Looking Ahead: OL

[theJBexperience]

Originally Posted by Dirtbag359

Draft Route: Draft Rodney Hudson in the second and if the draft board permits get one or two guys that fit your system between rounds 4-6

Agreed on Hudson. He is great in space. I think he's worth our 2nd rounder as long as we draft Mallet in the first.

[Dirtbag59]

Originally Posted by 30gut

Going w/ your line-up wouldn't it make more sense to draft a RT if you have us signing Kalil and Joseph?

Lets say you could only upgrade 2 positions via draft and FA how would you do it?
e.g.-LT-Trent Williams-LG-Corey Lichtensteiger-Center-Will Montgomery-RD-Davin Joseph-RT Ryan Harris/ 2nd round OT

The only things I'm looking for in terms of tackles this offseason is either a savy veteran that wouldn't mind being a backup or I would hope to luck out on a guy in the middle rounds.

Everything I've heard about Brown as he's gotten healthy has been extremely positive so I would like to see the team focus on signing him to something a 6 year contract that we can get out of in year 4 when Brown turns 34. A healthy Brown with a young Trent Williams can easily be the top tackle tandem in the league since that would basically give you two pro bowl caliber players. Asking for anything else would be greedy.

Of course Ryan Harris would certainly be a great option if they weren't able to resign Brown.

Still the focus this offseason after you deal with Brown has to be on the interior. Hands down. In the future we would be better served investing more resources for depth but we're spread pretty thin right now with upcoming holes at QB, interior line, D-Line, and Free Safety.

[30gut]

Originally Posted by Dirtbag359

The only things I'm looking for in terms of tackles this offseason is either a savy veteran that wouldn't mind being a backup or I would hope to luck out on a guy in the middle rounds.

How about a young savvy veteran that can come in and play at a high level for 3-5 years without having to worry about health?

-BTW hope isn't a strategy (you walked into that one)

Everything I've heard about Brown as he's gotten healthy has been extremely positive so I would like to see the team focus on signing him to something a 6 year contract that we can get out of in year 4 when Brown turns 34. A healthy Brown with a young Trent Williams can easily be the top tackle tandem in the league since that would basically give you two pro bowl caliber players. Asking for anything else would be greedy.

I wouldn't call the Brown signing a success.
He came in w/ injury concerns that were valid b/c he was injured.
He played in 13 games and either didn't finish or split timw w/ Stephon Heyer (yes Stephon Heyer) in about half or more of those starts.

Having a top tackle tandem and gambling on the health of 30 y/o player coming off 2i njury plagued season doen't mesh imo.
Imo if you want 2 pro-bowl caliber OTs then Jamaal Brown shouldn't be relied on as the other bookend.

Still the focus this offseason after you deal with Brown has to be on the interior. Hands down. In the future we would be better served investing more resources for depth but we're spread pretty thin right now with upcoming holes at QB, interior line, D-Line, and Free Safety.

The focus has to be on upgrading the entire OL.
When did FS become a need?

[Dirtbag59]

Originally Posted by 30gut

How about a young savvy veteran that can come in and play at a high level for 3-5 years without having to worry about health?

-BTW hope isn't a strategy (you walked into that one)

Isn't the whole draft based on the concept of hope? We're simply not in position to invest a high draft pick in another tackle this early in the process. On top of that the only comparable outside option at Tackle is Ryan Harris who would come on board with injury concerns of his own. Plus theres a good chance Harris stays in Denver when they bring on Kubiack to coach the team.

So in the end we're stuck between trying to take a shot on a late round gem or downgrading through free agency.

I wouldn't call the Brown signing a success.
He came in w/ injury concerns that were valid b/c he was injured.
He played in 13 games and either didn't finish or split timw w/ Stephon Heyer (yes Stephon Heyer) in about half or more of those starts.

Having a top tackle tandem and gambling on the health of 30 y/o player coming off 2i njury plagued season doen't mesh imo.
Imo if you want 2 pro-bowl caliber OTs then Jamaal Brown shouldn't be relied on as the other bookend.

I never called the Brown signing a success. It's actually been a disaster for most of the year. However you can see the difference in play as the season has gone on. I mean this is an injury that has somehow gotten healthier during the season. I can only imagine how much better it will get during the offseason.

The focus has to be on upgrading the entire OL.
When did FS become a need?

Since the revolving door was put in place this year. Doughty and Horton are good SS options but both as predicted have struggled at FS as has Moore.

[sdskinsfan2001]

No expensive free agent signings, we always try that and it never works! Keep building through the draft and signing young cheap free agents for the o-line. Skins need to go younger everywhere, tired of being the oldest team in the league. Biggest needs in the draft 1. interior o-lineman 2. OLB opposite Orakpo 3. CB/FS depending on where Barnes starts next year (he should start). Wish we would have kept Justin Tryon too, and i really hope Malcom Kelly can get over the injury bug, would be a big boost to our receiving core, i think he can still be a player and he has some nice size.

[Dirtbag59]

Originally Posted by sdskinsfan2001

No expensive free agent signings, we always try that and it never works! Keep building through the draft and signing young cheap free agents for the o-line. Skins need to go younger everywhere, tired of being the oldest team in the league. Biggest needs in the draft 1. interior o-lineman 2. OLB opposite Orakpo 3. CB/FS depending on where Barnes starts next year (he should start). Wish we would have kept Justin Tryon too, and i really hope Malcom Kelly can get over the injury bug, would be a big boost to our receiving core, i think he can still be a player and he has some nice size.

You're post kind of reminds me of this blurb from the Toronto Sun about the Sutter firing in Calgary.

While some saw the Dion Phaneuf swap last January as the first sign of Sutter’s panic/self-preservation mode, it was all part of the club’s impossible goal of contending for a championship every year.