Those TJ Lang And Josh Sitton Moves Look Great Now!
The Green Bay Packers haven’t been very good at guard this season. Obviously, the days of an in-their-prime tandem of Josh Sitton and T.J. Lang are long gone.
The Packers highest-graded guard on the season is Justin McCray at 69.2. He hasn’t played since week 3, first because of injury and then because of Mike McCarthy’s infinite wisdom. Lane Taylor (63.4) has been average and Byron Bell (50.0) has been substandard.
In hindsight, the move to these two guys — or two guys just like them — was inevitable.
Sitton is 32 and was put on injured reserve by the Miami Dolphins in September. This was after getting released by the Stink Chicago Bears this past offseason. Now, 31-year-old T.J. Lang has suffered the same fate.
The Detroit Lions put Lang on IR this week. He only played in six games this season because of a concussion and back, neck and hip injuries. He only finished one game.
Sitton played in only one game for the Dolphins. He missed six in his two years with the Bears.
That perhaps wouldn’t be notable, except these were regular 16-game starters in their Packers’ tenures.
There was no doubt furor when the Packers — when Big Ted — unceremoniously released Sitton in 2016. There was much furor when the Packers let Lang sign with the Lions in 2017.
Now those moves don’t look so bad. Yes, these were two beloved Packers. They always will be. These are two guys who played through injuries on the regular.
Maybe that’s why they are where they are now. And I couldn’t tell you if the Packers broke them or they broke themselves, so I won’t get into that.
Sitton got a two-year deal with Miami for $13.5 million. The Dolphins would save $5 million by releasing him after the season.
Lang got a three-year, $28.5 million deal with the Lions. They would save $9 million by releasing him after the season.
That’s likely how things are going to go for both players.
It’s not as if Lane Taylor and, first Jahri Evans, and now Byron Bell have replaced Sitton and Lang very well. It’s clear the Packers don’t really value the guard position. But they probably need to find another quality guard, if not two, going forward.
However, it is clear they thought both Sitton and Lang were going to break down sooner rather than later. That has happened. So they look pretty smart about it now.
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I had no issue with the packers moving on from those guys. Better to move on too early than too late. However, they didnt have have a great replacement plan. One average guard, and the rest are suck
This team is run ass backwards. Keep all the overpaid non performers. Jettison the guys who earned their money.
Broken
Who can forget that famous Teddy quote “guards are a dime a dozen”.
Well, they are a dime a dozen. I don’t have to spend a lot of money to watch my guards stand around as my QB get’s pummled by a linebacker coming through the interior.
Those moves DO NOT look great now.
Let us count the ways:
*They both got injured. Sitton after two very good years (look at Jordan Howard’s performance with Sitton and now without Sitton this year. Big BIG difference). Lang after 1 year. Packer leadership (excuse the oxymoron) could not have know if they would get injured. Their injuries do not justify the moves.
*If they has kept one or both maybe they would have had to make cuts elsewhere. OK. Are the Packers really better off with Cobb and/or Matthews over Sitton and Lang + another free agent, maybe OLB or CB? Why no, they are not.
*They both went to division rivals and helped them. Is it a good move to help division rivals? (Hint: that’s a rhetorical question)
*Those guys performed almost without fault, did all that was asked and got, what? A stab in the back. Really shows the other players not to give their all and to play for themselves, avoid injury, get out of GB. Bad precedent!
*The Sitton betrayal was particularly acute. Betrayal in hindsight or in foresight always looks bad. Because it is bad! Who can root for this team? Like cheering for Putin.
*The Packers pretend to be a classy organization but are actually possibly the least classy one if you look at behavior and moves and statements. I’m sure the Cowboys can give them a run for the money. The Raiders too.
Hey, McCarthy and friends… “don’t lay an egg”. Unlike that poor Packer maintenance staffer, I am actually saying it. Poor bastard didn’t even actually say that innocuous bit of good advice and still was fired after 22 years of service.
Entitlement town does not have the moral high ground. They have the swampy moral lowlands.
I have to agree with The Lonely Boy.
That was almost as painful as a 38 point ass kicking in a NFFCG.
You also forget that Kyle Long has been injured the past couple of years. He was one of the top 3 guards in football before succumbing to injuries
Even a clock that is broken is right twice a day.
Guarding your $100 million dollar QB with discount linemen. Typical TT.