CWood21 Posted November 17, 2023 Share Posted November 17, 2023 Just now, vegas492 said: To me, it is clear that they want Tom at RT, or he'd be playing LT already. I wouldn't necessarily assume that. The Packers value continuity on the OL. It's easier to change one position than it is to change two positions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Packerraymond Posted November 17, 2023 Share Posted November 17, 2023 3 minutes ago, vegas492 said: I agree about Tom, but with hesitation. For a first year starter at RT, he's been very, very good. Maybe that translates to LT, but if it were me, I'd be trying my best to keep Tom at RT. To me, it is clear that they want Tom at RT, or he'd be playing LT already. He played LT last year and in college. I think it has more to do with Bakh being there all off-season and them not wanting to switch a guy midseason. During the off-season it's completely different. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatJerkDave Posted November 17, 2023 Share Posted November 17, 2023 44 minutes ago, Refugee said: If we think he can play LT at a high starting level, why not get him in there this season where stakes are lower and expectations are based on improvement and not getting into the postseason? Maybe we think he’s a better RT than Walker and Yosh has been dinged up but if we think he could be our cornerstone I feel like we should have him in there taking reps with EJ right now. We’ll see how they play it but with no OL taken last draft, there will be a priority there early and mid rounds this year. If we get a rookie LT in there, he’d better be a fast learner because people’s jobs will be on the line next season. I am just basing the LT stuff from his limited time there last season, and the athletic profile. It also takes a bit to switch the footwork from right side to left side, and I think it is better for the player, especially a young player, to just stay where he is at. If they ever do want to switch (and that noise may just be guys like me talking) it is probably best to do it in the offseason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vegas492 Posted November 17, 2023 Share Posted November 17, 2023 12 minutes ago, CWood21 said: I wouldn't necessarily assume that. The Packers value continuity on the OL. It's easier to change one position than it is to change two positions. I do not disagree with you at all. However, we are on our 3rd string LT. And we are in a rebuilding year. If we are looking at the future, I certainly feel like if Tom were a viable candidate for LT, we'd see him over there to help shake out where we should draft on the OL. But he hasn't played over there yet. So that tells me they want as many reps going his way at RT to solidify his long term spot on that line. And here's the wildcard or grey area. Tom himself. He may have had training camp reps at LT and looked just fine, so that they know what they have over there with him. That kid is just so versatile that they may already know that he can lock that spot down. And they've chosen to keep him at RT because that is where he was needed most this year. It is an interesting situation, our tackle position. For sure. Tom has proven that he should be a mainstay at one of the tackles for many years. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWood21 Posted November 17, 2023 Share Posted November 17, 2023 8 minutes ago, vegas492 said: However, we are on our 3rd string LT. And we are in a rebuilding year. If we are looking at the future, I certainly feel like if Tom were a viable candidate for LT, we'd see him over there to help shake out where we should draft on the OL. Given that we've seen him play both C and RT, I think the Packers' coaching staff feels pretty comfortable with Tom no matter where he plays. Would it make us as fans feel better if we saw him play LT? Absolutely. Do I think the coaching staff need to see Tom play LT to believe he can play it at a high level? I doubt it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Refugee Posted November 17, 2023 Share Posted November 17, 2023 (edited) 18 minutes ago, ThatJerkDave said: I am just basing the LT stuff from his limited time there last season, and the athletic profile. It also takes a bit to switch the footwork from right side to left side, and I think it is better for the player, especially a young player, to just stay where he is at. If they ever do want to switch (and that noise may just be guys like me talking) it is probably best to do it in the offseason. I understand that and think that is generally solid conventional wisdom. This is not a conventional year so I believe using the season to get live reps is much better than the offseason in terms of getting a solid eval. The thing is, the absolute most important evaluation is behind center so if we think playing with the line will hurt Love’s rhythm, keep cooking. I do believe they already replaced Walker with Nijman after a rough game. Yosh got hurt right away and Walker was right back out there. I agree changing sides mid game is rough, but I guarantee Tom would not mind the chance to show he can start on the left and would attack it with all he’s got. Edited November 17, 2023 by Refugee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
{Family Ghost} Posted November 17, 2023 Share Posted November 17, 2023 1 hour ago, vegas492 said: I feel like that is a pretty bad point. You don't take a TE that high and not put him in a position to stress the defense. That should be Kraft. You gotta let a TE like that (and Musgrave) stress the defense while giving your wideouts better matchups. If they are planning to take Bowers you have to change the system to make him a focal point. They minimize a guy like Deguara because he's incapable of making plays. A guy like Bowers can be used all over the place, and if you take him he better be a featured part of the offense. I'd expect to see this guy lined up everywhere from the backfield to being split out wide. He's an offensive chess piece. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wgbeethree Posted November 17, 2023 Share Posted November 17, 2023 This is probably annoyingly over logical and not nearly as much fun for conversation but I'm gonna wait a while before pounding the table for any positions. Half way through the season my biggest position needs look a lot different than it did four months ago and probably looks a lot different than it will four months from now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vegas492 Posted November 17, 2023 Share Posted November 17, 2023 12 minutes ago, CWood21 said: Given that we've seen him play both C and RT, I think the Packers' coaching staff feels pretty comfortable with Tom no matter where he plays. Would it make us as fans feel better if we saw him play LT? Absolutely. Do I think the coaching staff need to see Tom play LT to believe he can play it at a high level? I doubt it. I don't remember him playing center in real games. Has he?? Not that it matters much, I agree that we are comfortable with him. Also? I'd bet they'd love to keep him at RT where he's proving to be one of the better ones in the league, while being in his first year starting. This week will be another great test for him. But in regards to the draft? I'd bet a fair amount of earnings that we would much rather draft a LT than a RT, just given how well Tom has played out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWood21 Posted November 17, 2023 Share Posted November 17, 2023 34 minutes ago, vegas492 said: I don't remember him playing center in real games. Has he?? Not that it matters much, I agree that we are comfortable with him. Also? I'd bet they'd love to keep him at RT where he's proving to be one of the better ones in the league, while being in his first year starting. This week will be another great test for him. But in regards to the draft? I'd bet a fair amount of earnings that we would much rather draft a LT than a RT, just given how well Tom has played out there. Didn't he play a few snaps (4 maybe?) against Denver? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brat&Beer Posted November 17, 2023 Share Posted November 17, 2023 22 minutes ago, CWood21 said: Didn't he play a few snaps (4 maybe?) against Denver? Yes. Myers missed 4 snaps and Nijman came in at T for 4 snaps. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReasonablySober Posted November 17, 2023 Share Posted November 17, 2023 2 hours ago, CWood21 said: If you can guaranteed me that he's a future top 3 TE, yes. But you can't. Remember when Aaron Curry was a can't miss future All-Pro LB? He was out of the league in 4 years. Those can't miss prospects do indeed miss. Kyle Pitts was a can't miss TE prospect coming out of Florida, and he's not the impact TE he was billed as. The issue is you can't guarantee that any of the tackles in this class are going to be future All-Pros either. The closest to sure things this class has is Harrison Jr. and Bowers. Bowers in particular has been a known stone cold lock since about October of 2021. The Packers never pick high enough to draft these types of generational talents. If I'm Gute I'm putting together godfather offers for MHJ or Williams, and if that doesn't work, I'm taking Bowers and trusting my scouts to find good starting caliber offensive linemen later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Packerraymond Posted November 17, 2023 Share Posted November 17, 2023 14 minutes ago, ReasonablySober said: The issue is you can't guarantee that any of the tackles in this class are going to be future All-Pros either. The closest to sure things this class has is Harrison Jr. and Bowers. Bowers in particular has been a known stone cold lock since about October of 2021. The Packers never pick high enough to draft these types of generational talents. If I'm Gute I'm putting together godfather offers for MHJ or Williams, and if that doesn't work, I'm taking Bowers and trusting my scouts to find good starting caliber offensive linemen later. Bowers will not be a generational TE. He's 6'3 (don't really care the fake measurements he has on Georgia's website). Gronk, Kelce, Gonzalez, all in the 6'6 range. He's going to comp out really close to George Kittle IMO, and the skillset matches. I don't really care to match college production because Jesus himself could play for Iowa and they'd find a way to limit his production. He's going to be a great player, worth a top 10 pick?? Maybe for a team like LAR if they want to try and squeeze another 2 productive years from Stafford. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vegas492 Posted November 17, 2023 Share Posted November 17, 2023 1 hour ago, CWood21 said: Didn't he play a few snaps (4 maybe?) against Denver? Telling yah, I cannot remember him getting center snaps, except in pre-season. Not saying he did or didn't get any. Talking only for myself here, but I feel like he can play center. I feel like he can play LT. But I haven't really seen him play center. I feel like I saw Tom enough at LT last year to know that he can play out there. Also? Not sure that I can say that he'd be a better LT than RT right now, just because he's playing so well at RT and I remember some struggles at LT (as a rookie). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vegas492 Posted November 17, 2023 Share Posted November 17, 2023 44 minutes ago, Brat&Beer said: Yes. Myers missed 4 snaps and Nijman came in at T for 4 snaps. Can confirm. 4 snaps at center. 564 at RT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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