our expensive Oline not doing their job.

[GreenBaySlacker]

Sitton , Lang, and Bulaga are all making big bucks. 20 mil combined I bet. And yet Rodgers is getting smeared every play against good defenses. It was embarrassing. And our reigning MVP will not survive long under that kind of pressure...

Time to start looking for some new blood.

Who do we keep? Who do we go after? Who could we draft?

 

[Half Empty]

Lots of ways to define a player's cost, but here is the roster for this year's cap hit -

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/green-bay-packers/cap/

 

[TJV]

The Packers should get rid of all of 'em and sign 5 pro bowlers guaranteed not to get injured: Trade the current OL to get 3 extra first rounders and spend one of those picks on a sure fire future pro bowl LT, just for insurance. I'm sure there would be no significant cap consequences. Hey, I wonder why Thompson never thought of this?

 

[azrsx05]

Bulaga has to go. We need Tackles, our Guards play well. But they can only pick up so much slack from Tackles

 

[thisisnate]

Sitton, Lang, Bulaga, and one of Linsley or Tretter are pretty much staying put for the foreseeable future. Left tackle is the only position on the line that I think really needs change, and unfortunately that's the most important position on the line.

My feeling is that we'll probably draft an OT somewhere in rounds 2-4 and hope he can challenge Bakh. There are some guys in there (Spriggs, Conklin, Ifedi, etc) that I think could be immediate upgrades to Bakh and be starting by mid-season next year.

Much less likely scenario (more like a Madden move) is that we sign a higher profile LT and drop one of our 6-7 million dollar guards in 2017.

As for those saying Bulaga "needs to go," we signed him to a 5 year deal this year. He's not going anywhere anytime soon. Zero chance he's cut or traded.

 

[I asked LT to delete my acct]

The Packers should get rid of all of 'em and sign 5 pro bowlers guaranteed not to get injured: Trade the current OL to get 3 extra first rounders and spend one of those picks on a sure fire future pro bowl LT, just for insurance. I'm sure there would be no significant cap consequences. Hey, I wonder why Thompson never thought of this?

How could LT fit in his moderating job ???

 

[GreenBaySlacker]

Better yet TVJ. How about we act like nothing is wrong.

Bulaga is staying... He has a huge dead cap space... Lang and Sitton on the other hand are closing in on the end of their deals... If we were to make a move, now would be the time to consider it... Even if TVJ doesn't think so...

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Not making excuses, but injuries have played a big part this year with the O-line. I don't remember the last time all 5 starters were healthy? I do think LT is a position in need of major improvement. But if you move Bahk to back-up and he can fill in when Bulaga goes down at some point in the season, we are a much better team.

I don't see Barclay being on this team next year and haven't seen anything to indicate that they have someone else waiting to step into the starting LT spot, so logic would point to a high draft choice, trade or FA to fill this void.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Lang and Sitton? Why should they be gone? Their contracts expire in 2017. Who do you replace them with and at what cost?

 

[TJV]

Bulaga has to go. We need Tackles, our Guards play well. But they can only pick up so much slack from Tackles

Exactly. A healthy Bulaga is the problem and Bakhtiari is the rock of the OL.

 

[TJV]

Better yet TVJ. How about we act like nothing is wrong.

Bulaga is staying... He has a huge dead cap space... Lang and Sitton on the other hand are closing in on the end of their deals... If we were to make a move, now would be the time to consider it... Even if TVJ doesn't think so...

No idea who this TVJ guy is but you've really nailed it. Almost all the problems on the OL are the play of Lang and Sitton. BTW, if you think Bulaga is staying, why mention him in the OP re: 'time for new blood'?

 

[Ace]

In regards to the O-Line... A decision is going to have to be made on the Guards at some point. Sitton is a rock and I think he deserves another contract. What is Tretter's contract situation and is it possible to move him to guard for Lang if they decide to let him walk when his deal is up? I think Bulaga just needs to get/stay healthy which unfortunately doesn't look like is ever going to happen. I like Bahktiari. I can deal with the penalties as long as he's keeping Aaron upright and for the most part he does that so I'm good with him being the long term solution at LT.

 

[bubba]

Trade or free agency your kidding right? We don't participate in those 2 activities.

 

[PackerDNA]

Trade or free agency your kidding right? We don't participate in those 2 activities.

They damn well better start.

 

[longtimefan]

They damn well better start.

Your new to teds way of operating? Lol

I doubt we get a ol in 1st week of free agency

 

[PackerDNA]

Your new to teds way of operating? Lol

I doubt we get a ol in 1st week of free agency

Don't know who will be available , but we need tackles and depth in general. I see us as good with Sitton and Lang getting healthy, as long as Sitton's back and Lang's shoulder aren't chronic. Center is a position of strength.

 

[TJV]

Don't know who will be available , but we need tackles and depth in general. I see us as good with Sitton and Lang getting healthy, as long as Sitton's back and Lang's shoulder aren't chronic. Center is a position of strength.

I'd be great if they could get even an average LT in UFA but that's unlikely. If the only change on the OL next season is a better player at LT and Bakhtiari as the primary backup at OT (and another player in training), I'd be fine with that. Sitton and Lang are under contract through next season so they'll have a chance to evaluate whether either has a chronic injury. I agree on OC.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Too early IMO to start the FA talk, especially with TT's history. But.....if you like to shop....

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/left-tackle/

 

[Sunshinepacker]

Sitton , Lang, and Bulaga are all making big bucks. 20 mil combined I bet. And yet Rodgers is getting smeared every play against good defenses. It was embarrassing. And our reigning MVP will not survive long under that kind of pressure...

Time to start looking for some new blood.

Who do we keep? Who do we go after? Who could we draft?

Kinda tough to have this discussion without any actual facts so here are where those three players rank at their positions in the NFL (data from overthecap.com)

Bulaga, looking at guaranteed dollars per year, is about the 12th highest paid RT in the NFL. He's the highest paid by average per year but since such a HUGE part of his contract is not guaranteed, the average per year doesn't really mean much (since the Packers can cut him and it won't cost much).

TJ Lang is the fifth highest RG by average per year, which is basically about where he belongs. He's pretty darn good (PFF's 6th highest rated guard, irrespective of right or left). Also, very little of his contract was guaranteed relative to other highly paid right guards.

Sitton is the 4th highest paid LG by average per year and deserves every penny. He's currently the 4th best guard according to PFF and has been one of the five best guards in the NFL for the past few years.

So, I'm not real sure where the idea that the guards aren't worth their contracts is coming from. Bulaga has always been overrated; he's injury prone and alternates good seasons with bad seasons.

Overall the interior of the oline is really good. The issue is the tackles.

 

[GreenBaySlacker]

Just saying that if we decided to go a different direction than keeping two high dollar guards. No matter how good they are, if our tackles suck, Rodgers cant throw. We spent a 1st round pick on Bulaga. He just got signed to a long term deal recently. So that's where I assume Bulaga is safe for now. TVJ.

I remember when Ted got here, first thing he did was cut Wahle and Rivera to save cap space. Tauscher and Clifton were the investment he went with. I remember reading that his belief was that guards are interchangeable and that Tackles were the talent.... At some point he changed his mind apparently.

Maybe he cuts the guards, and brings in a Joe Thomas type of plug in pro bowler? Fills in the guards with the best of the rest.

 

[7thFloorRA]

Bulaga looks bad or hurt. Bahk could stand to maybe lift some weights or something. The interior needs to figure their **** out already. They are all phyiscally capable yet are usually getting beat because of mental errors and misscommunications. I can't tell you how many times a guy goes untouched through the line and one of those three is standing there with their thumb up their ***.

 

[GreenBaySlacker]

Im looking at a list of where our guys rank in pay among everyone. Sitton was 2nd highest and Lang 9th, in guards. Other than that!?!?!?!? Bahk and Lindsley on rookie deals. Tretter and Barclay near the bottom of their positions list... Walker! I mean, we have zero depth!!! The bengals had 3 LTs making more than our starter and backup.

Some here would say the prospect of going out and trading for a Joe Thomas , is crazy. Not going to happen... And even though they may be right. Isnt it only logical to question, what if? Or what could be? We havnt had a legit LT since Clifton. Its getting bad. Trade both our pro bowl caliber guards to the browns for Thomas??? or one and our 1st round pick? I don't care!!! Just get us a stud LT to build the line around. Quit messing around. That's my opinion.

 

[Sanguine camper]

Decent tackles are rarely available on the free agent market they are too valuable to let go. TT will have to expend a 1-3 round draft pick on a tackle to upgrade the line. Decisions on the interior of the line won't be made until next year. Bulaga and Bahktiari are just too injury prone or inconsistent not to spent a high draft pick on an OT.

 

[7thFloorRA]

You know what would also help........picking a ****ing lane as far as what you want this offense to do. You are not going to find all pro lineman that can zone block, man on man block for the run and then pass block. I wish they would **** can the zone blocking already.

 

[adambr2]

Better yet TVJ. How about we act like nothing is wrong.

Bulaga is staying... He has a huge dead cap space... Lang and Sitton on the other hand are closing in on the end of their deals... If we were to make a move, now would be the time to consider it... Even if TVJ doesn't think so...

If we're going to make a move on the O line, replacing our best guys and 2 really good guards probably isn't the way to go. We have a tackle problem, not a guard problem.