Browns linebacker Scott Fujita puts pressure on Packers quarterback Matt Flynn. Credit: MCT

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Cleveland - They might be competing for the starting job at left guard, but as long as they play for Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy and line coach James Campen, rookie Derek Sherrod and veteran T.J. Lang are going to play left tackle, too.

Locked in a battle for the right to replace former starter Daryn Colledge, Sherrod and Lang flip-flopped at guard and tackle in every series they were in together during the Packers' 27-17 loss to the Cleveland Browns Saturday night.

Sherrod got the start at left guard and then gave way to Lang when the starters were in. Then the two played next to one another for about two quarters, switching off each series. Neither is getting a shot to be a backup at right tackle; that duty went exclusively to Marshall Newhouse.

"It's not really that hard," Sherrod said of switching back and forth. "I've been working hard at it in practice and I've got good guys to go against in practice. I've gotten a lot of good reps at it. They (the Browns) have some pretty decent guys, too. I just tried to stick with my fundamentals."

Guard is not a natural position for Sherrod, the Packers' first-round pick out of Mississippi State. He's learning it on the run after playing left tackle in college and getting very little preparation for the move during the off-season.

But the Packers want to see if he's one of the five best players they have on the line and are determined to find out if he can play inside. Sherrod didn't have any glaring mess-ups and seemed to handle his assignments, but he was far from flawless.

The Browns were pretty vanilla with their defense when the No. 1 offense was in the game and only hit the Packers with a blitz they weren't prepared to handle. Lang was at left tackle and Sherrod at left guard when both blocked down on a rushing end and allowed a looping inside linebacker to hit quarterback Graham Harrell from behind, causing a fumble that was returned for a touchdown.

"I don't know if it was anybody's fault," Lang said. "It was a perfect play call. We got kind of clogged up in the middle. That's something we'll have to look at."

Lang has been playing as a backup at left guard despite his experience advantage over Sherrod, but he said the practice time he's getting is allowing him to make strides at the position. He appeared to play a solid game against the Browns when at guard and said he's feeling comfortable there after playing mostly tackle his first two years.

"It's just the way it is," Lang said of not being able to focus just on guard. "As of right now, I'm not in the starting lineup and when you're not starting you have to play multiple positions and be flexible. They feel comfortable doing it that way.

"As the preseason goes on, I just have to keep getting better. There's things both of us need to get better on. It's the little things we have to keep working on."

The rotation at guard didn't seem to affect the way the offense played, especially in the early going.

The No. 1 offense misfired on the first series. Bad throws from quarterback Aaron Rodgers prevented the team from getting a first down on two occasions. On the third series, the offense went to the no-huddle and moved the ball right down the field.

Rodgers had to escape trouble once, but there were no false start penalties, no glaring mix-ups and plenty of time for Rodgers to throw on his 21-yard touchdown connection with receiver Greg Jennings.

"I think the offensive line did a really nice job with the first group," said Rodgers, who together with backup Matt Flynn completed 17 of 26 passes for 200 yards and two touchdowns with two sacks.

Guard Josh Sitton said the no-huddle was a good test of how the offense is operating and said for an early preseason game, things moved pretty smoothly. He said there was no sign things weren't going well over at the left guard spot.

"We were getting things set and leaving enough time to make calls at the line," Sitton said. "We got a lot of good work out of it."

McCarthy has not indicated when he wants to make a decision on the left guard position. He very well could take it all the way down to the wire given he has stability all around the position with four starters returning on the line.

Lang said for a first time out, there was a lot to improve on.

"I felt good," he said. "There's still a couple of things I can work on. My pads were too high a couple times and I can improve my hands, but that will come with time."