Anyone else find it alarming Jonathan Cooper has not seized the LG spot?

[jobberone]

He was injured when we drafted him, got injured again, and spent a lot of time at Florida injured. I'm not particularly upset by his current situation - he is who he is.

The front office maybe saw a gem in the 3rd round who could contribute and provide good value if the gamble on health worked out. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. If we want to talk about being upset, we can use 20/20 hindsight to say not to draft him two years ago.

I don't have to like the current situation. I'm not lamenting drafting him; dems the breaks.

 

[xwalker]

Green MIGHT be the 5th best linemen on this team. Problem is he can't stay healthy to prove it. The other problem is while he might be the 5th best overall limeman, he is probably the 3rd best OT and the 3rd best OG. If you could line up the five best regardless of position he probably makes it but if he has to be the guard he doesn't. He isn't a natural guard and he didn't look comfortable at guard when he did play. Cooper is a natural guard and from when I saw him, he looked fine. He isn't going to get to the next level as consistently or as far down the field as Leary did (or Green probably could) but that is on the coaches to adjust to. Cooper does a good job of sealing off and not giving ground. He does a better job than Green of using angles and switching responsibilities. He is also much better than Green in tight spaces. I really don't understand the fascination with trying to get Green to be the starting LG. I understand getting him reps there, since his best role is as a reserve linemen, mostly as a swing T but the versatility of being a guard is needed as well. Just feels like they are trying to fit a square peg into a circle in trying to make him the starter at LG.

As of today Green might be the 2nd best OT. He was better in two starts at LT last season than Collins has been this preseason. I think Collins will get better at a rapid pace as he gets more and more snaps but Green is probably ahead of him at this minute.

They moved Collins because they knew Green couldn't stay healthy.

 

[Chuck 54]

Hmmmmmm......Cooper the first round draft pick? Yes, surprised.

Cooper, the guy cut by Arizona and without a job in the NFL? Nope, not surprised at all.

 

[casmith07]

I don't have to like the current situation. I'm not lamenting drafting him; dems the breaks.

Yeah I'm not saying you have to like it. Just saying that I'm not upset because I'm not particularly surprised. Chronically injured dude in college is chronically injured in the League - go figure, lol.

 

[xwalker]

That only means something when it's a long term deal. Should have tagged him. One year. No risk.

Sometimes the team makes bad moves. You might have noticed the last 20 years.

Tagging Leary would have cost almost double his average salary in Denver.

Guards and Tackles are under the same Tag; therefore, Guards rarely get Tagged.

 

[CATCH17]

The reality that Cooper just isn't very good is finally sitting in with some of you..

 

[Yakuza Rich]

I'm not sure if 'alarmed' is the right word, but it has caught my attention. I'm trying to figure out what the team sees so much in Green at LG where I think Cooper outplayed him in preseason. I've been impressed with Green at tackle and given Tyron's back issues I would prefer to keep him there as a backup. The cost for both guys is about the same as well.





YR

 

[diefree666]

The reality that Cooper just isn't very good is finally sitting in with some of you..

the reality that you are full of crap as regards Cooper is apparent to all.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

I'm not sure if 'alarmed' is the right word, but it has caught my attention. I'm trying to figure out what the team sees so much in Green at LG where I think Cooper outplayed him in preseason. I've been impressed with Green at tackle and given Tyron's back issues I would prefer to keep him there as a backup. The cost for both guys is about the same as well.





YR

We get to see a few pre-season games and a few videos of camp.

I would wager to say that what HC, OC, Oline Coach sees from the OG battle is probably a little more extensive than what that normal fan sees.

Furthermore...I don't see how either one of them can be trusted and so far ahead of the other when one does not stay healthy but knows this system and team better vs another who has bounced around 4 teams due to health and playing issues.

I don't really see or understand how anyone can come on this forum with such certainty with what little we have seen and proclaim that one is so far ahead of the other that it is ludicrous not to name them starter already.

Maybe it is just me...I mean I would like for Cooper to have the job and Green be the back up OG/OT...but I am not the coaches.

 

[armadillooutlaw]

Cooper looked fine in preseason. I don't get why this is even a debate. Keep Green as the swing tackle and start Cooper at LG. Let's rock and roll.

 

[Stash]

We get to see a few pre-season games and a few videos of camp.

I would wager to say that what HC, OC, Oline Coach sees from the OG battle is probably a little more extensive than what that normal fan sees.

Furthermore...I don't see how either one of them can be trusted and so far ahead of the other when one does not stay healthy but knows this system and team better vs another who has bounced around 4 teams due to health and playing issues.

I don't really see or understand how anyone can come on this forum with such certainty with what little we have seen and proclaim that one is so far ahead of the other that it is ludicrous not to name them starter already.

Maybe it is just me...I mean I would like for Cooper to have the job and Green be the back up OG/OT...but I am not the coaches.

It sounds like it comes down to believing what you see on the field for yourself, or taking the coaches word for it.

Some choose to take their word for it, while others do not.

 

[Stash]

Cooper looked fine in preseason. I don't get why this is even a debate. Keep Green as the swing tackle and start Cooper at LG. Let's rock and roll.

That's what I saw.


This stinks to me like another Kellen Moore "we just know better" type of move.

Where any and all on field, visual evidence directly refutes any words that the coaches can say.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Anyone else find it alarming Cooper has not seized the LG spot despite being healthy the whole offseason?

alarming? no. concerned? yes.

outside of having need to draft one, we did what we could. there was just no money to pay Leary and Martin. there is not one team in the league who doesn't have a hole in their OL.

with that said, I think we will be OK on run game, but be average in pass protection. with that said, even last year we were average in pass protection. we are a great run blocking team.

 

[xwalker]

The reality that Cooper just isn't very good is finally sitting in with some of you..

He looked good this preseason.

 

[Plankton]

Quenton Nelson in 2018.

Nuff said.

 

[Bullflop]

I wouldn't be surprised if Green and Cooper were to end up being swapped for one another throughout the entire season. Crazy, huh?

Otherwise, either one, the other (or both) could easily get put out of action for the entire year. Then, it could really be touch and go!

 

[xwalker]

I wouldn't be surprised if Green and Cooper were to end up being swapped for one another throughout the entire season. Crazy, huh?

Otherwise, either one, the other (or both) could easily get put out of action for the entire year. Then, it could really be touch and go!

I predicted before camp that the starter would be the 1 that was healthy for game 1 because it was unlikely that both would be healthy.

 

[Bullflop]

I predicted before camp that the starter would be the 1 that was healthy for game 1 because it was unlikely that both would be healthy.

Good call . . . it does appear that your intuition was correct. Here's hoping they're able to alternate successfully for as long as possible.

 

[Bullflop]

In response to the OP's opening question, the main thing I find alarming about the Green/Cooper situation is the apparent inability of both to stay healthy and available. We'd best pray for a return of good and lasting health for both. Otherwise, we'd best find and sign someone who is highly capable and healthy to boot. Granted, it's a big order at this point, though. It might well be something to consider for the next offseason.

 

[Nirvana]

Forget which poster it was but he broke some film down and said of the two, Green was making better blocks on running plays. Cooper was slower getting to where he needed to be. May be a slight thing. It appears that could be the thing though.