I'm convinced, it needs to happen

[pavalley]

The more I look at things, the clearer it gets. The more film I watch, the more draft reports I read, and the more bad short yardage and goal line stats make clear, change needs to happen on the offensive line.

La'el Collins needs to go back to left guard. The 6'4" 320 lb lineman needs to go back to mauling people in a phone booth. To driving opponents off the ball in front of him. To move away from being unsure of himself, and who to block, and back to lining up and doing what he does best. You want to improve in short yardage situations? Line Collins up inside and let him do what he does best, drive people off the ball. Have two strengths at guard, on both sides, rather than having to pull your left guard to try to get any sort of movement. Stop playing with one arm tied behind your back.

At nearly $10 million in cap hit, Collins isn't worth the money at right tackle. He just might be at guard.

Connor Williams needs to go back to playing tackle. Right tackle, left tackle, swing tackle, any tackle. At 6'5" and 300 lbs, he's simply miscast inside. It may have made sense on paper, but it doesn't and never did on the field. Move him away from being bullrushed and run over and allow him to use his best attributes, feet and agility, to move on the perimeter and mirror pass rushers. Get better in pass protection by having a tackle play tackle.

As a second round draft pick, Williams is a liability, not an asset at guard. He lost the job to Xavier Su'a Filo for much of the season, and only got it back after the street free agent was hurt.

As it stands today, the team has two guys playing out of position, and it's hurting both of them and the team. Two guys trying to be something they're not. And it needs to end.

awesome post ! great effort ! love the plan

 

[Sydla]

Personally I want Collins to be the swing tackle, move Williams to right tackle, put Looney at left guard assuming Fred is back, and maybe draft a guard..

I might not even draft an OG because I think Sua can be a competent backup OG.

 

[Stash]

awesome post ! great effort ! love the plan

Thanks! Now let's just hope that someone who can make a difference does as well!

 

[Zimmy Lives]

Getting our All Pro Center back might help.....

This.

I'd like to see what the second-year Williams can do alongside a cerebral, All-Pro center.

 

[Point-of-the-Star]

The more I look at things, the clearer it gets. The more film I watch, the more draft reports I read, and the more bad short yardage and goal line stats make clear, change needs to happen on the offensive line.

La'el Collins needs to go back to left guard. The 6'4" 320 lb lineman needs to go back to mauling people in a phone booth. To driving opponents off the ball in front of him. To move away from being unsure of himself, and who to block, and back to lining up and doing what he does best. You want to improve in short yardage situations? Line Collins up inside and let him do what he does best, drive people off the ball. Have two strengths at guard, on both sides, rather than having to pull your left guard to try to get any sort of movement. Stop playing with one arm tied behind your back.

At nearly $10 million in cap hit, Collins isn't worth the money at right tackle. He just might be at guard.

Connor Williams needs to go back to playing tackle. Right tackle, left tackle, swing tackle, any tackle. At 6'5" and 300 lbs, he's simply miscast inside. It may have made sense on paper, but it doesn't and never did on the field. Move him away from being bullrushed and run over and allow him to use his best attributes, feet and agility, to move on the perimeter and mirror pass rushers. Get better in pass protection by having a tackle play tackle.

As a second round draft pick, Williams is a liability, not an asset at guard. He lost the job to Xavier Su'a Filo for much of the season, and only got it back after the street free agent was hurt.

As it stands today, the team has two guys playing out of position, and it's hurting both of them and the team. Two guys trying to be something they're not. And it needs to end.

Absolutely spot-on post.

I've been saying this since Collins was slated to start at RT. Plenty of people on this board argued how he was improved in the latter part of the 2017 season, which he was ... he's a good football player and improves wherever coaching puts him. That's still no excuse to play him where he's passably competent and not play him where he could be a mauler. Here's something else to consider if playing Collins at LG ... T Smith will probably stay healthier because he won't be over-extending trying to cover for the guy on his right who's being overpowered or is out of position.

And then there's Williams ... projected in the draft as a tackle, built like a tackle, moves like a tackle, put at LG by our coaching staff. Ray Charles and/or Stevie Wonder could see the folly of this move. ******, optimize our personnel!

 

[erod]

Frederick back at center, Looney to left guard, Williams to right tackle, bye-bye Collins.

You can't pay everybody on the offensive line.

 

[Denim Chicken]

Then what do you do with Collins? Move him to LG? Throwing in the towel on a 2nd round pick in Year 2?

Yes, move Collins to LG. No secret I haven't been high on Williams, so I would try to deal him or keep for cheap depth.

 

[kskboys]

Are we cornfusing Collins with Leary?

I’m trying to remember how good Collins was at guard.

Very bad.

 

[erod]

Very bad.

He was better there than at right tackle, but you're right, he was a HUGE step down from Leary.

 

[Scotman]

Chaz Green

You had to go there....

 

[kskboys]

He was better there than at right tackle, but you're right, he was a HUGE step down from Leary.

Not sure he was even better. It's like he'd make an absolutely great play, and then look like a HS player on the next 10 plays.

 

[erod]

Not sure he was even better. It's like he'd make an absolutely great play, and then look like a HS player on the next 10 plays.

I think Joe Looney is the best left guard on the roster.

 

[Irvin88_4life]

Undoubtedly.

But he's not playing left guard or right tackle.

But he does make the calls on the OL. You will see a much better line next season with Frederick back in the lineup and Williams having a year under his belt. Williams played better at the end of the season and I didn't see Sua-Filo has any better than Williams. The change with Columbo was the difference, not switching out LG

 

[Crown Royal]

What if a Williams is a significant downgrade at RT? It's very possible with him having his first NFL experience at Guard and trying to switch.

I think we need a vet RT.

This would also be my chief concern, but with COllins to LG, you have 4 good to great lineman and 1 shaky starter, as opposed to 3 great lineman and 2 shakey starters.

The ONE thing I would say is to not over estimate how good Collins is at LG. He's definitely better there than at RT, but he was regularly outperformed by Ronald Leary. He was a decent LG, not a dominant one.

 

[Denim Chicken]

This would also be my chief concern, but with COllins to LG, you have 4 good to great lineman and 1 shaky starter, as opposed to 3 great lineman and 2 shakey starters.

The ONE thing I would say is to not over estimate how good Collins is at LG. He's definitely better there than at RT, but he was regularly outperformed by Ronald Leary. He was a decent LG, not a dominant one.

True, but a shaky starter at RT is dangerous in the passing game and with QB fumbles.

 

[BotchedLobotomy]

JJ decides where Collins plays. I might be joking, or maybe not.

 

[Crown Royal]

True, but a shaky starter at RT is dangerous in the passing game and with QB fumbles.

Yeah, at that point it's a matter of how much worse would Williams be than Collins, and can the QB adjust for it? I think if Collins isn't the guy you find someone in FA or the draft. Collins is a total JAG at RT, but give me a wall from LT to RG, and predictable at RT and we are cooking with fire.

 

[Denim Chicken]

Yeah, at that point it's a matter of how much worse would Williams be than Collins, and can the QB adjust for it? I think if Collins isn't the guy you find someone in FA or the draft. Collins is a total JAG at RT, but give me a wall from LT to RG, and predictable at RT and we are cooking with fire.

Well, that's pretty much what you had in 2016.

 

[Crown Royal]

Well, that's pretty much what you had in 2016.

the good old days

Although that 2016 had mostly Leary starting at LG.

 

[Stash]

But he does make the calls on the OL. You will see a much better line next season with Frederick back in the lineup and Williams having a year under his belt. Williams played better at the end of the season and I didn't see Sua-Filo has any better than Williams. The change with Columbo was the difference, not switching out LG

Su'a Filo brought more power in the run game. The team wasn't forced into being right handed and pulling him to get any movement.

The fact that Williams lost the job for several weeks shows that there were obvious issues. And he got it back only after Su'a Filo was injured.