It Starts with the OLine

[Tobalaz]

Originally Posted by Sez.EJ

We need to bring in a stong free agent RT ..27 years old or younger <without an injury history> and end the constant rotation at that position..spend some money and lock it down. Then spend a late pick on a developmental guy to back it up. If we do that..our OL is above average and set for years to come.

Felt the need to add that for you.
We keep bringing in guys that hit their paydays then sit on the sidelines all season like this is some kind of god damn country club.
I really feel that tackles are becoming a known premium and the only way to get one is through the draft.
We'd probably have to spend a 2nd on one who could start on the right now, and for the love of god can we please cut St.Eclair?! That guy gets burned more than the hotdogs at a cookoff for the blind, deaf and dumb.

[Enigmatic Evil]

I agree with Sez, we need a younger guy, thats IF we go the FA route at all. I think we need to draft the solution to RT or one of the G positions if there's a player avaliable. Who knows what the free agent pool is going to look like with all the CBA uncertainties. I think we need some new blood, hopefully fresh blood, to keep the depth spry on the O-Line. We got pretty beat up near the end of last season and there were games that the line seemed to crumble.

[Riffer X]

Originally Posted by YtownBacker

You got to realize what a big learing curve there is coming to the NFL. For a guy like Lauvalo a lost year really isn't that. It could very well be a learning year. Besides, he was hurt most of the year. Which brings me to Pashos and Womack. Neither can stay healthy, that really bothers me since we really don't have a backup for Thomas. God forbid he goes down. There isn't a backup in sight. The reason we got Pashos was that others backed off because of his injury history and the fact that he wasn't 100% when we signed. I don't think he got close to 100% all year. But, it was a good risk. Hopefully he can get healthy and stay healthy.

I do think St Clair will be released before his roster bonus kicks in (same as Rogers) so we do have to look for some depth at RT. A solid developmental guy in the mid rounds would most likely work. I think the draft will answer the injury concerns about Pashos and Womack.

If they are worried too much about their health or they are more banged up then we know there could be a offensive tackle drafted a bit higher. If the team doesn't go after one in FA or before the 4th round, then i think you can assume that they feel that Pashos and Womack both could regain their health.

That said, I agree that OL isn't as big a concern then DL and WR.

Appreciate the advice on line play and rookies, but you basically just reitterated what I said and somehow spun it like you're teaching me football 101.

Bottom line, we still don't know if Lauvao can play and St. Clair must go. Pashos is better than average when healthy, Yates would be nice to sign on the cheap, and Poke Chop isn't quite as good as some here are making him sound. He should be a good backup and rotation guy, not a starter full time at RG or RT. Pashos has been hurt basically his whole career, so putting the eggs in that basket is retarded.

A whole other issue is Steiny, I am not sure what he makes next year but he is no guarantee as of now to be back here, especially with a new staff coming in.

[Solon16]

The number 1 priority of the Cleveland Browns should be extending Joe thomas

[YtownBacker]

Originally Posted by Riffer X

Appreciate the advice on line play and rookies, but you basically just reitterated what I said and somehow spun it like you're teaching me football 101.

Bottom line, we still don't know if Lauvao can play and St. Clair must go. Pashos is better than average when healthy, Yates would be nice to sign on the cheap, and Poke Chop isn't quite as good as some here are making him sound. He should be a good backup and rotation guy, not a starter full time at RG or RT. Pashos has been hurt basically his whole career, so putting the eggs in that basket is retarded.

A whole other issue is Steiny, I am not sure what he makes next year but he is no guarantee as of now to be back here, especially with a new staff coming in.

Didn't mean to make it seem like a teaching lesson or be critical of your opinion. I was just attempting to state my opinion and why i feel that way.

[Brown Warrior]

But you can't replace Lauvao until he's actually played for a while. This is the year you'd fully expect him to be the starting RG. The coaches were very impressed with him prior to the injury, thought they stole one (although 3rd round isn't a huge steal for a guard).

I respectfully disagree on Womack. I think he's given us very good RT play whenever asked. Between him and Pashos, I think we'll have a good starting RT. I'd expect us to bring in a guy to develop behind them.

[Tobalaz]

Originally Posted by Brown Warrior

I respectfully disagree on Womack. I think he's given us very good RT play whenever asked. Between him and Pashos, I think we'll have a good starting RT. I'd expect us to bring in a guy to develop behind them.

If we had a good starting tackle between the both of those, we wouldn't be screaming at seeing St.Eclair chugging on to the field.
I'll agree Pashos an Womack have given great runblocking and average passblocking while playing, again, the problem is keeping one or the other on the field.

[Enigmatic Evil]

Yeah the injury troubles killed our line in 2010. When St. Clair was out there, you know our backs are against the wall injury wise. He's just not someone I want providing depth on the o-line as there isn't a very large list of what he does well.

Lauvao? I don't think the books closed on him. He was hurt yes, but when he was healthy he held his own. Between Womack and Pachos, those two guys SHOULD be able to man the right side but neither of them kept healthy. That's why having a Lauvao type option at RT would be nice, someone we take in the draft with the intent of grooming him into being our eventual starter at RT. Thats what we need IMO. Lauvao at guard is good because he should be able to man either guard position which greatly curbs our needs on the o-line if he can keep healthy.