.

You can't see it on the stat line, but this was a completely botched screen pass. It's odd to watch the Packers struggle so badly with the screen pass since they were so good at it in the 1990s.

(:10) 10-M.Flynn pass short right to 88-J.Finley to 50 for 6 yards.

QB Matt Flynn looks so much better. He's got some zip on the ball and can throw on the run. He's even adjusted his throwing motion so he looks an awful lot like Rodgers. Unfortunately the rest of the offense made three mental mistakes (false start, illegal formation, and illegal man downfield) that stalled his first drive.

Second Quarter

(9:34) 2-M.Crosby 60 yard field goal is No Good, Hit Left Upright.

There's been some Tweets from training camp that K Mason Crosby has been struggling. But his two misses were very long attempts that didn't miss badly. And he had two kickoffs go into the end zone. There's nothing wrong with him.

(8:45) 3-D.Anderson pass deep right intended for 16-J.Cribbs INTERCEPTED.

This gets back to what I said about the middle linebackers. It was a big night for LB Desmond Bishop, 4 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT, and he was a constant presence behind the line of scrimmage. But the 3-4 defense sure gives the middle linebacker opportunities to shine. Bishop was allowed to delay blitz, or run a stunt, and got in on the QB. The pass from QB Derek Anderson had no chance because Bishop came in unblocked, and hit him as he was throwing.

(1:20) (Shotgun) 10-B.Quinn pass short middle to 16-J.Cribbs to GB 14 for 22 yards (29-A.Smith). PENALTY on GB-29-A.Smith, Face Mask (15 Yards), 7 yards, enforced at GB 14.

(:25) (Shotgun) 10-B.Quinn pass short middle intended for 17-B.Edwards INTERCEPTED by 29-A.Smith at GB -7. Touchback.

S Anthony Smith was one of the budget free agents signed by the Packers. The former 3rd round pick was a starter in Pittsburgh, but was benched in 2008. He had a nice blitz for a sack and made a nice play to jump the route in the end zone for an INT. But he also had a careless facemask penalty. It's not clear whether he's an upgrade over last season's backup safety, S Charlie Peprah, who had an INT of his own during the game.

Third Quarter

(14:26) 5-B.Ratliff pass short left to 87-A.Walker to CLE 30 for 9 yards.

QB Brett Ratliff played the entire 2nd half for Cleveland. He connected with journeyman TE Aaron Walker on 3 passes for 48 yards, and one screen pass to WR Brian Robiskie for 15 yards, and that was the all Cleveland's backups could muster. The 2nd unit defense struggled at times last preseason, so this great game is hopefully the start of a promising trend.

(12:16) 11-B.Brohm pass short middle INTERCEPTED.

QB Brian Brohm had an ugly line, 3 for 10 for 18 yards and 2 INTs. This INT happened because the right defensive end got past LT Tony Moll and hit Brohm as he was throwing. But overall, he looks so much better than he did last year. He's got a zip on his passes, just like I said above with Flynn. The difference is that Brohm is a little late on his passes. One one late pass, he led the receiver too close to the sideline, and on another he made the receiver slow down on the sidelines when he had a step on the defender. He's still the 3rd string QB, but with more experience he'll be a solid pocket passer.

Fourth Quarter

(14:11) (Shotgun) 11-B.Brohm pass short right intended for 81-J.Harris INTERCEPTED.

Brohm threw the pass high, but it ricocheted off WR JaRon Harris' hands for the INT. It's a tough job, but receivers have to catch those passes.

(11:05) 23-T.Sutton left tackle to GB 37 for 17 yards.

I'm a big fan of RB Tyrell Sutton. He was a great player at Northwestern. He went undrafted because his 40 time at the combine was slow, he's only 5'8" (he looks even shorter standing next to the O-lineman in the huddle), and he's had a history of injuries. But he's talented and should make a good 3rd down/change of pace back. Unfortunately, it probably won't be with the Packers because there's nothing he does that RB Brandon Jackson can't do.

(8:47) 28-K.Lumpkin right end to CLE 38 for 14 yards.

I don't know how undrafted RB Kregg Lumpkin made the team last year. He wasn't awful, but he didn't really dazzle either. In this game, however, I could see what the coaches see in him. He's a strong runner and he's a load to bring down at 230 lbs. He beat out RB Deshawn Wynn last season because Wynn was injured for most of training camp, but then Wynn was resigned after Lumpkin was lost for the year with an injury. They'll only keep one of them, and Wynn played earlier in the game then Lumpkin did.

Tuesday Training Camp Roundup

Brandon — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:00:10 -0000

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The Green Bay Packers had two practices on Tuesday and no practices scheduled for Wednesday. Some players are getting banged up (such as RB Brandon Jackson and C Duke Preston), but no major injuries. The Tuesday live blogs from the Journal-Sentinel are here and here, and from the Press-Gazette are here and here. Here's my general recap of what has been going on in training camp so far:

The defense is way ahead of the offense. That might surprise, since the team has an new defensive coaching staff and scheme this season, but it's typical that the defense is ahead of the offense early in the season.
The defensive line is killing the offensive line. DE Cullen Jenkins has been great, but I've read tweets about good plays from backups DE Justin Harrell, DE Jarius Wynn, and DE Dean Muhtadi. It doesn't seem like the projected offensive line starters are the problem, instead it's the backups like C Duke Preston, OT Dane Randolph, OT Jamon Meredith, OL Tony Moll, and RT Allen Barbre who are struggling.
All the quarterbacks are struggling, but many receivers are dropping balls and the offensive line isn't providing a lot of help.
Nearly all the linebackers are making plays. Surprisingly, backup LB Desmond Bishop might be playing the best.
The secondary might be struggling. It's hard to tell from live blogs, but I keep reading CB Al Harris name (not in a good way). There have been a few tweets about wide open receivers and blown coverage.

Meredith is Signed, McCaskill is Cut, and a Great Blogcast

Brandon — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 12:00:53 -0000

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While the Packers have made a few minor moves:

G Nevin McCaskill, who I had never written about because never thought had a chance to make the team, was released.
OL Jamon Meredith brought the total of signed draft choices up to four when he was signed.

I had the chance to participate as a panelist on the Blogcast over at Cheesehead TV. Aaron and Corey lined up two great interviews; former Packers' VP Andrew Brandt and Journal-Sentinel beat writer Greg Bedard.

We talked about players, contracts, mini-camp, and Nick Saban.

Brandt came on first and said:

The biggest change from Sherman to McCarthy in re: to contracts was to reduce roster bonuses and increase workout bonuses, so long as the workouts took place in Green Bay.
Grant might have gotten a big contract last summer, in part, because the front office was so distracted with the QB Brett Favre situation.
Getting players to agree to contract at the end of June, when the Packers' profit reports are released, makes negotiations difficult.

Then Bedard brought up some great points:

CB Tramon Williams looked great in mini-camp. He probably said it because Aaron and Corey are his biggest fans.
LB Jeremy Thompson doesn't look ready to really compete as the starting outside linebacker.
LB Aaron Kampman really shouldn't be afraid to talk about his transition to linebacker.
He told a great story about how Nick Saban is a jerk and Greg fought with him throughout the 2007 season when he was a beat writer covering the Dolphins.
Both DT Ryan Pickett and DT Johnny Jolly are both probably gone after this season.
There are people who want RB Ryan Grant to start ahead of RB Brandon Jackson no matter how much Grant struggles. There is no way Grant will lose the starting job in training camp.
This might be the last season for LT Chad Clifton, and the recently signed rookie Meredith might be the future. It probably won't be OL Tony Moll, who Greg said had too many brainfarts during games.
Bottom line; it was impossible to find out if anyone beat anyone else out. The guys were preoccupied with learning the plays and schemes, and running around without helmets or pads.

There was probably more I missed, this recap was just off the top of my head. Aaron did a great job with the interviews. Go check it out.

Who Wants Cotton Candy? The Carnival That Is The Packers' O-Line

Mitchell_M — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 18:54:44 -0000

"I’ve made this statement before — I want to get off this roller coaster or merry-go-round that we’ve been on of moving our offensive linemen at so many positions, but we haven’t made that decision as far as exactly where the young guys will go."

-Mike McCarthy on the offensive line

This quote from Green Bay's fearless leader leaves me torn; I love roller coasters, but I hate merry-go-rounds. But then I remember I'm not actually at the county fair, and everything snaps into focus.

The offensive line was the biggest problem for Green Bay's offensive production in 2008. Aaron Rodgers was not the problem, nor the receivers, nor the playcalling, or anything else. Green Bay's problem was creating rushing lanes; without establishing a credible ground threat, the Packers could not control the clock or safely move the chains.

Green Bay ranked 17th in rushing yards in 2008 with a sub-par 4.0 yards/carry. While Grant's injury problems hindered his effectiveness, the main issue was the constant shuffling of offensive lineman, ruining whatever cohesion the unit had developed, which lead to errors in communication and execution. I mean, check out these rushing totals from last year: 84 yards in Week 3, 28(!) yards in Week 4, 104 yards in Week 5, 102 yards in Week 9, 84 yards in Week 15, and 65 yards in Week 16.

As we can see, the run game last season was as efficient as Dunder-Mifflin, Scranton. How, then, is McCarthy going to avoid a repeat in 2009?

I like to think that Mike McCarthy is a man of his word. And since his words above point towards finding a continuous solution to the revolving door on the line, I believe that's exactly what he's going to do.

Green Bay currently has fourteen players on the roster at the three offensive line positions. Of those fourteen, only three (Chad Clifton, Daryn Colledge, and Jason Spitz) have established themselves as bonafide starters, and although Colledge and Spitz don't yet have a firm grip on any one position, they are getting extended looks at left guard and center, respectively.

From that, we can determine that Clifton and Colledge are a lock to play LT and LG, and Spitz is a good bet to win the C job. Even if he doesn't he'll just slide over and play RG. This still leaves two holes on the line, including the void left at RT with the assumed departure of Mark Tauscher, accelerated by an ACL tear late last year. Let's take a look at who might fill these holes.

Allen Barbre, as Brandon alluded to a while back, is the early favorite to win the RT job in 2009. I can certainly understand why the team is giving him a shot at the starting position, because Barbre is the physical prototype of an offensive tackle:

Has a thick upper body, with broad shoulders, thick calves, solid midsection, long arms, large hands, big bubble and natural strength … Comes out of his stance with outstanding explosion to shock a lethargic defender … Has the loose hips to change direction and plays … Generates good force behind his hand punch to deliver pop on contact.

Yikes. With a description like that, it sounds like Scout.com has some...unconventional tastes. Although who doesn't love a big bubble? Anyways, you'd think that Barbre's tools would lead to his taking the division by storm...but that hasn't happened yet. Why? Well, let's let Scout.com drop the bomb:

With some patient coaching, he could develop. It is obvious the athletic talent and quick feet are there. Now, he needs to work on the mental aspect of the game.

Well said. Barbre's numerous mental errors and failures in execution have kept him on the sidelines for most of his career. And, as Brandon said, I have a feeling they're going to keep him there in 2009.

Any Douglas Adams fans out there? Remember the part where Ford and Arthur are ejected from the Vogon ship and the narrator says this line?

"Space," says the introduction to The Hitchhiker's Guide, "is big. Really big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is."

Well, replace "space" with "Breno Giacomini," and the phrase still fits. Because Breno Giacomini is big. Really big. 6'7" big. Not only that, but he's strong and, thanks to his experience playing TE, surprisingly agile.

So why hasn't he turned into Jonathon Ogden? Because he's still learning the position. Giacomini is a promising player, but he needs to learn and refine the technique needed to play offensive tackle in the NFL. I have faith in Green Bay's coaches; so long as he puts in the work, I expect to see Breno starting at RT before the end of 2009.

Scott Wells, one of the Packers' 7th round success stories, has fallen off in the last year and a half. Under Favre, Wells was a solid, intelligent center who made good calls and good adjustments as well as fending off the likes of Kevin and Pat Williams, Shaun Rogers, and Tommie Harris. He was a huge surprise and figured to be a mainstay in the interior for a while.

Unfortunately, Wells' lack of size and durability undermined his effectiveness. He's listed as 6'2", 303, but he's smaller than that. And his frame was such that he had maxed out his potential to gain muscle mass; in other words, there's no way Wells would be able to gain any weight and still retain his agility and flexibility. On top of all that, the concussion, ankle, and shoulder injuries he sustained in 2008 has transformed Wells from dependable to injury-prone.

I honestly wish Wells could keep his starting job, but he's a little like Colin Cole in that he gets overpowered far too easily, even against players of similar size. Spitz, the main competition for the center job, is much stronger at the point of attack and doesn't allow a defender to split his base as often as Wells does. Combined with the signing of Duke Preston, look for Wells to hit free agency before his contract expires.

Josh Sitton, the second-year Central Florida product, was the favorite to take the RG spot until a preseason injury sidelined him until Week 3. The fourth round pick made appearances in 2008, but never made a lasting impact. In fact, his season was so underwhelming that his Scouts Inc. grade is 20, a level described as such:

A player with very little film to evaluate ... A guy who might show "flashes" in the preseason but does not have any regular-season views ... He has very little experience but he has to be tracked due to his developmental potential.

As vanilla as this description is, it perfectly describes Josh Sitton's career to date: a skilled prospect who could contribute, but we simply have no idea whether he will or not.

In the interest of full disclosure, I love Sitton as a player. He's a strong, stout blocker who takes effective angles and manages to stay square on his blocks. He also has a "mean streak", which is something you absolutely need to have playing guard in the NFL. Additionally, his interviews (the few ones he's had) show a guy who understands his role in the larger scheme. I predict that Sitton will take the RG spot he could have had last season and, as long as he stays healthy, he should be able to stay there for a long time.

***

These four players are the ones I fully expect to be competing for the openings at guard and tackle. Other players like Tony Moll and Duke Preston are backups (at best), and shouldn't start unless in case of emergency. However, the next two players are guys who shouldn't start this year, but have a shot at starting in the future.

T.J. Lang, the first of Green Bay's two drafted offensive linemen, was widely considered an exceptional pick in the 4th round. In a draft that was positively loaded at OT (with four elite-level prospects being taken in the top 15), Lang was somewhat overlooked by most draftniks. He has all of the skills and techniques needed to succeed in the NFL, including good knee bend, pad level, footwork, balance, and work ethic. What more could you want?

According to most critics, Lang's biggest negative is his overall body strength. While he put up 30 reps on the bench press before the draft, he needs to coordinate his upper and lower body to achieve maximum results. That means improving his core strength so that he doesn't break at the waist when engaging stronger defenders.

I truly believe that McCarthy and the coaching staff will have to make a tough decision once Lang is ready to play for real. Is he a candidate for tackle? Or would he be better suited inside? If so, who do you displace? Giacomini, Barbre, Sitton, or even Colledge? This decision won't be made right away, probably not even this year...but it's coming.

Another important decision looming is that of what to do with Jamon Meredith. A great athlete with a brain to match, Meredith was taken in the 5th round when his talent merits a 2nd round selection. He's an excellent pass blocker with great fundamentals. His run blocking is above average, but he projects as a LT in the NFL, where his pass protection will be much appreciated on Aaron Rodgers' blind side.

But, of course, with a prospect who's stock falls in the draft, there's always something. With Meredith, there were questions about his motivation, work ethic, and competitiveness. One report that stands out is that his college coaches referred to him as a "locker room lawyer", whatever that means. I personally believe that Meredith, who actually fulfilled both roles as a student-athlete, didn't blindly submit to his coaches' will because he, get this, is smart. And smart people in an atmosphere where intellect is virtually irrelevant come across as arrogant and even insubordinate.

If Meredith's problems were substance-related or legal, I'd have a problem. If people question his competitiveness on the field, I'd have a huge problem. But if the source of his "character issues" is because he asked "Why?" at some point during a practice, and that's what ended up dropping him into the fifth round, then I just shake my head and say "I'll take him." The main point is that Meredith can play at a high level, and with a year or two of development, he'll have a great chance to replace Chad Clifton at LT.

***

As McCarthy said in the post-draft press conference quoted above, the key to fixing the offensive line woes (and by extension, the run game) is continuity. The best group of linemen in camp needs to stick together for the duration of the season. Last year, Scott Wells and Josh Sitton's preseason injuries, Daryn Colledge's frightening inconsistency, and Chad Clifton's overall decline scuttled Green Bay's progress up front within the first 6 weeks. And that can't happen again.

Obviously, there's no elixer to prevent a sprained knee in minicamp, nor is there a crystal ball to see if the starting RT in August will play at the same level in September. People get relatively better and worse at what they do just like the tide comes in and out. However, the crux of the issue is consistency. I'd rather plug in a player who's going to have a 75-80% success rate than one who will fluctuate between 60% and 90%. Sure, when the guy is dominant, it's great for the team, but how can you schedule when he's on and off? For the NBA fans out there, I'd rather have David Lee over Lamar Odom.

But this is just one man's opinion. I favor a conservative approach to the offensive line; I'm fully prepared to sacrifice athleticism and upside for season-long consistency. Some of you may feel that putting the biggest and baddest men out there will solve the problem. Others feel that putting the smartest players out there, ones who know the scheme and can rely on craftiness and experience to get the job done. Which path do you think takes Green Bay to success?

Driver Wants A New Contract; Bigby Is Mistaken For Collins

Brandon — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 12:00:20 -0000

More photos » by Elaine Thompson - AP

8 months ago: Seattle Seahawks wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh tips a ball during a drill during the first day of a voluntary veterans football minicamp workout, Tuesday, April 7, 2009, in Renton, Wash. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

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Even at age 34, WR Donald Driver can still play. It's a big drop from Driver to either WR Jordy Nelson or WR James Jones. For about the 4th season in a row, Driver wants to renegotiate his contract, and I expect the Packers will offer him something. Probably an increase to his base salary. It doesn't bother me when players ask for more money when they are worth it and the team is under the salary cap. The Press-Gazette pointed out he's making a base salary of $3 to $4 million in each of the next two seasons, but really it's more like $6 to $7 million. Still, it's less than Seattle is paying WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who's getting $8 million per year, so Driver's' agent might be looking for a $1 to $2 million bump up into that neighborhood. But Driver could attend the OTA while his agent negotiates, and he could be a little bit more honest about it:

Driver was asked last week by WITI-TV Fox6 in Milwaukee whether he was happy with his contract. "Oh, I'm happy," Driver said. "They always say when you get later in your career you go out there and do your best and hopefully you'll get what you deserve."
"Naw, I think you've got the wrong guy." Yep, he was asking S Atari Bigby about S Nick Collins. Crack research by that radio host.
It's not a big deal that the Packers have at least five different players, currently OL Allen Barbre is in the lead, in the mix to replace RT Mark Tauscher in the starting lineup. Certainly it's a new position for some of them, and except for OL Tony Moll, none of them have started in the NFL before. But all these guys are talented, and the offense can be easily adjusted to help the new right tackle out in the early going by giving him some help from the tight end.
I'm not a fan of new Cleveland head coach Eric Mangini. Now he's looking like an idiot by forcing his rookies to show up for a charity event. Back in February, one of his first acts as Cleveland's new coach was to upset one of his star players. 2008 was a very disappointing season in Cleveland, but they made a mistake in firing GM Phil Savage for it. He had hired the wrong head coach in the beginning, Romeo Crennel, but Savage had a lot of work to do in rebuilding that team after the Butch Davis era.