Opportunities for cornerback Sam Shields and linebacker Frank Zombo came last year. Opportunity for Nick McDonald, the third member of the Green Bay Packers' 2010 class of rookie free agents, is right around the corner.
In what could be a free-for-all replacing Daryn Colledge at left guard, the anonymous McDonald is going to get one of the first shots to prove that he can protect Aaron Rodgers for a Super Bowl team.
"Everybody talks about Sam and Frank," coach Mike McCarthy said just before the lockout began. "But, I mean, this guy here. . . . I think he could be one of those guys when you say, 'Who made the biggest jump from year one to year two?' I think he has a very bright future."
Is it possible that McDonald, a two-year starter at Grand Valley State who spent most of his first season toiling at center but not playing a snap from scrimmage, could become a functional starter in just his second season?
First, he doesn't have a tough act to follow. Colledge was the unit's weak link for two straight years.
Second, McDonald, 6 feet 4 inches and 310 pounds, looks the part physically and takes care of his business like a pro, too.
"I think he has that kind of makeup and that kind of raw ability," McCarthy said. "As the year went on you just got excited. We really like his body type. I hope he's ready. He'd be the perfect guy."
The Packers probably would have taken Colledge back, but his lucrative free-agent deal with Arizona now forces them into action. Even if the coaches had said the job was open, Colledge's presence and durable past likely would have upheld the status quo.
In truth, Green Bay won a Super Bowl despite Colledge, not because of him.
As a pass protector, Colledge reacted pretty well against speed, was less effective against power and struggled picking up stunts. As a run blocker, he lacked the horsepower to displace a 3-technique defensive tackle and often was late to the second level.
"Daryn has been a good individual to have on the ballclub," offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. "So we'll see how everything unfolds. I told our coaches we've got to have an open mind. It (depth chart) will be very fluid."
For years, personnel people said Colledge simply wasn't a tough guy. And until the Packers got a more physical left guard their running game probably was going to remain feckless.
If Colledge had an essential attribute, it was how he used his quick mind to read fronts and help left tackle Chad Clifton at the line.
Besides no playing time, McDonald's arms (311/8 inches) are considered rather short and his 40-yard time was a ho-hum 5.26 seconds (Colledge ran 5.06 in 2006). McDonald did 27 reps on the bench press compared to 22 for Colledge.
"He's a good athlete, a good fit for what we do," Philbin said. "Serious guy. Smart. It's going to be a big camp for him."
Philbin said it would be ideal to have two players, not three, competing full-bore at left guard. He just didn't know who they would be.
Besides McDonald, the other possibilities would seem to be T.J. Lang, sixth-round pick Caleb Schlauderaff, free agent Ray Dominguez and possibly top pick Derek Sherrod.
McCarthy, who says it's a telltale indicator if a player doesn't show major improvement in his second season, didn't see it from Lang. Spring wrist surgery ruined Lang's second off-season, and the lockout affected this one.
Early training camp will tell if Lang added the strength that the coaches considered a necessity. He is expected to swing between guard and right tackle.
"I always felt he was a guard," McCarthy said. "But you watch and he's very natural at tackle. He has a better feel out there, which is obvious. He has played more out there."
Schlauderaff is a down-and-dirty, ugly-body type of player with excellent natural strength and the ability to run and pull. The other rookie, Dominguez, has phenomenal bulk, long arms and is light on his feet. A starting tackle for three years at Arkansas, he will need to get in better shape.
The Packers were overjoyed that Sherrod fell to them at the bottom of the first round. He was drafted to be Clifton's successor at left tackle, the only position that he played at Mississippi State.
Sherrod, Philbin said, will begin camp on the left side. Based on the consensus of scouts, Sherrod doesn't seem to be a guard. At this point, he isn't that strong, he isn't that physical and he isn't that thickly built.
His pluses - athleticism, arm length, intelligence, technique - suggest tackle, not guard.
In this strangest of camps, almost any move is plausible. Bryan Bulaga would appear to have a better chance than Sherrod at guard because he played there in 2007 at Iowa and has the stouter build.
Philbin, however, said he would prefer keeping Bulaga at right tackle, mainly because he's just 22 years old and was adequate in 16 starts there.
Like McDonald, Marshall Newhouse made the team as a rookie but never played. Clearly, he was better at left tackle than guard last August. His feet are good, his power was marginal. He has to be more aggressive.
Josh Sitton and center Scott Wells were the unit's two best players in the previous two seasons. Each has a year left on his contract.
"Sitton reminds me of a young (Steve) Hutchinson," an NFC scout said in November. "He stumbles around a little bit like Hutchinson but he's a tremendous anchor. He's not going to be real active in the secondary, but you're not going to line up in front of him and beat him with strength."
Philbin praised Sitton's pass blocking and said his run blocking was good, too, although he'd like to see Sitton generate more movement at the point of attack.
The Packers tried to replace Wells with departed Jason Spitz in summer 2009. When injuries struck, Wells replied with his two finest seasons. Because of his commitment and field savvy, Wells' coaches have always appreciated his play more than outsiders.
"There's a lot of centers like Wells," one scout said late last season. "I think they've been concerned about his size, but he ties things together well. I don't think Wells is mean, but he is a battler."
Clifton, 35, allowed a career-high eight sacks and 29½ pressures. He isn't as automatic in protection as he once was.
Over the last six games, however, Clifton allowed just one sack against a succession of elite rushers.
"He's gifted coming out of that stance - not a lot of guys like that," Philbin said. "We'd like him to be a little quicker in the run game sometimes. I'm hopeful we can (get another year from him)."
Last year, the same five started the final 16 games.