Green Bay Packers 2011 NFL Draft Needs, No. 1: Offensive Tackle
There's always one player on every NFL franchise who is absolutely indispensable to that team's success.
For the Green Bay Packers, that player is obviously quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Owner of a Super Bowl MVP at just 27 years old, Rodgers is the present and future of the Packers.
And while the job of protecting him lies with the entire offensive line, no position is more vital to protecting the quarterback when he drops back to pass than the offensive tackles.
So, to cap off the Packers 2011 NFL draft needs, we examine the offensive tackle position and why it ranks No. 1.
To read the Packers first four needs, click on the following links: No. 5 (receiver), No. 4 (cornerback), No. 3 (outside linebacker) and No. 2 (defensive end).
Why It's a Need: Aaron Rodgers Is the Franchise
1 of 8
This was addressed in the introduction, but I'll say it again.
When you have Aaron Rodgers as your quarterback, you do anything and everything you can to protect him. No questions asked.
He's the Packers greatest asset, and Thompson needs to do whatever it takes to safeguard it.
Of course, there is no offensive line that could ever keep Rodgers completely safe, but any measures taken to decrease the chance of injury and increase the potential production for the quarterback position is something I'll always support.
And is anyone ever going to question drafting talented linemen to block for Rodgers?
Taking an offensive tackle in the first round for two straight years might be "boring" to the average fan, but it makes a lot of sense from a football standpoint.
Why It's a Need: Chad Clifton's Age
2 of 8
The problem with Chad Clifton isn't talent.
He was voted to the Pro Bowl last season and had a final six-game stretch that is one of the biggest, yet least talked about reasons why the Packers won the Super Bowl.
Think about it: In consecutive weeks, Clifton faced Osi Umenyiora, Julius Peppers, Trent Cole, John Abraham, Peppers again and James Harrison.
That group combined for 61 sacks during the season (if you count Peppers twice), but Clifton held them to just two total in six games. That's amazing work.
However, the problems with Clifton are things he has little control over.
He will be 35 years old in June, and his knees have been a chronic issue over the last handful of seasons.
Despite his final stretch, Clifton probably only has one good year left, and that's if his knees cooperate.
As we'll touch on next, the Packers could be in trouble if his knees start barking at him and there is no suitable backup in place.
Why It's a Need: Depth at the Position
3 of 8
The Packers currently have depth at tackle, but is it quality depth?
T.J. Lang is next in line if Clifton goes down, but he was throughly embarrassed by Peppers in the NFC Championship game when Clifton briefly went out.
Can he be trusted over an extended period of time? And what if Daryn Colledge leaves and Lang takes over his spot?
Those are big time questions that need to be answered about Lang.
Marshall Newhouse might also be an option, but this is a player who was inactive for every game last season. Could he make that big jump and immediately play for a long stretch? He's likely a guard prospect anyway.
The final option could be Mark Tauscher. While plenty experienced, he'd only be a stop-gap player until the Packers found something better.
And with a contract that will pay him almost $5 million next season, can the Packers possibly afford to bring him back?
Even if he did play for the Packers in 2011, Tauscher hasn't made it through a full season healthy since 2007. There's no way they could put any long term faith in Tauscher even being a capable backup.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Who's Available: First and Second Round
4 of 8
Nate Solder (Colorado)
He's been dropping down enough boards that the Packers might have a chance at picking him with the 32nd pick. Solder is a big, athletic tackle that probably needs a year to get his feet underneath him in the NFL game.
Derek Sherrod (Mississippi State)
Another top-five tackle prospect that has been falling down boards, Sherrod could be the Packers ideal pick if there at No. 32. His skill set might be the most ideal for any left tackle prospect in this draft.
Benjamin Ijalana (Villanova)
He might be a stretch for the Packers first round pick, but Ijalana would be tremendous value at the end of the second. A dominant blocker at Villanova, Ijalana could play guard in his rookie season than switch over to tackle once he gets more comfortable.
Who's Available: Third and Fourth Rounds
5 of 8
Orlando Franklin (Miami)
I've read so many different reports on Franklin it's hard to keep them straight. Some love him, some hate him, but he obviously has some upside to his game.
Marcus Gilbert (Florida)
He's more of a right tackle propsect, which could be fine if Bryan Bulaga can play left tackle. Gilbert improved steadily during his college career.
James Carpenter (Alabama)
The steady prospect of the group, Carpenter isn't going to do anything that sticks out. For an offensive tackle, that can sometimes be the best compliment.
James Brewer (Indiana)
Another guy with a lot of different scouting reports, Brewer has a massive frame and could add some power to the line from the right side.
Joseph Barksdale (LSU)
He has the size and the athleticism to play left tackle, but he had some mental lapses at LSU that would worry me.
Who's Available: Fifth and Sixth Rounds
6 of 8
Derek Newton (Arkansas State)
He has the size and athleticism combination to be a solid developmental left tackle.
Willie Smith (East Carolina)
The Packers worked him out recently, and for a guy that only started playing tackle two years ago, his ceiling is high.
David Mims (Virginia Union)
Is he too big (6'8", 355 pounds) to be an athletic enough tackle? He'd definitely add strength and size to the line.
Chris Hairston (Clemson)
He's a mauler in the run game, but he has some question marks about his pass protection.
Jah Reid (UCF)
Reid is a guy who has skyrocketed up boards. He's got the size and long arms needed in a tackle, and the Packers had pretty good luck with their last UCF offensive lineman (Josh Sitton).
Who's Available: Seventh Round and UDFA
7 of 8
Mike Person (Montana State)
He was dominant at Montana State and his pro day workouts were attended by the Packers brass.
Cody Habben (Washington)
His athleticism at the tackle position is an intriguing attribute for a late-round prospect.
Tyler Donahue (Bowling Green)
He needs to add weight and get stronger, but he's also very technically sound in the run and pass game.
Curt Porter (Jacksonville State)
Definitely a developmental player, but Porter has good size and dominated Ole Miss prospects Jerrell Powe and Pernell McPhee during JSU's upset in the fall.
Summary
8 of 8
Is an offensive tackle going to make the biggest impact of all the positions the Packers could draft early on?
Probably not.
But remember, fans said that same thing last season when the Packers drafted Bryan Bulaga.
Green Bay had re-signed both Mark Tauscher and Chad Clifton, but they needed Bulaga a lot more than they ever could have imagined.
The same situation could happen next year.
And if there is one position the Packers absolutely cannot sustain an injury, it's likely left tackle.
I may be in the minority, but I'd have very little confidence in the players after Clifton on the depth chart.
That's why drafting a capable offensive tackle in this draft is so important. If Clifton's knees start acting up on him, things could go south in a hurry.
And does anyone really want to expose Aaron Rodgers to the kind of beating he took in 2009?
I'd certainly hope not.
Simply put, the Packers have one of the NFL's best quarterbacks. He's a Super Bowl MVP and owner of the best passer rating in NFL history.
The time to ensure his protection is right now. Not when Clifton's knees go out or the Packers run out of options at either tackle spot.
Patching something together on the fly doesn't cut it anymore.
Keep Rodgers healthy and upright, and the Packers will be contenders for the next five to seven years.
It's a simple equation, and one that needs to be completed by Thompson in this draft.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=600 "Post-June 1 Trade Candidates ☎️")
.JPG?w=600 "TO Talks Cowboys Relationship")
.jpg?w=600 "Taylor Heinicke Retiring")
.jpg?w=600 "49ers OC Hypes Mike Evans 🤩")