I see nothing wrong with giving Clifton some slack as long as he can still handle the rushers. I expect he'll do better now that his pain is under control...he played at less than 100% last year due to that pain. And no...I doubt if any Packers envied him his time off. It was in their interests that he be at his best on game day. They are TEAM players, I would hope.

I have much more concerns about the right side of the line.
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But about LT. Not for now. For now Clifton is the best asset. But I think for the long run we're fairly good. Meredith I think will be a great LT, he has the skills and the agility to play, just don't have enough experience. Like you said, Colledge can become a great LT, but he's designed to be the LG (for now I think). I think those two will make a tremenduous left side of the Oline in a few years. If Lang can make the RT or RG, we can have an elite OL in a few years.

The sad part is that it's in a few years...

Oh crap - here we go ..... You would mention Daryn's name in the same paragraph as the Mighty Chad Clifton. I feel like Archie Bunker yakkin at Edith.
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Sorry, guys .... I am NOT a Daryn Colledge fan. The film "against" DC is x5 more available than (what?) the Tennessee game. You will seriously have to come up with a separate piece on WHY DC is somehow supposed to be forgiven for the number of times he "consistently" gets run over by even 2nd-rate banana Defenders, who were slopped in there due to injuries of starters.
NOTICE I am NOT trying to fly off the handle here. Bill Huber and I go at this time & time again, on the Premium PR Forum boards. I am also NOT a fan, whatsoever, of James Campen. Trust me, I appreciate all he gave playing Center with the Majik Man teams - I have the '89 Yearbook. But, THIS nonsense has to stop.
You either prove I need my hat in my hand or STOP THE NONSENSE. Seriously. The number of times, I have pulled a CHIN at the big-screen can be recounted by IPB Members nonstop. If not, for Mr. IN-decision, a whole host of great play calls would have had the Packers going 15-1 under Favre in 2007 and 10-6 under Bootlegger in 2008. I'm sick of it.
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NOW - Prove it, or KNOCK IT OFF.

Regardless of how you view Clifton's lack of practice during the week, I think it's safe to say that Chad Clifton will be the odd man out sooner rather than later. All it will take is for one of the young O-lineman to step-up & force the issue. There are many to choose from. If your belief is that a 'young' OL can't replace Clifton, then your view is also contrary to Clifton & Tauscher starting as rookies half-way through the 2000 season.
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IMO, if Clifton is unable to clearly establish himself as the starting LT for an entire 16 game season in TC, he may very well become a roster cut before game one. His cap-number is somewhere in the 6-7 mil range. This is too high when you have a cheaper option (better??) standing on the sidelines.
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A move like this is pretty standard in the NFL, more so now than ever before. First, BF, then KGB & then Cliffy. Out with the old, in with the new.

I stand by my previous comment and expect PA to step up to the plate.
HOWEVER - WoodyG is correct. What surprises (and should all Packerfans) me is the fact that Cliffy came back like he did after that ILLEGAL (in my book - coward) hit he suffered from Warren Sapp. Somehow, it seems fitting that Sapp ended up in the Black Hole. Maybe that's just me!
We've gotten how many good seasons out of Chad now, since that hit? Four? I am certainly NOT disappointed in what he has given to and for THE TEAM. He has shown he is a consummate player. In certain ways, he does remind me of Ken Ruettgers. And, I always thought we would never see another player of his caliber at LT for a long long time.
If we ARE lucky enough to see someone (Lang?) step in and keep the tradition.... then, I'll be satisfied, as I'm sure so will Aaron Rodgers.
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I want to go back and ask: How often since 2006 have seen instances where it looked like Cliffy was worrying about covering not only the LT duties, but the LG concerns, as well?
Once Mike Wahle was gone, the symbiosis was gone, too. WE NEED that back, or else every LT we bring in will look just like Ross Verba.
NO ONE here on this board or any other wishes they had been lucky enough to play in the NFL as we packerfans. It's a part of why our passion for the game, and the Team is as strong as it is. It's also why we sound like we know better than the Players do as to what's needed. Do we sound idiotic? Sure. But, it's all we have. And, it's not going to stop us from being empathic as to how we can hope our fandom will make each and every player that much stronger out there on the field battling with a Lombardi Attitude. It's the essence of Lambeau Hospitality....especially towards the Players.
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Kiss the bricks, on the way to the Tundra, I say!

Chad Clifton is only keeping Allen Barbre’s spot at left tackle warm until Training Camp. Barbre has the best feet of any of the Packer’s Linemen. He is a natural Left Tackle and played it in College. He also, at 290 lbs then, was the wedge breaker on kick-off team and was on the kick return team during those years….the guy is a stud athlete from a small school but enough is enough. If McCarthy and Philbin can’t get this guy to beat out Chad “my legs are two stumps trying to mate” Clifton then Ted Thompson will have failed big time…by the way, Gil Brandt loved, absolutely loved, Barbre coming out of college. SOMETHING very odd is going on with Barbre and the Pack, he is one very very nasty mean mobile capable MOFU and should be starting. I know he has a bit of a learning disorder, but come on people!!!! Break out year for Barbre or they got some ’splainin to do. Get that offensive line picked and leave them alone dammit, stop screwin with moving guys around, and if you are going to zone block and run screens then get some fricken’ linemen at the tackle positions that can move.
Aaron, it costs the packers nothing more to keep Clifton until the last week of training camp. If he is truly the best Left Tackle by then..If we cut him we get a lot of million$ back to our cap...if he is the starter? .well that does not say much for our troops. Good Guys both tackles, but Goodbye Tausch, Goodbye Clifton…thanks for the memories, don’t let the green and gold door hit you in the ass on the way out!

"by the way, Gil Brandt loved, absolutely loved, Barbre coming out of college."
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The same Gil Brandt that LOVED Alex Smith coming out of college? Not saying Barbre is bad. Saying Gil Brandt is bad.

Aaron,

Alex Smith was and is a great QB prospect. Have you ever seen him throw...or saw him before being pummelled? His troubles have zero to do with his talent and everything to do with being set up to fail by a horrible organization and talentless franchise with piss poor coaching. Brett Favre or Drew Brees would have suffered the same fate or worse.

Trust me, it the kid is healthy he will find a place to play and to shine in so doing. Great kid, Great Talent, Gil was right, I am so surprised you would take such a dim view of a kid that throws such a nice ball...

My Guess is Gil Brandt knows a few things about players and workouts that none of us do by the way....Odd comment of yours

Buckslayer - It wasn't Aaron that made that comment. It was PackersRS.
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IPB - When it comes to college, I think you've fallen into the same trap as many people. Your first impression of him has jaded your entire view of him. Because he played poorly at first, you get stuck looking at the negative rather than the positive. This makes it hard to see the progress that he's made, especially last year, when he transformed himself into a very good left guard.

All I know is the Packer Oline was in flux for the entire season. They had no consistent lineup. They had trouble run blocking all year (pad levels). With Clifton slowed and Taucsher going down for the season, the depth problem was even further magnified. The young linemen never stepped up and performed.

As far as Barbre goes, either he isn't as good as many think, or he is being held back deliberately by MM. I find the later hard to swallow.

This year TT's Oline experiment will be tested in full. Since 2005 he has been adding young linemen with the goal of building the line of the future. So far the results have been less than successful. It is time for Colledge, Sitton, Spitz, Giacomoni, et. al. to step up and play. Maybe Preston will be able to make the progress he didn't make in Buffalo and help stabilize the line. One thing is certain, you can't have a different lineup each week. The line needs consistency and stability.

Stop using the Royal "we". You know, the editorial...

I've never sounded idiotic.

Didn't want to make this post about alex smith, but...
Are you kidding me? "He throws a nice ball" So what? Does he get the job done? Does he win? No and no. Favre didn't throw the prettiest pass, but he got the job done. Warner don't throw the prettiest ball. This is not ballet.
"It's the organization, not him". Then why Patrick Willis and Frank Gore are such studs? And why the hell did he loose the job to J.T. O'Sullivan and Shaun Hill???
And it has been 4 years! 4 years and he hasn't been even mediocre, or just good, like Hawk, and people are questioning Hawk. He has been plain awful. Last time he was the starter his offense was dead last in the league. That's pretty poor to me.
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Alex Smith is system qb and nothing more. Doesn't have the arm strength, doesn't have the intangibles, and is a waste of a first round pick, let anoe a 1st overall. I thank God everyday we picked ARod and not him.
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BTW, I read the chat with him on NFL.COM often. He also said that Sage Rosenfels is a GREAT qb, that just didn't get the chance to prove himself. Yeah, that game against Indy he sure showed the world he's an amazing acrob.. er.. qb.
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About the actual post, my opinion is that if you get the benefit of not practicing, you must compensate on the field. And Clifton, though solid, didn't exactly do that.

Once we get Cliffy back on the practice field, then the next player who's 'too dam good to practice' also needs to get back on the practice field.
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There were at least a couple INTs that Charles could have taken to the house if he had only practiced during the week, IMO. LOL.

Aaron, if you're talking about just winning, his record speaks for itself. And Shaun Hill has his share of different OCs and 4th quarter comebacks, and has won a lot more, but that don't make him a good qb. At least not a 1st overall pick. For the money spent and the place he was taken, given the time that it has been since then, you can't say he's not a bust. He has the production from a 4th rounder at best.
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Can you honestly say that Gil Brandt was right thinking SF picking him was the right move? If you choose again, would you pick him? At what round would you pick him? That's what I'm talking about. Where in the NFL would he be a starter? And where he would be a Franchise QB?

Sorry Aaron U look alike!

RS,

We just think he was or is good had he been good given the right circumstance and players around him. Manning and Aikman took a beating in their first few years until their team built a winner around them...not so with Smith. By the way...he does throw a nice ball, which does mean something. He is an accurate passer that throws a ball easier than most to catch.

Smith was an excellent prospect that came from the spread..but Rodgers was a very good prospect that will be the first of Tollner's guys to make it...not trying to split hairs, but you are nuts if you think he sucks, that just really shows you don't know much about the position. How convenient that all you have to do is look at a teams record and if they win to decide if the QB is any good...why bother doing any analysis?...Ah well good ol' wisconsin.

here is the latest on Favre you will like this...or not!

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/nfcnorth/0-11-108/Favre-and-Tarkenton--Not-si...

sounds like you are a die hard Favre nut...listen to Fran Tarkenton talk about Favre...gets to him after Vick at about the 2 minute mark totally calls him out, its classic!!!!

Wow, a Favre nut? I've never been called that. A TT nutlicker I've been, but not the other way around (please let's not start THAT argument again...). My first point was that Gil Brandt considered Alex Smith a GREAT prospect, and that is way proven wrong. Can Alex Smith suceed if given the right environment? SURE. A lot of guys can. He did so in college. BUT he needs the right system to suceed. 4 years of struggle is not growing pains of the position. Look at Manning in his 4th year. Look at Brady. Look at Favre. Because those were the comparisons on Alex Smith. Those are the comparisons of a 1st overall pick. Those guys make their team better. Not the case on Smith. How many guys in this league would you rather have than him at QB? I can think of at least 15.
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The thing is Gil Brandt is not a good evaluator of Draft talent. Not anymore. Not since a long time. Or is it coincidence that the Cowboys regained powerhouse status as soon as he left?

Dude, you are so wrong and twisted....look the organizations that drafted Manning, Favre, and Aikman then proceeded to surround him with talent...and when that talent waned those QBs consistently failed.

QBs complete a team, they don't make a team....check out the Bears, Vikings and Lions in that department.

Brandt is like wolf, he is savvy and knows everyone. He is the guy that said Rodgers would fall to the Packers 2 days before it happened and he said it would be the best thing for Rodgers and poor smith (good as he was) for having to play right away for a horrible team.

I just think you are a kook. 4 years of struggle...you mean 3 years of playing for 4 different coordinators and having 2 different surgeries due to shitty protection...Yeah you are right that is all on him..If he were great he would be able to over come those trivial details...meanwhile Manning plays for the same OC for 10 years and Aikman has the same exact system for 12 and Favre for 17 fricken years bud...

You are one crazy dude. When Smith Succeeds, which he will somewhere, just lick his balls, don't worry about TT, they are all dried up according to Bedard

Maybe you're right about him. But how many years should we wait for him to thrive, exactly? As long as it takes? And if he fails, then it's on everybody else? Okay. No opinions on the 90 Dallas, without Brandt? He suceeded in the 60's? Okay.
BTW, see? no personal attacks...

Nothing personal...the guy deserves a chance to prove himself fair and square, just like you don't like personal attacks, no one likes it when someone gives a blowhard opinion with superficial back up.

Brandt has more knowledge about the game and players than any of us, probably combined.

I just don't see why people can't give people their due when making a point....doesn't invalidate your point that both people have some splainin' to do about some failures, but that is what life and football is all about...what you do when you fail, how you react. Anyone can look good when things go well.