Colledge is a LT, not LG: Havel

[all about da packers]

Interesting.

Daryn Colledge has gone from starting left guard to a second-team backup in what has been a frustrating first 17 days of training camp.

The second-round draft pick is down in the depth chart, but he isn't out of the Green Bay Packers' plans.

Coach Mike McCarthy's best move is to move Colledge back to left tackle, his natural position, and the sooner the better. I applaud the Packers' attempt to transform Colledge from a tackle to a guard, but not as much as I disagree with it.

McCarthy has shown the ability to make changes if he feels it is necessary, thus the reshuffling of the offensive line. Now, he needs to show he isn't stubborn by going the whole nine yards and moving Colledge to left tackle behind Chad Clifton.

Colledge is no more a left guard than Junius Coston is a left tackle.

The 6-foot-4, 299-pound lineman from Boise State has the long arms, quick feet and patient demeanor to be a truly special left tackle. He is strong enough to stone a bull-rushing defensive end, and clever enough to neutralize a pure speed rusher.

He isn't capable of brawling with powerful, immovable mountains in the interior defensive line. That isn't his forte. If that isn't obvious to McCarthy and his coaching staff by now, it ought to be.

Some have compared Colledge to Mike Wahle, the Packers' former left guard, by suggesting the rookie also could make the move to guard from tackle. It sounds nice, but Colledge and Wahle have entirely different approaches.

Where Colledge is similar to Clifton, a natural counterpuncher, Wahle was too aggressive to be successful at tackle. Once Wahle went to guard, he could use his innate toughness and nasty disposition to trade blows with the big boys. Colledge is more of a cerebral, finesse blocker best suited to left tackle.

As it stands, Colledge is languishing behind fellow rookie Jason Spitz while Tony Moll, like Colledge a former WAC player, moved into the starting lineup at right guard.

I suspect Colledge's pride and confidence have been rocked. I also suspect he will do everything he can to regain both.

That isn't going to happen at guard. Colledge plays too high, thinks too much and lacks the natural aggression required to thrive in the NFL's version of hell.

The Packers are a sprained ankle away from Josh Bourke, an undrafted free agent out of Grand Valley State, being asked to protect Brett Favre's blindside.

If Colledge, the sixth offensive lineman chosen in the April draft, isn't better than an undrafted rookie left tackle — and I say that with all due respect to Bourke — the Packers' scouting department blew it.

McCarthy needs to switch Colledge back to left tackle, where he can battle Bourke for the right to back up Clifton.

It creates competition at a critical position, and it just might prevent Colledge from losing whatever confidence remains.

He is too talented a lineman, and too valuable a backup left tackle, to be miscast at left guard.

Well I trust McCarthy and more importantly Jags to make the right call, but if Colledge does end up getting moved to LT, IMO it is a waste of a pick.

 

[tromadz]

great article, based off 1 preseason game.

 

[all about da packers]

Well I would say Havel is basing it off more than just one game, probably through practices. Funny thing is that he brings this article out after Colledge looked stiff and played too high in his first game. I'd give him a little more credibility if he had said this sooner.

However truth be told, I would be pretty mad at TT if, and that is a HUGE if, Colledge ended up as a backup LT.

 

[tromadz]

Funny thing is that he brings this article out after Colledge looked stiff and played too high in his first game. I'd give him a little more credibility if he had said this sooner.

yep, if he had said it before game 1, or after game 3 or 4, it would be..relevant. Now its just more week 1 end of the world nonsense cuz he struggled(and oh yes, he struggled).

 

[Lare]

I guess I would agree with Havel on this one, especially if Clifton's knee problems continue.

But to be perfectly honest not much that has been done on the OL this year has made any sense to me so far. Why should it start now?

 

[porky88]

If Clifton goes down then at least we have someone behind him. Right now our line depth is horrible. So I wouldn't call it a waste of pick but I would call it a pick where we could of looked elsewhere.

I think they need too show some patience with him. Let's see what Saturday holds and then let's end the experiement and let the final solution come together as a unit.

 

[pyledriver80]

Funny thing is that he brings this article out after Colledge looked stiff and played too high in his first game. I'd give him a little more credibility if he had said this sooner.

yep, if he had said it before game 1, or after game 3 or 4, it would be..relevant. Now its just more week 1 end of the world nonsense cuz he struggled(and oh yes, he struggled).

You mean like I did Trom?

 

[Zero2Cool]

What team does Havel coach or gm for?

 

[packedhouse01]

I'm sure Havel see's most of the practices. I'm sure he has way more of an insight into what is going on than we do. For the first time this season I'm getting seriously concerned about this teams chances of finding even one guard who can play. They move Colledge to guard and after one game they move him to left tackle. They put another rookie who was a tight in in college to guard. I mean what in the world makes them think that this is going to work? I think Mr. Thompson's blunderous move to allow his two all-pro type guards to leave without having any adequate replacements is going to come back and bite him right in the butt.