Today is the sixth day of two weeks of Green Bay Packers coverage leading up to the April 26 beginning of the NFL draft.
April 12: Five best first-rounders in the past 25 years
April 13: Five worst first-rounders in the past 25 years
April 14: Quarterbacks position preview
April 15: Running backs/fullbacks position preview
April 16: Offensive tackles position preview
Today: Guards/centers position preview
April 18: Tight ends position preview
April 19: Wide receivers position preview
April 20: Defensive linemen position preview
April 21: Linebackers position preview
April 22: Cornerbacks position preview
April 23: Safeties position preview
April 24: Ted Thompson's draft strategy
April 25: Forecasting the first-round pick
TODAY'S POSITION: GUARDS / CENTERS
Importance (1-to-10 scale): 6
On the roster
Former starting center Scott Wells, a Pro Bowl selection last year, is now with the St. Louis Rams, so the Packers added 36-year-old Jeff Saturday to take over as the man starting every offensive play in front of Aaron Rodgers. Saturday's age indicates he is clearly not a long-term solution, but he has been remarkably healthy throughout his 13-year NFL career and has not missed a single start in the past three seasons.
At left and right guard, the Packers appear to be set for many years to come. T.J. Lang on the left side, is only 24 years old and did a very nice job in 2011 as a first-year starter. Right guard Josh Sitton signed a long-term deal last offseason and is entering his fourth consecutive season as a starter.
Behind those three, however, there is not much depth. Evan Dietrich-Smith did a serviceable job when injuries limited Sitton for a few weeks last season, but has not yet shown the ability to step in as a full-time starter if one of the guards is hit with a significant injury. Ray Dominguez, another guard, was called up to the active roster last season but did not appear in a single game.
Last five interior linemen drafted
2011--Caleb Schlauderaff, Utah: sixth round (179th overall)--traded to the Jets in September 2011, currently with the Jets
2008--Josh Sitton, Central Florida: fourth round (135th overall)--still with the Packers
2007--Allen Barbre, Missouri Southern State: fourth round (119th overall)--signed with Seahawks in 2010, currently with the Seahawks (second stint)
2006: Daryn Colledge, Boise State: second round (47th overall)--signed with Cardinals in 2011, currently with the Cardinals
2006: Jason Spitz, Louisville: third round (75th overall)--signed with Jaguars in 2011, currently with the Jaguars
Philosophy at the position
In his second draft as general manager of the Packers in 2006, Ted Thompson used three of his picks to select interior linemen, including Colledge in the second round. Since then, Thompson has stayed away from guards and centers early in the draft and has not gone above the fourth round to bring any to Green Bay. Though Colledge did well in his five years in Green Bay, he has already been gone for a full season.
At some point, and perhaps this is the year, Thompson will need to address his interior offensive line. At the very least, there needs to be some additional depth. Lang and Sitton are young and productive, but Saturday signed only a two-year deal. Plus, his agent hinted at the time of the signing that Saturday may just play just one more NFL season before retiring. So, if the Packers don't want to be stuck overpaying for a veteran center next offseason in free agency, they may have to address that need in this year's draft and use the 2012 season to develop a young player.
Day 1 name to remember (Round 1)
Peter Konz, junior, Wisconsin (6-5, 314). If the pass rushers the Packers are targeting aren't available when the No. 28 pick rolls around, Konz could be the pick. Center is one of Green Bay's bigger needs, especially in planning for the 2013 season and beyond, and Konz would have to relocate only 150 miles from Madison if this selection happens. The downside with drafting Konz here is that it would hurt the Packers in 2012 to select a player in the first round who is not expected to contribute. But by the end of the first round, things may not fall the way Green Bay would like. Konz will not be available by the time the Packers' second-round pick comes up.
Day 2 name to remember (Rounds 2-3)
Kevin Zeitler, senior, Wisconsin (6-4, 314). It's not just to stick with the Wisconsin theme, but Zeitler is projected to go somewhere in the mid- to late second round. If the Packers believe he can move to center with one year of work and be ready to take over for Saturday in 2013, Zeitler could make sense at No. 58. Plus, for this upcoming season, he would serve as valuable insurance behind Lang and Sitton at guard. Zeitler is highly regarded as one of the best guards in this draft class, and some analysts have him as an early second-round talent. So, late in the second round, Zeitler would be a good value.
Day 3 name to remember (Rounds 4-7)
David Molk, senior, Michigan (6-1, 298). If not for injuries, Molk would be gone in the first two days of the draft. However, a torn right ACL in 2009 has bothered him a bit ever since. Molk was one of the strongest player at the Combine with 41 bench-press repetitions. Despite his lack of height, Molk is considered to be a very tenacious player on the field who was a vocal leader in college.
FOXSports.com's draft expert Taylor Jones says:
"(Jeff) Saturday's obviously at the end of his career. So you look at the Packers' first-round pick at 28 and I wonder if they'd go with an interior offensive lineman. Zeitler and Konz are both in my top 35 prospects. If you want one of those guys, it will probably have to be in the first round.
"Zeitler has that type of athleticism to play center. I don't see either one of them kicking outside to tackle. They have to be used in the interior. If you have the versatility of playing both center and guard, it's better, and Konz is your better bet there. Konz won't bulldoze you out of the way like Zeitler will, though.
"The thing with Konz is he only did 18 reps at the Combine. He's bothered by an ankle injury, but at center, it's more about their positioning and balance."
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