By Lori Nickel, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel –
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Versatility, reliability, work ethic, commitment, resilience — these are the things for which up-and-coming lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith would like to be known.
And not for being the recipient of Ndamukong Suh’s rage.
The third-year Green Bay Packers lineman understands that’s how many will remember him until he can get more playing time and change that perception, and he’s doing everything he can to line up that change.
But who could forget when Dietrich-Smith was called in to action Thanksgiving Day because right guard Josh Sitton had suffered an injured knee? Dietrich-Smith was playing well enough when Detroit’s rushing Suh came charging. Dietrich-Smith refused to disengage from the block, quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw his pass and Suh and Dietrich-Smith tumbled to the turf.
With the play over, Suh lost control, first pushing Dietrich-Smith’s head down to the turf multiple times and then stomping on him as he got up.
The Lions’ defensive tackle was ejected and suspended without pay for two games, costing him $164,000 in lost wages. And the Packers lineman isn’t crazy about any portrayal of him being a victim in the incident.
“I’m not here to be that guy Suh stomped on,” he said. “It just happened to be on national TV, but I can’t really do anything about that. I don’t want to be that guy. I’m out to prove I’m not just that guy; I’m the guy that plays for the Packers.”
Seven months later on the Ray Nitschke practice fields, Dietrich-Smith is emerging as someone else: a backup center to a 37-year old veteran who can fill in at guard as well.
The need is there. The Packers picked up free agent center Jeff Saturday after losing Scott Wells to St. Louis. Saturday has 13 years of experience and 197 regular season games. There’s no reason to say he won’t be able to play a full season in 2012 but not guarantees that he will, either.
And then there’s guard, where Dietrich-Smith has also played, even as recently as the June minicamp on the left side for T.J. Lang. He fits in well, going along with right guard Josh Sitton’s idea to change the names on their jerseys. Dietrich-Smith went with “Friday” and Sitton went with “Sunday” so that they read Friday, Saturday and Sunday from left to right on the line.
“I see myself as the interior swing guy,” said Dietrich-Smith. “I need to know as much as I can with the three inside spots because at any time, I could be playing anywhere.”
Coach Mike McCarthy isn’t hesitant to move players around. He did it with former linemen Daryn Colledge and Jason Spitz and others, and offensive line coach James Campen has continued the training.
“He might prefer me to play center over other spots,” said Dietrich-Smith. “But for me it helps, when I am playing center, to know what the guards are doing. Or when you’re playing guard, knowing when the center needs help.
“It happens but it’s nothing new to me.”
He started at left guard for two season at Idaho State, and when the right tackle broke his ankle Dietrich-Smith moved there. Then he was a blocking tight end in certain packages. He moved back to left guard. When the left tackle was shy in credits, he played there.
Dietrich-Smith’s career has been a journey, as well. Picked up as an undrafted free agent in May of 2009, he played in 13 games that season on special teams. He was waived by the Packers in the final roster cut in 2010. After a brief stint with Seattle, he was picked up again by Green Bay on New Year’s Eve.
The 2011 season was Dietrich-Smith’s most productive. He got his first start the next game after Detroit in Week 13 at the New York Giants, a real eye opener.
“I know we got the win; I wasn’t too happy with how I played,” said Dietrich-Smith. “But it showed me the level of competition that I’ve got to raise myself to. You’re going in to your first start playing against guys like Justin Tuck, Chris Canty, Jason Pierre-Paul, Osi Umenyiora. They’re the leading sack line in the league that year.
“Mental-wise I was good, but getting the experience with the first group and the speed of the game, that’s what it showed me.”
He played at right guard again against the Raiders, went back to special teams against Kansas City and then made his first start at left guard against the Bears. He said the game began to slow down for him.
“I remember that Bears game when we posted a shutout in sacks,” said Dietrich-Smith.
He plans on keeping his weight at 310 — weighty enough for a guard, OK for a center — and will remain in Green Bay until training camp breaks July 26, just as he remained here for the entire offseason.
“You have one of the best facilities available to you. Why rack up some big expense to go train somewhere else when you have everything already here?” said Dietrich-Smith.
“On top of that, the coaches know you’re here, they know you’re doing stuff. They’re not going to look at you coming in to camp: ‘That guy is way out of shape.’ “
