O-line Depth Being Tested

[Enigmatic Evil]

I think the depth of our O-Line is surely being tested. Pachos has been kind of MIA most of the training camp hasn't he? Lauvao has shown good strides and he will most likely start this season, if not work his way upto that position.

I think we WILL need to draft a RT next off season. The position's been lingering and we've been putting bandaids on it for at least the past few off-seasons. It's time to spend some time focusing on a beast that we can take in the top few rounds, I would love to see us ink somebody with some real promise but good linemen are all over the draft. I'm not sure how many of us expected Lauvao to start until he started showing very good poise in OTA's.

To be honest, I'm more worried about the D-Line than the O-Line at the moment. We should have a better line this season than last if the aforementioned parties (Lauvao and Pachos) can remain healthy as well as Womack who has proven his value to our team time and again.

[Riffer X]

I was in favor of drafting one of the big time tackles this year instead of Haden. I like Haden but I still think we should have.

[Rich4eagle]

Remember in winning OL guys are a dime a dozen

[D'Qwimbley]

Originally Posted by Tobalaz

I think we need a late 1st to early 2nd round tackle next draft to solidify the right, then over the next few years a couple of 4-6 round guys to groom as backups at center, tackle and guard, maybe even a second late 1st to early 2nd to groom as a backup to both tackle spots.

Gabe, 'Spec, thanks for the board.
Gabe, thanks A LOT for all the time you put in to coding and keeping the place up and running.
Thanks a lot more if you do anything in Java, christ that was the single worst programing language I studied which I hated beyond anything one could possibly hate, including in-laws and the Steelers. God was I ever happy to get a B in that class then burn my textbook.
But anyways....
Just because a friend buys an exotic sports car and lets you drive it, even if you talked about buying one, it didn't mean you helped him get it.
Same here.
We ALL pissed and moaned about Lumnuts and talked about a new board, just because we talked about it doesn't mean we did a damn thing about it.
SO AGAIN....
Thanks Gabe and Spec for making this place happen.

Most things are run on Java nowadays, though. I only needed one programming course and took MATLAB, which wasn't hard, but was completely worthless and soooooooo boring, and not even that powerful.

[Shep]

My feelings about OL have evolved by miles. It actually depends a TON on what you ask of your left tackle. Teams like the Giants and Packers and others get by with okey-dokey left tackles because they tend to not leave them on an island.

BUT... if you can get one of those really special guys, like a Joe Thomas, it opens up scheme possibilities that Tom Flugels is WAY more equipped to explain. You can do more with your guards, for instance, which then opens up the opportunity to have really athletic guards who can do those things you ask of them.

Denver and Green Bay are line systems that work and have worked for a very long time with very few "star" players. New Orleans is becoming that team because their offense is leaking down from the Giants and Parcells and whomever designed that whole thing (I think it's Y who knows that lineage so well).

But the perception has changed on other positions on the line, especially center and right tackle, and I'm really interested in watching it. Teams are drafting guys they KNOW will never be great left tackles, or signing them (Kareem McKenzie) who can both power block and protect on the right side.

Womack showed some of that late last year. I know he's a veteran, but he isn't 38... he's 30. He's the kind of guy who can move a little and also bring the power. If you put a similar power/athlete guy like Lauvao next to him, you're building something that allows your skill players the opportunity to show why they've gone from high school to college to pro as "special."

No, they don't "make" the quarterback or running back.... but they sure as hell allow for it. My respect and understanding of the dynamics of an offensive line and the different ways teams construct them is growing.

[BernietheKid]

I merged threads for board streamlining.

[Greythan]

Pashos, Lauvao close: Right tackle Tony Pashos, who's missed the first two exhibition games with a right shoulder injury, said he expects to practice Tuesday. Mangini also said he expects him to play Saturday in Detroit. John St. Clair started at right tackle vs. the Rams.

As for rookie right guard Shawn Lauvao, who went back home to Hawaii for an undisclosed personal reason, Mangini said he could be back Monday morning.

"But again, this is sort of a unique situation," said Mangini. "That's the tentative plan right now."

This is a good sign. As previously discussed on this board, the depth on the right side looked questionable at best.

[Shep]

With Pashos and Womack's health becoming an issue, St. Clair might make the team. But they seem to like Scott Kooistra. Sobo says for a guy who's started like one game in eight years, he's played pretty damn well.

What's the deal with Womack? He had like a super-secret knee scope?

I think we could use a nice waiver-wire pickup on the right side.

EDIT: Speaking of, the Bengals just cut Andrew Mitchell, 25, 6'5" and 311 (sounds like an outside blocker). He's been with them a couple years, right? Wonder if he's worth bringing in for depth at RT.

[Riffer X]

We need to look for some veteran help on the right side before this gets out of hand. No way do I want this promising season ended cuz we got street players playing the right side, we may as well bring Timmy Todd back to QB.

[Sez.EJ]

Riffer: exactly what I've been saying. we need to scour the waiver wire after cutdowns for some veteran help that can actually be depended on. I can see hanging on to possibly ONE of our young guys to develop or get them on the practice squad..but we need someone who can actually block someone... our backups are HORRIBLE

[Shep]

Nobody knows nothing on Andrew Mitchell?

[Alo]

Mitchell was waived/injured with a knee injury.