1) Introduction: Before the season, I wrote that Jeff Saturday had to stay healthy. The Packers offensive line, blocking for an MVP quarterback and trying to get a no-huddle offense rolling, had no other option at center. Turns out Saturday was over the hill, and the Packers did, in fact, have another option at center.
2) Profile:
Jeff Saturday
- Age: 37
- Born:
- Height: 6’2″
- Weight: 295
- College: North Carolina
- Rookie Year: 1999
- NFL Experience: 14 years
3) Expectations coming into the season: Quarterback of the offensive line. Saturday was supposed to be the veteran who plugged a hole left by Scott Wells. Expectations were low for his run blocking, but he was mainly brought in to keep Aaron Rodgers upright.
4) Player’s highlights/low-lights: Saturday struggled all season run blocking. We kind of expected that coming in, but I don’t think many people expected it to be as bad as it was. According to Pro Football Focus, Saturday managed just two games with a positive run-blocking grade before getting benched. The highlight of Saturday’s season might actually be how he handled the benching. He answered all the tough questions and was a team player throughout the entire situation.
5) Player’s contribution to the overall team success: Who know how Evan Dietrich-Smith would have handled starting out of the gate? Who knows if Wells would have stayed healthy if Ted Thompson re-signed him? Who knows if Matt Birk would have worked out if the Packers pursued him instead? Saturday provided a little bit of security entering the season.
6) Player’s contributions in the playoffs: I think Saturday came in for a play or two against the 49ers and that’s it.
Season Report Card:
(D-) Level of expectations met during the season
(D) Contributions to team’s overall success.
(F) Contributions to team during the playoffs
Overall Grade: D-
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Adam Czech is a a freelance sports reporter living in the Twin Cities and a proud supporter of American corn farmers. When not working, Adam is usually writing about, thinking about or worrying about the Packers. Follow Adam on Twitter. Twitter .
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EDS beat him out 🙂 F is well-deserved. His poor blocking added a new demension to AR’s worries. Not only getting rushed from the corners but up the middle also. Need for a big, mean, and good center is a high priority. If the Competion Committee goes ahead with the new low block rules, the end of Zone Blocking is nigh. Big guys will be at a premium.
Very well reasoned and accurate grade, thanks Adam.
But he didn’t talk about his draft position or salary! How are we supposed to figure out his expectations without those things???
“Nay, sir, do not complain. It is advantageous to an author that his book should be attacked as well as praised. Fame is a shuttlecock. If it be struck at only one end of the room, it will soon fall to the ground. To keep it up, it must be struck at both ends.”
Samuel Johnson
I can only imagine the backlash I would get from parents and my administrators if I used different standards for grading each of my students.
If you’d stop whining about the much-deserived criticism your grades have elicited, you might be able to learn from those who have done a superior job — in this case Adam.
I’m not whining about the criticism. All criticism is welcome. But there’s intelligent criticism and unintelligent complaining.
When you berate me for not basing Hawk’s expectations on his salary and draft position, then turn around and applaud other articles that also didn’t mention salary and draft position, then you’ve clearly demonstrated your inability to be objective in your criticism.
The moment you start passing judgement based on two different sets of standards is the moment you lose all credibility.
Don’t know what your expectations were, but for my part Saturday provided exactly what he was brought here for. Everyone knew he was at the end of the rope physically. IMO he was brought to GB more for his mental abilities than his physical. Be able to handle the line calls, make good snaps handle and lead the OL and mentor EDS. I think he did all of those more than adequately. Give him a c+.
Expecting him to come in at 38 yrs old and be a great Center from a physical point of view was totally unrealistic!
I just want to know who in the brain trust thought it was a good idea to sign this guy? The same guy that annointed Barbre a starter?
There’s a level of risk and reward with any player. It’s all about projecting the two and coming to a decision.
Since when was signing or drafting players an exact science with certainty in outcomes?
This O line really worries me. We have many bodies, but all except Sutton are guestion marks. Furthermore,they’re protecting the franchise. A stud RB could make this line look better and also keep Rogers upright.
I sure didn’t expect him to be a dead ringer for Bluto. Exceeded expectations in that category.