So, I'm on a long drive home from a weekend in Viking Country, and am experimenting with a mobile blog entry from a microscopic keypad. Since I have little to look at, I'l just offer some random thoughts until my thumbtips are too calloused to continue.
* For all he has done well over the years, one of Ted Thompson's black eyes has been his inability to adequately replace our aging tackles. It was pretty clear last year at this time that Clifton and Tausch were potentially Plan B if TT could help it. Ten OL in five drafts, and yet we are still throwing money at our aging tackles because we had no one else on the roster we could trust to take over.
Enter the freefalling Bryan Bulaga, who for whatever reason dropped out of the top ten and to the Packers at #23. He comes off as Packer People and a guy you think has a far better shot than many of the other guys TT has brought in.
TT did little else than pull the trigger when his turn came up...it's not like he orchestrated a trade like he did for Clay Matthews. Maybe he was lucky that BB lasted that long.
Thompson is a good scout and a good drafter. But when it comes to drafting offensive linemen, and particularly tackles, he might be better off lucky than good.
* I seem to take a shine to a long-shot RB each preseason, and Starks might be this year's Tyrell Sutton. Starks sounded winded after rookie camp, and there has to be a level of alert for the kid who hasn't played for nearly a year. Time to stick around in GB and hang with the trainers and get back in playing shape.
Starks has boom or bust written on him, a coulda-been second rounder that the Packers got for a throwaway sixth- rounder. Another injury-prone Brandon Jackson, or a potential backup and future starter? Didn't we spend a sixth on Ryan Grant?
Here's hoping...
* Is the selection of Quarrels a statement on the fading of Donald Lee? Or the doubts surrounding Spencer Havner's legal issues? Or wanting to match Jermichael Finley's explosive playmaking potential?
Regardless of the reason, I plead caution. Both Finley and Quarrels are receivers first. Great receivers, yes, but blocking is secondary for these guys.
Finley showed good improvement in his blocking last year, but this is still a critical concern when you think about the number of sacks Rodgers took last season. Add to that the potential declines of Tausch/Clifton and the developing of successors, having that sixth blocker on the line isn't just nicw to have, it could eventually become a necessity.
No gloom and doom, just hoping McAdoo has some way to turn these guys into Chmura and Jackson...guys who were solid in blocking and playmaking.
2 comments:
Hey CD! I think if Starks can get in shape he might be the answer to our non-existent screen game. Not sure if he can block but neither could B-Jack when he came into camp. I was more skeptical about Quarless than I was Neal. TT says he was by far the best player available so guess I'll just roll with it. Heaven forbid we have any less than three TE's on the team. I have to be honest, I really hope we can get the TE's and FB's down this year. It will help us elsewhere.
Hullo CD. How's those thumbs on that mini-kybd? I have yet to make the conversion or the expense of cellphone internet usage - so, I don't.... know how ya feel. Maybe 'one of these days'.. who knows.
I thought it more like Instant Karma (shades of Aaron Rodgers?) that BB fell to us, like he did. Meant to be? I've read that quite a few other Teams were looking at this guy pretty hard. He fell to 23 because, as usual, Mr. Hair from the 4-letter, was wrong like a bad habit. What teams "looked like" they needed was not always what their Insiders were looking at. I have found that ESPN is nominally behind the curve when it comes to scoping out Teams and prospects in any Draft. And, it's been like this for the last Decade. Mike Mayock (NFL TV) has had the handle on the process more definitively almost since he came on the scene. I just wish it was easier to find him with a blog online, as opposed to just what we see on the NFL Network.
If Bulaga can get past the suspect coaching of James Campen, by paying more attention to Clifton and Tauscher in the Locker Room?, then we may seriously have the next replacement for Kenny Ruettgers (gawd, I wish I could find his jersey). I actually like just about every player we grabbed in this Draft. Quarless is the one who should prove himself first. Mike Neal, out of Purdue, I think is a steal and could cement the position for us up front. If so, look out for some Linebacker shenanigans that haven't been around since the days of Tim Harris during our Cardiac Pack Era. Let's not forget about Wilson, either.
BOTTOM LINE - Mark Tauscher was chosen in (?) the 7th round. One could say he is a rarity. However, I choose to say that he is also the product of Larry Beightol, who was one heckuva Offensive Line Coach and the main man responsible for how we had the 3rd highest rated O-Line back in the early part of Decade 2000. I remember how irritated Mike Wahle was at finding out they preferred him at Guard, when he truly wanted the Tackle position... yet look how that turned out. Beightol was, and is, the real deal. James Campen wishes he could be Larry Beightol.
This was probably TT's 3rd (?) best Draft, possibly 4th. Totally blue collar at it's research and choices. Mostly BPA, but a slice of NEED, as well. Plus, we did seem to get lucky, even though we had the fewest number of draft picks since Trader Ted came back from Seattle.
Good Article CD - how's those thumb blisters?
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