My thoughts on the OL are probably pretty well known, but I haven't stated them in a month or so.....
Newhouse: Average. Substantially better at RT than LT. I think his biggest problem at LT was that he was still thinking too much instead of moving naturally,and that slowed his movement. I think he won't have that over-thinking problem on the right side. I'm okay with this move, as he will be more of a positive contributor than he was.
Lang: Overrated. Mediocre at LG. Hopefully will be better at RG. Position will definitely be worse. Hopefully he will be no more of a negative on right than on left.
Dietrich-Smith: Serviceable. Nothing to get excited about for bad or good.
Sitton: A stud at RG. Hopefully he'll be a stud at LG, too. But part of me says the net effect will be downgrade (the loss of Sitton at RG won't be made up, quite, by the improvement at LG as he learns the new position).
Bulaga: If not for Lang, IMO would be most overrated player on the line. I just don't see what everyone else seems to have seen in 2011. I thought he was an average RT. I think Newhouse at RT may prove better than Bulaga, and I don't think he will be worse. Maybe Bulaga's one of those guys who will be better at LT than at RT. And event if he isn't, he may well be better at LT than Newhouse was.
Back-ups: I refuse to get excited about what is, in the end, nothing more than "potential" as yet unrealized. If they come on and perform well when needed, I'll be happy. If one of them beats out Lang, I wouldn't be surprised. And, who knows, maybe the team will get lucky and find a Sitton-esque talent among them to replace Bulaga and/or Newhouse. But I'm not going to expect any of that. I see them as "potential" now, and I expect that's what most of them will still be in both October and January.
And one thing I just don't buy from Thompson/McCarthy/Campen on the OL anymore is the "great potential" argument when it is made about an offensive lineman.
Summary: I'll be ecstatic if an improvement is somehow found for Lang. I'm very leery of moving the all-pro Sitton because it may negate some of the contribution by the one undeniable stud on the line. I'm not sold on either Bulaga or Newhouse, but have no problem with the switch since I don't see anyone better than either on the roster yet.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2 (NKJV)