Right tackle Don Barclay entered the Minnesota game and finished out the remainder of the season.
Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Grasping his side in agony, Packers right tackle Bryan Bulaga tried to stand but eventually succumbed to a hip fracture last season, but in his absence a under-appreciated rookie by the name of Don Barclay took command by solidifying an absent necessity.

By week nine the offensive line had been stretched like salt-water taffy and with a question mark revolving around center Jeff Saturday and left tackle Marshall Newhouse, something had to gel and gel quickly.

Don Barclay was a steadying force on the offensive line last season.
Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Barclay’s impact was immediate on the ground, while being cunningly agile and sturdy, the line could finally add a dimension they had been lacking.

An emergence of a running game come to fruition with James Starks returning from his 2010 slumber to churn out 61 yards on 17 carries against the stubborn Cardinals’ defense.

Resurgence became a theme with Ryan Grant’s performance against the Tennessee Titans in week 16 with 20 carries for 80 yards and two scores.

Head Coach Mike McCarthy has had his hands full the past couple of years in keeping the offensive line intact.
Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Since Head Coach Mike McCarthy came to the Packers with former offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski in 2006, the zone-blocking scheme has been a mixed bag. Sporadic success has given way to an abandonment of the ground attack as evidenced by the use of only Brandon Jackson and John Kuhn during the 2010 title run.

With Barclay, an undrafted prospect from West Virginia displaying true grit, he helped to beef up the strength of the line while also maintaining the pace of the offense.

Looking at the Mountaineers during his tenure, Barclay was a consistent force at the point of attack by crushing the opponent across the line with 64 knockdowns , helping the team average 185.3 yards of rushing per game in his final season.

While Bryan Bulaga is a stellar tackle, his talents derive from pure pass-blocking at the left tackle position, whereas Barclay possesses the speed and agility to pull and challenge the second level to create space for running backs.

Add the ability to rush the ball on offense and Barclay’s unknown ceiling with the small sample size and the Packers could have what they have been expected to search for in the coming draft.

Aug 9, 2012; San Diego, CA, USA; Green Bay Packers offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga (75) after the game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

The Milwaukee Journel-Sentinal’s Rob Reischel raised a few eyebrows yesterday when he suggested Bryan Bulaga might transition to left tackle for the Green Bay Packers this offseason. While the article mostly discusses Bulaga’s recover from a hip injury, it points out how current left tackle Marshall Newhouse hasn’t improved significantly in his second year as starter. Naturally, there are many concerns about such a move, yet it’s an intriguing possibility nonetheless.

Assuming that Bulaga doesn’t hit any setbacks, there are some obvious positives to such a move. While many observers get caught up in Bulaga’s poor performance against the Seattle Seahawks, he graded as either the best or second best offensive lineman on the team depending on whether you consult Football Outsiders or Pro Football Focus. The possibility of playing him at the premium position of left tackle has to be considered.

This is not the first time the idea of Bulaga at left tackle has been floated. Following the 2011 season, longtime blindside protector Chad Clifton retired. Bulaga, who was one sack away from a clean slate that year, was openly discussed by the coaching staff as a potential replacement. Bulaga had played mostly left tackle at Iowa, where he was the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year and First Team All-Big Ten his final season. Despite some doubts about his arm and hand size, Bulaga has demonstrated the ability to handle left tackle and the elite pass rushers that position faces.

From left to right: Marshall Newhouse, Don Barclay, and Derek Sherrod. All could be in play for the starting right tackle position if Bryan Bulaga becomes the starting left tackle.

But there are consequences to a Bulaga position shift. Newhouse, who relies on quickness more than brute strength, is probably ill-fitted for the right side. Undrafted rookie Don Barclay performed well for the situation in 2012, but he’s yet to demonstrate that he’s more than quality depth. Derek Sherrod possesses the size and strength to handle right tackle, but he has yet to recover from the nasty leg injury he suffered week 15 of the 2011 season. The Packers could draft another tackle early in the 2013 draft, but that is only likely if Ted Thompson feels he’s getting a huge value

While most of this offseason’s headlines will pertain to contractual dilemmas such as Greg Jennings and Charles Woodson, Bulaga’s return and potential position move may ultimately prove the most significant development. After the Packers gave up 51 sacks, everything relating to the offensive line will be scrutinized.

Jason Hirschhorn covers the Green Bay Packers for Lombardi Ave. He has previously written for Hail to the Orange, College Hoops Net, Mocking the Draft, LiveBall Sports, and the List Universe. He is currently a senior writer for Beats Per Minute, an indie-music webzine. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/JBHirschhorn.

Giving Aaron Rodgers alleys in which to throw through is the offensive line's responsibility. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

When Marshall Newhouse was escorted off the Lambeau Field turf by Green Bay Packers’ medical personnel near the end of the team’s scrimmage Friday night, it wasn’t a good sight.

While the Packers’ offensive line starters, from left to right, are solid, any kind of injury to any of them places the team in jeopardy. When Newhouse went down, the Packers had to reach deep into the bench for replacements. Yes, it’s only the first week of Training Camp and it’s certainly not time to roll into panic mode, but the depth on the line must be recognized.

Behind Marshall is last year’s first round draft choice, Derek Sherrod, who has been a project and is coming back from a broken leg he suffered against the Kansas City Chiefs near the end of last season. Andrew Datko, a seventh round pick this year is also a project and coming off a couple of surgeries to his shoulders.

Behind them are the likes of Tommie Draheim and Don Barclay, two other rookies, are trying to make the team.

Needless to say, the experience on the line beyond the starters is minimal. When you’re trying to cobble together a unit that’s responsible for protecting the league’s Most Valuable Player, that’s not necessarily a good thing. Couple that with a unit that has to try to put together a consistent rushing game – at least enough of a rush to keep the Peppers and Allens at bay – the Packers have their work cut out.

It’s inevitable that there will be injuries along the line. Rarely, if ever, does a team make it through an entire season with its offensive and defensive lines intact. So, when the injuries occur, the next man in line has to step in without a discernible drop-off.

Packers guard T.J. Lang knows all about stepping in. He did so last year when the Packers lost Daryn Colledge to free agency. Here’s what he had to say when Newhouse went down during the scrimmage:

“But we have a young offensive line and that’s what we’re trying to do in training camp. We’re trying to get as many guys ready to play as we can. Injuries are part of the game. The next man has to step up, go out there and play. If somebody goes down, that’s what we’ll have to do.”

In theory, he’s right. Let’s hope that in practice, he’s also right.