Packers' Colledge keeps left guard spot
He holds off challenges from Bulaga, others
By Bob McGinn of the Journal Sentinel
Aug. 29, 2010
Green Bay Letting bygones be bygones, coach Mike McCarthy has gone back to Daryn Colledge as the starting left guard for the Green Bay Packers.
Colledge outlasted top pick Bryan Bulaga, who appeared to have a legitimate shot for the job before what appears to be a nagging hip injury ruined the rookie's chances.
"I thought Bryan was improving with his opportunities there, but when you are injured you are not part of the equation anymore," McCarthy said Sunday after practice. "I like the production of the first line."
The starting unit has not allowed a sack in 4 1/2 quarters of exhibition play, and Colledge has allowed two of the minimal number of pressures.
Now Colledge won't have to alternate reps with Bulaga during practice, and the line can prepare with certainty for the opener Sept. 12 in Philadelphia.
"I'm disappointed I'm not the guy, but I got nicked up a little bit," said Bulaga, who first heard of McCarthy's decision from reporters. "That's just the way it goes. Whatever position they throw me in, I'll just try to make the best out of it."
After using Bulaga strictly at left tackle behind Chad Clifton from April 30 on, McCarthy moved him to left guard Aug. 9. His job-sharing arrangement with Colledge lasted until Bulaga had to drop out of practice Aug. 23 because of the hip.
"I continued to practice as a starter, and I didn't plan on giving that up whether Bulaga was healthy or not," Colledge said. "I think it was one of my best camps. My last game (against Indianapolis) was probably one of my better preseason games I've had."
If Colledge's track record in Green Bay repeats itself, he is due for a good season. He was effective as a rookie in 2006 and again in 2008, but fared much worse in 2007 and 2009.
Counting playoffs, Colledge has started 58 games at left guard, four at left tackle and one at left guard. In the regular season, he has played 4,103 out of a possible 4,280 snaps, or 93.8%.
"He has been here for a while and he's just a smart player," said Bulaga. "But I feel pretty confident playing there right now. Being inserted in the two games with the 1's at guard . . . I didn't feel like I didn't know anything."
Last season was Colledge's worst in Green Bay. As a result, the Packers debated internally whether he should even be offered the restricted free-agent tender of $1.759 million.
The offer was made on March 3 but wasn't signed until May 10 by Colledge, who never tried to conceal his desire for a long-term contract.
T.J. Lang might have offered legitimate competition for Colledge, but then he had to sit out the entire off-season following wrist surgery. He has been a right-side backup until Sunday, when he worked at both left-side positions.
Allen Barbre ran No. 2 behind Colledge during the first 10 days. Even though Jason Spitz has 37 starts at guard, the Packers apparently don't think he has the horsepower for guard anymore and used him mostly at center. Another rookie, Marshall Newhouse, proved to be better suited for left tackle than guard.
In the end, Colledge was the most durable and prevailed.
"Did I want that?" Colledge said, referring to competition. "Probably not. I would rather have been the starter from the very beginning. But I didn't give up any starts, and I got the reps I needed."
Colledge comes off a season in which he allowed many more sacks (7 1/2), pressures (40 1/2) and "bad" runs (18 1/2) than any other lineman. In four seasons, he has yielded 17 sacks, 96 pressures and 64 1/2 "bad" runs.
Because of injuries to Clifton, Colledge had to play 2 1/2 games at left tackle, and the results were horrendous. Four of his 7 1/2 sacks came at left tackle, his position at Boise State.
One scout who studied Colledge during an exhibition game this month said he still didn't think much of him.
"Just not mentally and physically tough enough," the scout said. "More of a waist bender. Doesn't use his hands well in pass pro. Same guy. He'll let them down."
That scout wasn't the first opposing coach or personnel man to cast doubts about Colledge's toughness over the years.
"I don't know where they get that from," said Colledge. "I'm known as a guy who covers and cleans up piles. But that's fine. If they want to spread that and think that, I'm good with that."
Asked about the perception that he was the weak link down the stretch in 2009, Colledge replied, "It never crossed my mind that I was the worst starter. Obviously, I know I had some struggles at left tackle. I had a tough game against Tampa Bay at guard when I came back. Other than that, I thought I played very well the last half of the season."
In the one-on-one pass blocking drill, Colledge ranked 11th among the 14 offensive linemen with a 12-4-5 record, a percentage of .691. Bulaga was eighth at 12-3-2, (.765).
Other than holding his job, Colledge's plan for improvement includes being less aggressive as a pass blocker and getting lower in everything that he does.
"Guys like Scott (Wells) and Josh (Sitton) play with really good pad level," he said. "I watch and try to mimic their pad level. I will be trying to get lower until I'm done playing football.
"I think I've improved. I played more physical. The fact is, it's hard to complain about the way I played left guard last year.
"I've got a feeling I'm the starter now. But I start to not perform well and they're going to have somebody right behind me ready to go."
It's interesting to go back to 2006 when, at the Senior Bowl, Colledge had the second-smallest hands (9 3/8 inches) among 18 offensive linemen and the third-shortest arms (32 3/4). His Wonderlic intelligence score of 30 ranked 15th-best among the 49 offensive linemen taking the test at the combine.