Marcus McNeill started nine games at tackle for the Chargers last season, but finished the season on injured reserve. Credit: Getty Images

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Green Bay - If the Green Bay Packers were to sign a veteran tackle to help their beleaguered offensive line, they would have their choice of several unemployed players.

Heading the emergency list at tackle are Kareem McKenzie, Marcus McNeill, Vernon Carey and Brandon Keith.

On July 30, general manager Ted Thompson indicated the Packers would be fine in the offensive line.

"We think our offensive line is in pretty good shape," said Thompson. "We signed a fairly high number of college free agents because we had the room and we wanted to take a look and we like big guys."

Since then, Derek Sherrod has yet to take the field as he recovers from a broken leg, Marshall Newhouse suffered a concussion Friday night, rookie AndrewDatko might not be able to play and rookie free agent Mike McCabe is on crutches with a hip injury.

Here's a brief look at the veteran tackles:

McKenzie, 33, started every game at right tackle for the New York Giants in 2011, including the Super Bowl. He started all but seven games since 2002. The Giants moved guard David Diehl back to tackle in the off-season and didn't re-sign McKenzie.

McNeill, 28, entered last season ranked No. 11 among tackles by Pro Football Weekly. He started the first nine games at left tackle for San Diego, where he had started all but seven games from 2006-'10. He spent the last five games on injured reserve with a neck injury before being cut March 13. He has broached the possibility of retirement.

Carey, 31, was Miami's starting right guard last season. Previously, he started at right tackle in 2005, '06, '08, '09 and '10 and at left tackle in '07. New Dolphins coach Joe Philbin elected not to re-sign him.

Keith, 27, started nine games at right tackle in 2010 and 11 last season for Arizona. He wasn't re-signed.

Meanwhile, left tackle Chad Clifton, 36, remains on the street after being cut by the Packers on April 23. Last week, Thompson said Clifton was near the end of his career due mostly to injuries, including a troublesome back.

The big tip

In the 2011 off-season, punter Tim Masthay had the opportunity to work with former NFL punter Darren Bennett for one day while he was training in San Diego.

Last season, Masthay did a superb job using Australian-style, end-over-end punts, the precision boots that were introduced to the NFL by Bennett in the mid-1990s.

"He was the first Australian punter," said Masthay. "He's the guy that brought that punt to the league. Little by little, other guys started to pick up on it."

In 2011, Masthay ranked third in percentage of punts inside the 20 (41.8%) because his Aussie punts settled near the 10 almost every time. Masthay credited that day with Bennett for helping him refine his technique.

"Actually, it was because of two things," Masthay said. "The tip that Bennett gave me and really trying hard to focus on hitting hard through the ball regardless of where I'm at on the field."

What was the tip from Bennett?

"Something on the drop was basically the issue," said Masthay. "There was an issue about how much you let the ball rotate on your drop. Now I can just alter the rotation on the drop and just hit it hard every time."

Bennett, who has coached at a San Diego high school, punted for the Chargers from 1995-2003 and for Minnesota in 2004 and one game in '05.

"This Aussie style has really impacted the punting game," Masthay said. "I bet if you look at the touchback and inside-20 ratio, the numbers have gone way up in the last 10 years. There are only a few guys left that don't use it."

Masthay hopes to hone his Aussie boot even more this season.

"Most of the time last year I was going for the 10-yard line," he said. "It happened a lot. That's well and good, but I've been working on this so at least I have a better option to be more aggressive."

Never before

A woman will be one of the officials for the Green Bay-San Diego exhibition game Thursday night. It will be the first time a woman has officiated an NFL game.

The Los Angeles Times identified the woman as Shannon Eastin, who has worked collegiate games for more than a decade.

The league has hired replacement workers during its labor dispute with officials.