Green Bay Packers: Grading the Projected Offensive Starters

In order to appreciate how talented the Green Bay Packers offense really is, all the starters must be graded and evaluated individually.

The group tore through opposing defenses during the 2011 season and led the Pack to a 15-1 record.

The unit played with incredible pace and precision, and the unit will look to repeat its performance in 2012.

These grades will judge how much each player will contribute to the team next year. While last season's performances will be heavily taken into account, each mark is essentially a prediction.

Here are all 11 projected starters, along with the areas they need improvement and the strengths that will continue to make the Packers an offensive juggernaut.

Quarterback: Aaron Rodgers

GRADE: A+

Aaron Rodgers had a historic 2011 campaign that earned him his first Most Valuable Player award.

He threw for 4,643 yards and 45 touchdowns compared to just six interceptions and finished the year with a passer rating of 122.5, which is an NFL record.

He had complete control of the offense throughout the season, changing plays at the line of scrimmage and hitting his receivers with pinpoint accuracy. 

Rodgers' 2012 campaign was just the next step in his development as a quarterback, and he may be even better next year.

The Packers QB is currently setting the curve for passers across the league, and this will continue into next season.

Left Tackle: Marshall Newhouse

GRADE: C

Left tackle is the offense's biggest question heading into the 2012 season. 

Longtime starter Chad Clifton is 35 years old and struggled to stay healthy last season. He is scheduled to make $5.25 million next year, which could lead to his release. 

Marshall Newhouse filled in for Clifton when he was injured and struggled to play consistently. First-round pick Derek Sherrod will be the player in the mix for the starting job. 

With Clifton's future in doubt, Newhouse will likely be protecting Aaron Rodgers' blind side on opening day. He had a few bad games last season, but also turned in some impressive performances, which earned the respect of his quarterback. Rodgers said this about the 23-year-old:

"

Starting the season out, I didn't look at Marshall the way I look at him now. I look at him now as a guy who really has a strong, legitimate chance to be the left tackle of the future. I think he has the personality makeup to do that, the athletic ability to do that, the feet and the smarts to be a very, very solid left tackle for us.

"

Newhouse will still make plenty of mistakes 2012, but will continue to improve and just may prove Rodgers right and become a permanent starter in Green Bay.

Right Tackle: Bryan Bulaga

GRADE: C+

Since being taken in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft, Bryan Bulaga has been solid, but not spectacular for the Green Bay Packers.

At Iowa, Bulaga was a left tackle, but the coaching staff in Green Bay felt he was better suited for the right side of the line. As a rookie, he started throughout the Packers' Super Bowl run and played well.

Last year, Bulaga missed time at the beginning and the end of the season with injuries, but played well when in the lineup. He is better in the run game than as a pass-blocker, but does a decent job with both.

Bulaga is young and still needs to improve in pass protection, but has the talent and drive to be a fixture on the offensive line for many years.

Left Guard: T.J. Lang

GRADE: C+

T.J. Lang has the potential to be another one of Ted Thompson's hidden draft-day gems.

Lang was picked in the fourth round from Eastern Michigan as a tackle. He was moved to guard for the start of the 2011 season after Daryn Colledge left in free agency. 

Lang played a few different positions last year due to injuries across the offensive line, but looks to be the Green Bay Packers' long-term option at left guard spot.

He is part of the youth movement up front for the Packers and still needs to be more consistent. Lang has plenty of talent, and with experience, he will learn to limit his mistakes. 

If the young blocker can continue to improve, he could be a solid contributor to the Green Bay offense next season.

Right Guard: Josh Sitton

GRADE: B+

Josh Sitton brings power to the offensive line.

At 6'4" and 318 pounds, he packs the necessary punch to give the Green Bay Packers a physical edge in the trenches.

At 25 years old, Sitton has developed into one of the better guards in the NFL. He played extremely well in 2011, and may be even better in 2012.

The Packers brass showed how much value they place on the guard by signing him to a five-year extension before last season.

Sitton continued to play well throughout last year, and another good campaign could earn him his first selection as a Pro Bowl starter.

Center: Jeff Saturday

GRADE: A-

Signing a 36-year-old free agent is uncharacteristic for general manager Ted Thompson, but Jeff Saturday was an important addition for the Green Bay Packers.

Pro-Bowl center Scott Wells left in free agency, and Thompson quickly replaced him with the former Indianapolis Colt, who has made four All-Pro teams.

Saturday will bring veteran leadership to a young and inexperienced offensive line. If the Packers had opted to fill Wells' void through the draft, it would have left 25-year-old Josh Sitton as the elder statesman along the O-line.

Protecting Aaron Rodgers is of paramount importance in Green Bay, and Thompson showed that he was committed to the cause by bringing Saturday on board. The center's experience will be extremely important for the offense in 2012.

Tight End: Jermichael Finley

GRADE: B

Jermichael Finley is a freakish athlete for a man his size, but needs to catch the ball more consistently.

Finley is part of the new breed of tight ends who are too fast to be guarded by linebackers and too big for defensive backs to stop.

Aaron Rodgers consistently throws the ball to Finley when he is covered because the tight end has the ability to use his strength and athleticism to grab the ball away from smaller, weaker defenders.

While Finley has shown the ability to make spectacular catches, he has also dropped too many easy balls. He tied for the fifth-highest number of drops in the league last season, with 11.

Finley is an incredible talent, but he must stay disciplined and focused in order to live up to his potential in 2012. If he can eliminate the inexplicable drops, he will be one the NFL's best at his position.

Wide Receiver: Greg Jennings

GRADE: A

Greg Jennings continued to prove last season that he is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL.

His production dropped a little bit in 2011, and he failed to reach 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in four years. However, he was only 51 yards shy of the milestone and missed three games due to injury. This was the first time since 2007 that he missed a game, so it is unlikely that injuries will be a problem again next year.

Jennings is versatile enough to line up on the outside or in the slot and still kill a defense. His timing with Aaron Rodgers on back-shoulder throws is impeccable, and he is undoubtedly the quarterback's favorite target.

He has an intricate knowledge of the offense to go along with his speed and elusiveness. These qualities place him among the league's elite at WR, and Jennings' play in 2012 will keep him in that group.

Wide Receiver: Jordy Nelson

GRADE: A-

Jordy Nelson was one the NFL's biggest surprises in 2011.

He finished the year with 1,263 receiving yards, which is astonishing when compared to the 1,268 yards he racked up in his first three seasons.

Nelson also caught 15 touchdowns and was ranked fifth across the league in yards per catch (18.6).

These numbers clearly impressed Mike McCarthy, who talked about Nelson's role going into next year:

"

We’ll keep moving him around, probably play him in the slot a little more than he’s played in the past. Those are the kind of things we continue to look at, give him more matchups, expand his route tree where he’s maybe more of the focus. Not that he can’t run those routes, it’s more about having the opportunity because statistics speak for themselves.

"

With more plays designed to put him in favorable positions, Nelson could be even better than he was last year. Nelson is just below the league's top-tier wide receivers and will be blowing by defensive backs again in 2012.

Fullback: John Kuhn

GRADE: B-

John Kuhn is a fan favorite at Lambeau Field for his effort and selfless play.

The fullback has excelled in the short-yardage role and is often called on in goal-line situations. His ability to grind out the tough yards always sends Cheeseheads into the chant, "Kuuuuuuhn."

He has a difficult job when he lines up at tailback because the defense knows exactly what is going to happen. He still manages to pick up the yardage he needs most of the time, and his knack for getting in the end zone earned him a Pro Bowl selection in 2011.

But Kuhn only carried the ball 30 times last season and mostly contributes to the team in other ways. He sometimes struggles as a lead blocker, but takes care of his assignments in pass protection and also chips in on special teams. 

Overall, he is a limited player who can contribute in only a few areas. However, his work ethic is never in question, and the coaching staff knows that he will leave everything on the field. Kuhn will continue pleasing the Packer faithful with his blue-collar effort and hard-nosed play in 2012. 

Running Back: James Starks

GRADE: C

James Starks was spectacular in the Green Bay Packers' 2010 Super Bowl run, but did not meet that standard during the 2011 season. 

At 6'2" and 218 pounds, he can punish defenders, but also has excellent speed and agility for a bigger running back.

Starks has the talent to be a productive running back, but aside from the 2010 playoffs, he has yet to live up to his potential. Last season, he struggled with injuries and inconsistency and finished the year with more fumbles (two) than touchdowns (one). 

He battled Ryan Grant for the starting job, and the two had a nearly identical number of touches. Grant is currently a free agent, but could still return to the Packers. In 2012, the younger Starks looks poised to take over as the starter.

More responsibility will likely lead to more production, but Starks will still experience some growing pains. There will be flashes of brilliance throughout the season, but this will not be the year that Green Bay finally has a reliable running game.