[img_r]http://wauk-am.tritondigitalmedia.com/includes/news_items/40/3628/colledge2.jpg[/img_r]GREEN BAY The Green Bay Packers returned to work Tuesday, and there was Daryn Colledge, again taking the snaps with the No. 1 offense at left guard.
Whether or not hes still there when the regular season begins Sept. 13 at Philadelphia, well, Colledge figures thats all up to him.
With Jason Spitz, his primary competition and best friend still sidelined following his season-ending back surgery of last year, Colledge has been working with the No. 1 offensive line throughout organized team activity practices, which resumed Tuesday after coach Mike McCarthy gave the players 10 days off following the first week of OTA workouts. Practices continue with Wednesdays open-to-the-public (and the media) session and will run three-days-a-week until the teams mandatory minicamp kicks off June 21.
And while Colledge has endured more than his share of criticism since joining the team as a second-round pick in 2006, he has been a mainstay on the line, seeing action in every one of the 67 games (including playoffs) the Packers have played during his four-year career.
So if Spitz, second-year man T.J. Lang (whos out until training camp following wrist surgery) or anyone else wants to take away his starting gig once the competition heats up in camp, Colledge can guarantee one thing: Theyre in for a fight.
Right now, Im the starting left guard until someone tells me otherwise. Im getting almost every single rep, and until Im informed otherwise, Ill play that way, Colledge said. Who knows what theyll do? Thats up to them. Im going to give them every reason to not get rid of me.
Im not planning on going quietly into the night. Im not going to lie down. Ive got 63 starts counting playoff games, and Im not giving those up for nothing. I plan on competing my ass off. Im going to give them a reason to have to play me, and if they choose to go in another direction, thats their decision.
While theres no denying that Colledge has been inconsistent at times at left guard, one also must grant that moving outside to left tackle when Chad Clifton has been unavailable including when he went down in Week 2 with an ankle injury didnt help Colledge, either.
I would absolutely love to be the left guard full-time and take every rep in every game at that (spot) because I feel like thats my best position. It doesnt always work like that, Colledge said. Theres injuries and theres things that happen on the football field that are unexpected and youve got to react to it.
Of Colledges 63 career starts, 59 have come at left guard, four at left tackle and one at right tackle although he has shifted to left tackle a number of other times during games when Clifton was injured, as he was against Cincinnati last Sept. 20.
Sure, I think any player is, offensive line coach James Campen replied when asked if Colledge is more comfortable at left guard than left tackle, where he played in college for four years at Boise State. Daryn was asked to back up left tackle last year, but the majority of his (practice) reps were spent at guard. I dont know if he got any reps at tackle last year (in practice before Cliftons injury).
(This year), hell still go in there at left guard and thats exclusively where hell play. We have other tackles now, so were covered at this point in time.
With first-round draft pick Bryan Bulaga set to back up Clifton at left tackle and Lang viewed as the right tackle of the future behind veteran Mark Tauscher, Colledge can focus on improving at left guard. While he had a costly penalty late in the Packers season-ending loss to the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Wild Card playoffs, his play improved during the second half of last season, when Lang took over as Cliftons backup and Colledge knew hed only be playing left guard.
Obviously I didnt have the first half of the season I wanted to have, said Colledge, who was part of an offensive line that gave up 37 sacks in the teams first eight regular-season games and only 14 in the final eight. I felt like I had a good last half of the season when I got focused on left guard.
There were reports after Colledge received a second-round tender (a one-year deal for 2010 worth $1.76 million) in March as a restricted free agent that he was unhappy with his deal, but Colledge vehemently denied those reports at the time and did so again when OTAs began. Instead, Colledge said he missed the start of the offseason workout program his signed his tender on May 10 while working out at home in Boise, where his altered diet and workouts
Everybody thought I wasnt here because I was holding out, but it was nothing like that, Colledge said. I was at home taking care of myself physically and mentally so I can be the best offensive lineman I can be. Aaron (Rodgers) deserves it, this team deserves it and the city deserves it. And I expect to do it.
If Colledges past responses to having his job security challenged are any indication, dont bet against him.
When he was benched following the preseason opener at San Diego as a rookie in 2006, he regained the starting left guard spot in the second week of the regular season when Spitz suffered a thigh injury. In 2007, he held off competition for his job after a Nov. 4 game at Kansas City, and although he was benched during a loss at Dallas on Nov. 29, he was back starting when the playoffs began. And during training camp in 2008, he retained his starting gig by thoroughly outperforming Allen Barbre.
In his defense, this kid comes to work every day, Campen said. Every time Daryn has been challenged this isnt the first time (hes responded). And Ill make it perfectly clear, too theres a bunch of challenges on that offensive line now. Its not just a focal point right there. But he has responded every time. And I expect him to respond. I do.
Now, whether or not he is the starting left guard, other people are going to respond as well. But as far as Daryn backing down from a challenge or saying, What the heck, the odds are against me, thats not in his makeup whatsoever. Yeah, he takes some criticism, but Ill say this: As far as an accountable person, he is always available and ready to go.
Now he just has to play better.
I feel like and I need to feel like Im the best option there is available, Colledge said. Whether thats competition between me and Barbre, or me and Spitz, or me and T.J. Lang, Ive got to feel like Im the best guy there is. Ive got to give them the reason to play me every year.
This year, Ill do what I do every year compete my ass off, play left guard the best I can, and then see where the cards fall. And if I get to be the left guard and everybody stays healthy, I think weve got a great opportunity. If Im not the best player, then theyve got somebody else out there thats making this team better and Ill push that guy.