The Green Bay Packers are going to go into the regular season with a rookie and a second-year undrafted free agent starting at tackle. Is that cause for concern? Well, not if you ask Ted Thompson.
Big Ted was asked what he’d say to people who are worried about Aaron Rodgers being protected by left tackle David Bakhtiari and right tackle Don Barclay.
“It would probably depend on who the people were,” Thompson said. “Go on with their life, everything else will be fine.”
Okay then.
Thompson went on to say he feels good about the Packers offensive line and he just may belong to a club of one there.
Although Bakhtiari has looked good enough, he’s still probably going to suffer some growing pains in his first NFL season. The same goes for Barclay, who was solid in the run game last season, but consistently needed help on passing downs.
The only real sure thing the Packers have on the line is left guard Josh Sitton. Right guard T.J. Lang is coming off an up-and-down season, which is putting it nicely, and center Evan Dietrich-Smith has a grand total of six starts under his belt at the position.
But there’s no need for concern with this group.
Right….
As explained in the same interview, TT isn’t going to voice a concern. If he did, that would be interpreted as criticism of the players, and he isn’t going to criticize the players publicly.
If he says, I am concerned, then that translates as “the guys we have aren’t up to the task.”
He isn’t going to say that. Don’t be surprised if he goes out and picks up another OT after all the teams make their cuts.
you beat me to the punch. Dead on.
smoke and mirrors. nothing to see here people. move along!
agreed – wouldn’t in any way be surprised if one of our starting tackles is not on the roster at the moment.
iltarion…If TT voiced concern about the O line, that isn’t criticism of the players, he would be criticizing himself. Let me go one step further…..Anyone, with any football knowledge, knows that Green Bay’s line is weak, until proven otherwise. Anyone who doesn’t think Green Bay’s O line is a concern, has his head in the sand….No offence Teddy.
Well put PF4L. Well done.
The regular season will be the proof.
If your boss says he is concerned with your position but it is his fault because he hired you, is that criticism of you?
Exactly.
He is keeping his cards close to his chest. I think we are fortunate that Barclay and Bakhtari seem to be meeting the challenge.
Didnt he say the same thing when we started alen barber at left tackle and almost got arod killed.
Ask TT the same question after week 2.
Clifton and Tauscher rescued him early on. Other than Sitton TT is pretty much batting a zero with the O-Line. Bakhtiari might turn out, but still an if. He will never be the prototypical LT anchor we would all like to see.
Uhhh, Scott Wells? The jury’s still out on Barclay, Bakhtiari, Sherrod and even EDS, and Lang, contrary to apparently popular opinion, is not awful, nor is Bulaga, when healthy, which, granted, is about as frequent as an intelligent discussion with a Vikings fan.
Usually when people say don’t worry, everything will be all right is when you really have to worry that things are just about to go to hell.
Its too bad Sherrod missed all of camp again and now, at least, six more games. I am confident that he would have easily claimed the starting LT position, leaving Bakhtiari and Barclay and possibly Bulaga (if in this scenario he never got injured) to battle at RT. If only this could have actually happened. Then again, the med staff/ training staff would have F’ed something else up in this case too so there was no hope from the beginning. Lets just hope Rodgers doesn’t die this season. And the only hope for next season is that Sherrod actually does come back to fullfill his potential as a first round draft pick and possibly Bulaga or another draft pick from the 2014 NFL Draft. Its not looking good. Here’s to hoping.
Anyone who is still counting on Sherrod. I have a bridge for sale…Got Paypal?
Ooh! Me, me, me Me. Parker. I’ve always wanted some waterfront property to call my own.
Sherrod claim any position would be a minor miracle. He couldn’t even beat out Newhouse in his rookie season. Get over Sherrod. He’s Justin Harrell in a skirt. At BEST he will be back by December. You don’t just get off PUP and start playing after a two year layoff. He’ll have to practice at least a month. You know in your heart, Sherrod is done.
Dude, hebwas a rookie who got hurt in the preseason, and he was well on his way to displacing Newhouse-TT and MM aren’t big on throwing young guys directly into the fire unless they have to, case in point, Aaron Rodgers.
Hrs had one major injury, Harrel had numerous compounding injury throughout the years-unfair and erroneous comparison.
How do you know what I know? Get out of my head-err, heart?!