GREEN BAY, Wis. – Josh Sitton's record in the Green Bay Packers' one-on-one pass blocking/pass rushing drills should jump off the page.
Not because it's good. And not because it's bad.
But rather because it's practically nonexistent.
Through the first nine practices of training camp, Sitton has taken just one turn in the drill. It came last Thursday, and he lost to defensive tackle Mike Daniels. There's no shame in losing to a player who has an impressive 9-3 record in the drill.
Sitton's reps have decreased over the years in the drill. For example, in 2011 (the first year I began keeping records in this drill), Sitton went 19-2. Last year, his reps were more than cut in half, but he went unbeaten in eight turns.
At age 28 and entering his seventh NFL season, the Packers are taking every precaution possible to keep Sitton's oft-sore back from becoming problematic. His reps in the team periods have decreased only slightly compared to his near nonexistent presence in the one-on-one drills.
"I'm always dealing with a back issue, so it's just being smart," the 6-foot-3, 318-pound Sitton said. "There's no point in getting there and … one-on-ones, it's going to be a guy bull-rushing me, and I don't need that right now. Probably here in the next couple weeks, I'll start maybe doing a little more."
However, that might not happen. Last year, the Packers did not do any one-on-one drills after the second preseason game.
"It's a great drill and it's something that I can work on my technique and try different things, but I just don't need them right now," Sitton said. "I don’t think there's any point in stressing my back over that drill."
