Green Bay Packers Position Analysis, Past & Future: Part III, Offensive Line

Every team is defined by how it controls the line of scrimmage. Thus, the offensive line is more important than even the quarterback to an offense's success.

Granted, there are five people on the field at that position rather than one, but the line opens the holes for the running back as well as establishing the pocket for the quarterback.

Unfortunately, their success is measurable mostly by how few sacks a quarterback takes or how many yards per carry a running back gains.

That is why continuity is the most important thing with an offensive line; all the Packers linemen have played every one of their seasons with the team.

It also makes the line harder than any other unit on the team to analyze on a player-by-player basis. In my attempt to do so, I will be listing players in the order of their importance to the team's success.

Chad Clifton (6'5", 320 lbs., nine years in league)

Clifton struggled with injuries a bit in 2008, but has played in 84 of 85 games (including playoffs) since the horrific pelvic injury at the hands of Warren Sapp in the playoffs for the 2002 season.

He is a mauler who made the Pro Bowl in 2007—an outstanding run blocker and pass blocker whose appearance on the Packers starting line has coincided with the unit's second-ranked standing in sacks allowed over those games.

Mark Tauscher (6'3", 316 lbs., nine years in league)

Tauscher was a surprise stud for Green Bay, drafted in the seventh round out of Wisconsin. He has dominated some of the better defensive ends in the league, such as Patrick Kearney in the 2007 playoffs, and does so while not taking a lot of penalties. In fact, he was in his sixth season before he committed his first holding penalty.

His being put on injured reserve for the last three games is a big part of why Green Bay lost two of them.

Scott Wells (6'2", 303 lbs., five years in league)

One of the strengths of this unit is its continuity, and that was disrupted this year with so many players suffering injuries. Wells missed time early in the season, and with players in and out, the unit never really gelled.

Wells is a solid center with a good feel for his unit, knowing where to help out on pass protection (including pointing out responsibilities on a blitz) and capable as a zone or man-to-man blocker on runs. He was a great find as a rookie free agent in 2004.

Daryn Colledge (6'4", 308 lbs., three years in league)

Colledge plays either guard or tackle, depending on the team's needs. The former second-round pick grew up in North Pole, Alaska, so it is appropriate that he now plays on the Frozen Tundra. He made the all-rookie team that year and has been a solid addition to the unit, but he struggles a bit with the better pass rushers when in at tackle.

Jason Spitz (6'3", 302 lbs., three years in league)

Spitz does not stand out as either a great blocker or one who makes mistakes and takes penalties. However, he is able to fill in at center or either guard position, and that versatility has been a great asset with the injuries that come up from time to time (frequently in the 2008 season).

Tony Moll (6'5", 306 lbs., three years in league)

Moll struggled filling in at tackle, and that is one of the reasons for a comparatively high sack total for the offense this season. His youth combined with that limited experience should translate to continued improvement, however, and he is a more-than-adequate reserve tackle.

Allen Barbre (6'4", 305 lbs., two years in league)

Barbre (BAR-ber) has had limited time, but was drafted in the fourth round of 2007 with the idea that he could play both tackle and guard because he played that position in college, along with teammate Daryn Colledge. He has pretty good speed for a lineman (4.88 40-yard dash), making him ideal for pulling on runs and screens.

Other players:

1. Josh Sitton (6'3", 317 lbs., one year, fourth-round pick in 2008)
2. Breno Giacomini (6'7", 311 lbs., one year, fifth-round pick in 2008)
3. Nevin McCaskill (6'4", 315 lbs., one year, rookie free agent in 2008)

Grade for 2008: D+

The Packers were in the bottom half of the league for sacks allowed despite having one of the more mobile quarterbacks. Part of that is a young quarterback's tendency to hold onto the ball, but his mobility at least compensates for that deficiency.

Meanwhile, the Packers were 18th in the league in yards per carry rushing, with an above average backfield. It does not matter that the primary reason the line performed badly was injuries, just that it did perform badly.

Outlook for the future: B

The Packers injuries actually helped this line improve its future, giving tackles a chance to get some game experience for when the team has to move on from Clifton and Tauscher. However, they are just 31 years old and should have a few good years left in them, so the team's current reliance on them does not make the future bleak, either.

The Packers could use an upgrade in the middle, however. And while the team does have a decent sixth lineman, the lack of depth was exploited in 2008 and is not likely to be much better with just a bit more experience gained.