Former Badgers and Packers offensive lineman Mark Tauscher now co-hosts a daily sports talk show on ESPN Wisconsin Radio.
I recently talked with Tauscher to get his views on some of the current topics involving his former teams.
Dennis: Jordy Nelson and Charles Woodson have weighed in. What in the world is going on between the Packers and Aaron Rodgers?
Mark: I think when you make that move last year like Brian Gutekunst did, it gets the timetable moving. Now, with the league year starting and nothing getting done with Aaron’s contract, there's a lot of questions about the future. You're kind of seeing and hearing a lot of people close to Aaron talking about what's going on. I think there is a good chance that this is gonna be the last season for Aaron (in Green Bay). We thought that last year when the draft pick happened and without a contract, whether it was an extension or something done, that's kind of the way this thing looks like it's headed.
Dennis: Do the Packers need to spend a high draft pick on an offensive lineman?
Mark: I think there's no doubt that Green Bay needs to add another guy to that room. This is the year that the offensive line, and especially offensive tackle, the position is deep. When you lose Rick Wagner, David Bakhtiari obviously with an ACL, it is a position that I definitely think Green Bay needs to address.
Dennis: I saw you recently in Madison at the Barry Alvarez retirement announcement. I know you played for him. What did he mean for you?
Mark: I mean, an opportunity. All of the lessons that you learn. The football part of it is huge, but also you learn about leadership and you learned about competing. What Wisconsin did for me and the opportunities that it gave me to live the life that I'd probably never even dreamed about living, he means a lot. I think for me it was a really kind of a mixed emotions day. You're happy and you have all this gratitude, but there's also a little bit you're kind of sad because you know this era is now over.
