Green Bay Packers' Allen Barbre, Breno Giacomini may be at end of line | greenbaypressgazette.com | Green Bay Press-Gazette
The Green Bay Packers are running out of patience with Breno Giacomini and Allen Barbre, and both seem to know it.
Drafted a year apart — Barbre in the fourth round in 2007 and Giacomini in the fifth round in 2008 — neither has developed and neither is close to pushing for a starting job in camp this summer.
Giacomini hardly has played, appearing in just one regular-season game in two years. Barbre has played but couldn’t keep a job. He won the right tackle spot over Giacomini last summer but was a turnstile in pass protection, yielding seven sacks in seven starts before losing his job.
Both have reached a critical point in their careers. With the best depth on the offensive line in Mike McCarthy’s five seasons as the Packers head coach, both Barbre and Giacomini have slipped so far down the depth chart that they’re in danger of hitting the waiver wire when final cuts are made on Sept. 5.
When asked whether the two have reached the point where the team has to say with certainty that they either can or can’t play, offensive line coach James Campen said: “That’s not a question I’m comfortable answering.”
A close inspection of each player probably answers that question.
In Giacomini’s case, the game film tells the story. While the coaches have raved about his improvements in practice, which was evident again on Tuesday when he won his only one-on-one rep of the day against rookie defensive end C.J. Wilson, that hasn’t carried over to the games. Playing right tackle with the second-string line, Giacomini has allowed a sack in each of the first two preseason games.
“If you’re going to play offensive tackle in the National Football League, you’re going to have to be able to block defensive ends in pass protection,” offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. “That’s a primary job requirement, and you’ve got to be able to do it on a consistent basis. He’s playing better than he’s ever played since he’s been here. I like what he’s doing in a lot of areas, but that’s certainly something we’re going to be watching closely, the ability to hold up on the edge without three guys helping you.
“You can’t average one sack a game and maintain a position. If everybody did that, we’d be in a lot of trouble.”
For two years, the Packers have kept Giacomini on potential. They love his size (6-foot-7, 318 pounds) and think he has the perfect right tackle body, but so far he hasn’t been able to take the same level of play from practice into the games.
“Breno’s done a good job; he just needs to get rid of that one play,” Campen said. “You can do pretty well 40 times, and you give up one sack and a lot of people think it was a bad game.”
Giacomini should have two more opportunities to show progress. The starters are expected to play the first half on Thursday against Indianapolis, but Giacomini and the rest of the second-string line could get the entire second half. In the preseason finale on Sept. 2 at Kansas City, the starters might only play a series or two.
“I can’t keep giving up a few plays here and there,” Giacomini said. “That can’t happen. You won’t play in this league for long, and I understand that. I think I have to perform this week and next week. I just have to go out there and be me. I can’t keep doing this.”
Barbre’s problem is he might not even be able to play. He felt a twinge in his lower back in the second half of Saturday’s game at Seattle and missed both practices this week. He’s unlikely to play against the Colts.
“I’ve just got to continue to work hard and if I’m here, I’m very thankful,” Barbre said. “If not, I understand it’s part of the business. Hopefully I’m here. This is where I want to be.”
Barbre has been backing up both left tackle and left guard, but he’s third on the depth chart at both spots. Rookie Bryan Bulaga has been the top backup at left tackle, while Bulaga and Daryn Colledge are competing for the left guard job.
“He’s improved,” Campen said of Barbre. “He’s probably a little better inside (at guard) than outside (at tackle.) It’s unfortunate that he missed these last two days. He has improved, and he’s doing his job.”
The Packers will keep either nine or 10 linemen, and there are probably seven locks, barring a trade. That leaves Barbre and Giacomini in a group of about five players fighting for one or two spots. Also in that group are T.J. Lang, Evan Dietrich-Smith — both of whom were on the roster last season — and rookie Marshall Newhouse, who has shown significant improvement in the last two weeks.
The Green Bay Packers are running out of patience with Breno Giacomini and Allen Barbre, and both seem to know it.
Drafted a year apart — Barbre in the fourth round in 2007 and Giacomini in the fifth round in 2008 — neither has developed and neither is close to pushing for a starting job in camp this summer.
Giacomini hardly has played, appearing in just one regular-season game in two years. Barbre has played but couldn’t keep a job. He won the right tackle spot over Giacomini last summer but was a turnstile in pass protection, yielding seven sacks in seven starts before losing his job.
Both have reached a critical point in their careers. With the best depth on the offensive line in Mike McCarthy’s five seasons as the Packers head coach, both Barbre and Giacomini have slipped so far down the depth chart that they’re in danger of hitting the waiver wire when final cuts are made on Sept. 5.
When asked whether the two have reached the point where the team has to say with certainty that they either can or can’t play, offensive line coach James Campen said: “That’s not a question I’m comfortable answering.”
A close inspection of each player probably answers that question.
In Giacomini’s case, the game film tells the story. While the coaches have raved about his improvements in practice, which was evident again on Tuesday when he won his only one-on-one rep of the day against rookie defensive end C.J. Wilson, that hasn’t carried over to the games. Playing right tackle with the second-string line, Giacomini has allowed a sack in each of the first two preseason games.
“If you’re going to play offensive tackle in the National Football League, you’re going to have to be able to block defensive ends in pass protection,” offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. “That’s a primary job requirement, and you’ve got to be able to do it on a consistent basis. He’s playing better than he’s ever played since he’s been here. I like what he’s doing in a lot of areas, but that’s certainly something we’re going to be watching closely, the ability to hold up on the edge without three guys helping you.
“You can’t average one sack a game and maintain a position. If everybody did that, we’d be in a lot of trouble.”
For two years, the Packers have kept Giacomini on potential. They love his size (6-foot-7, 318 pounds) and think he has the perfect right tackle body, but so far he hasn’t been able to take the same level of play from practice into the games.
“Breno’s done a good job; he just needs to get rid of that one play,” Campen said. “You can do pretty well 40 times, and you give up one sack and a lot of people think it was a bad game.”
Giacomini should have two more opportunities to show progress. The starters are expected to play the first half on Thursday against Indianapolis, but Giacomini and the rest of the second-string line could get the entire second half. In the preseason finale on Sept. 2 at Kansas City, the starters might only play a series or two.
“I can’t keep giving up a few plays here and there,” Giacomini said. “That can’t happen. You won’t play in this league for long, and I understand that. I think I have to perform this week and next week. I just have to go out there and be me. I can’t keep doing this.”
Barbre’s problem is he might not even be able to play. He felt a twinge in his lower back in the second half of Saturday’s game at Seattle and missed both practices this week. He’s unlikely to play against the Colts.
“I’ve just got to continue to work hard and if I’m here, I’m very thankful,” Barbre said. “If not, I understand it’s part of the business. Hopefully I’m here. This is where I want to be.”
Barbre has been backing up both left tackle and left guard, but he’s third on the depth chart at both spots. Rookie Bryan Bulaga has been the top backup at left tackle, while Bulaga and Daryn Colledge are competing for the left guard job.
“He’s improved,” Campen said of Barbre. “He’s probably a little better inside (at guard) than outside (at tackle.) It’s unfortunate that he missed these last two days. He has improved, and he’s doing his job.”
The Packers will keep either nine or 10 linemen, and there are probably seven locks, barring a trade. That leaves Barbre and Giacomini in a group of about five players fighting for one or two spots. Also in that group are T.J. Lang, Evan Dietrich-Smith — both of whom were on the roster last season — and rookie Marshall Newhouse, who has shown significant improvement in the last two weeks.
rayer:
