Right Tackle and Free Safety

I think succumbing to the natural tendency to solve every roster spot in the first season is how you get yourself into trouble. Scot McCloughan has laid out a clear vision for the kind of player he wants on this team: eats sleeps breathes football, bigger is better though not the end all be all, has an incredible passion inside to be great, build from the trenches out, etc.

The last thing you want to do is bastardize that vision just because you have a need. I wouldn't just pick up the next best safety or RT to fill a hole. I would accept that in 2015 we're going to have a hole or two.

I would stay McCloughan's course. Continue bringing in free agents for visits. Continue to interview them and assess their inner passion and inner drive. Continue watching tape until I get a headache. And continue calling their high school coaches to get a sense of their character.

And if after doing all that I still haven't found a FS or RT who I think is a diamond in the rough, then I roll with Compton and Phillip Thomas.

The goal is not to make the playoffs this year. The goal is to win a Super Bowl sometime in the intermediate future.
This made we get a little misty eyed. How long has it been since this team has embraced a dynastic view of team building that SM is apparently carrying out........

i played right tackle in pop warner

By your own admission, you're over 30 years old. For that reason, I'd say we'd be better off drafting a RT to develop. Sorry.

Polumbus?! Please change your location from "close to the edge" to "gone over the edge".

Lol, got em, nicely played.

I'm pretty satisfied with our free agency hall, I wouldn't mind if no one else was signed. I'd rather lock up Kerrigan and Williams for the next 5 years or so then find a free safety and right tackle in draft. Ideally we trade down and get one of the right tackles that are ranked as end of 1st round types then use other picks to round out secondary.

I think succumbing to the natural tendency to solve every roster spot in the first season is how you get yourself into trouble. Scot McCloughan has laid out a clear vision for the kind of player he wants on this team: eats sleeps breathes football, bigger is better though not the end all be all, has an incredible passion inside to be great, build from the trenches out, etc.

The last thing you want to do is bastardize that vision just because you have a need. I wouldn't just pick up the next best safety or RT to fill a hole. I would accept that in 2015 we're going to have a hole or two.

I would stay McCloughan's course. Continue bringing in free agents for visits. Continue to interview them and assess their inner passion and inner drive. Continue watching tape until I get a headache. And continue calling their high school coaches to get a sense of their character.

And if after doing all that I still haven't found a FS or RT who I think is a diamond in the rough, then I roll with Compton and Phillip Thomas.

The goal is not to make the playoffs this year. The goal is to win a Super Bowl sometime in the intermediate future.

Boom. Roasted.


I'll add... getting a marginally more talented player to plug a hole for exceptionally more dollars has been our downfall for a while now. I'd rather be stuck with a crappy RT for one year than with a somewhat crappy RT for four years and a bunch of cap space. See Chester, Chris as an example.

Sure, an upgrade at Right Tackle is needed, but the 82 Hogs couldn't block for our starting QB. Bad QBs get sacked behind any line.

See Jason Campbell. Constantly under pressure, O-line blamed incessantly. Insert Todd Collins (not exactly a future hall of famer) and the pressure miraculously goes away.

The Line will play better when there's a capable QB behind them.

So which capable QB do you suggest we bring? Is there some rookie out there who will miraculously play well behind an average line? Not too many Andrew Lucks out there.

Personally I am more alarmed that we have no starting QB that we can count on.
............Bump

Schneed10 hit on the head. You're not signing guys just to sign somebody. If there is no value at that position in FA or your draft position then you need to just roll with what you have until you find a true upgrade.

John Keim made a good point as well regarding the RT position.

John Keim: They were linked to two tackles: Derek Newton and Jermey Parnell. Newton re-signed with Houston; Parnell opted for Jacksonville. And once Bryan Bulaga re-signed with Green Bay, the tackle market turned bleak. I would be surprised if they don't make a move here, but there aren't great options left. Morgan Moses is dealing with his Lisfranc injury and we won't get any updates on that for a few weeks. My own opinion is there's no way he'd be ready to start this year. And I'm not sold on Tom Compton, but if nothing else at least he has experience. But I will say: Their season does not hinge on right tackle. They won 10 games with poor right tackle play in 2013; other teams win despite bad lines. Seattle's line wasn't great and the Patriots had issues at guard. They need to upgrade but the point is, don't panic now.

Let's also not forget the impact Bill Callahan can make on our current line. Maybe some good coaching is all they need?

Let's also not forget the impact Bill Callahan can make on our current line. Maybe some good coaching is all they need?

Good point. Yeah completly agree with not making an irrational decision. I think most of the right tackles in free agency was were irrational contracts ..beluga, the cowboys backup Parnell(?) included. I think my original post stated just pointed out we needed starters still and what were the options. I think some have a hard time reading

But Callahan coming in could help tremendously.

Schneed10 hit on the head. You're not signing guys just to sign somebody. If there is no value at that position in FA or your draft position then you need to just roll with what you have until you find a true upgrade.

John Keim made a good point as well regarding the RT position.

John Keim: They were linked to two tackles: Derek Newton and Jermey Parnell. Newton re-signed with Houston; Parnell opted for Jacksonville. And once Bryan Bulaga re-signed with Green Bay, the tackle market turned bleak. I would be surprised if they don't make a move here, but there aren't great options left. Morgan Moses is dealing with his Lisfranc injury and we won't get any updates on that for a few weeks. My own opinion is there's no way he'd be ready to start this year. And I'm not sold on Tom Compton, but if nothing else at least he has experience. But I will say: Their season does not hinge on right tackle. They won 10 games with poor right tackle play in 2013; other teams win despite bad lines. Seattle's line wasn't great and the Patriots had issues at guard. They need to upgrade but the point is, don't panic now.

Well, Seattle doesn't depend on their passing play to win games and the Pats have a HoF'er QB that can play behind any line.

The Redskins season will hinge on how much they can move away from being QB dependent, focus on the run, and have this improved defense keeping the game manageable for the offense.