Do NOT draft a right tackle

[Cowboys&Caps]

hmmm. if Johnson is too small at center then what is Shafer?

I didn't know that they made tackles that small.

get out of here, he is 290! that is fine are you 290? no, he can handle himself. look at what being 340 did for pettiti, not much, i would rather be able to pass protect than eat 900 hamburgers

 

[neosapien23]

I don't know if Shaffer can run block or not, but Atlanta was number 1 in rushing offense. No way Vick did all of that... Plus he's only 25, a ton of kids coming out will be around 23is, so he's young..

Shaffer is not strong enough to play in Dallas's Oline scheme. Remember Atlanta uses a zone blocking scheme. Matt Lehr started for Atlanta, no way could he have started for Dallas this year. Shaffer is a good zone player, I don't think he will do well in a man to man blocking scheme.

 

[DLCassidy]

Fact is you can poke holes in every single one of the FA OL candidates and other than Brick every single one of the draft prospects at OT.

It's human nature to look for flaws. I'd be curious why Atlanta is apparently willing to let him go at age 26.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

In the first 2 or 3 rounds.

The reason is, we have 2 pro-bowl caliber right tackles in Free Agency we can go
after in Free Agency. When it comes to RT, I would rather have a guy that can pass
block before run block (although Shaffer helped lead his team towards being the number
1 rushing offense as well) but let's talk about pass-blocking.

We whined and complained all year about Petitti and Tucker, and for years now, we've had
nothing solid over there at RT. If you address this matter in the draft, you are gambling on your season. And Parcells has no time for projects.

Having said all of that, I would spend whatever's neccessary to get UFA Kevin Shaffer from the Atlanta Falcons, and here's why.

He started 16 games this year and only
gave up 3 sacks, compared to Petitti who gave up nearly 14 sacks.
So this means, you will not have to help the guy at all. His team gave up 39 sacks this year, but he only gave up 3 on his own (BTW, he played left tackle, which translates to right tackle for a right handed QB)

His counterpart gave up nearly 6 sacks. I know Vick can scramble and all, but he was still sacked 39 times.The guy flat out had better stats than nearly all of the pro-bowl
tackles this year, and had way better stats than both starting Right Tackles in the Super Bowl this year.


Below are his stats with comparison to a few other (he is a Super Bowl caliber RT, if you consider both starting RT in the SB this year had worse stats.
Jeff Backus would be my second choice, and his stats are great too. He only gave up 3 sacks as well,and his career stats indicate that he will never allow more than 7 or 8 sacks in a year, but usually keeps
it around 3 to 5 a year. I would spend a ton to get Shaffer or Backus, you can't go cheap, and they have proven that they can hold down the fort, unlike any draft choice we could pick (including Ferguson)

So take a look at how these 2 free agent tackles stack up with some of the best from 2005.
(I have to give abersonc credit for the introduction to these stats.)

My Free Agent Tackle

Kevin Shaffer - 6'5 290 (26 years old)
2005 - Started 16 games - gave up 3 sacks - 7 penalties for 35 yards.

(i'm not trying to write in bold, I just can't change some of it for some strange reason, so hang in there with me)


Jeff Backus - 6'5 305 (29 years old)
2005 - Started 16 games - gave up 3 sacks - Had 6 penalties for 35 yards
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Probowl Tackles

Jonathan Ogden - 6'9 345
2005 - Started 16 games - gave up 9.25 sacks - Had 7 penalties for 35 yards

Willie Anderson - 6'5 340
2005 - Started 16 games - gave up 3.5 sacks - Had 2 penalties for 15 yards

Walter Jones - 6'5 308
2005 - Started 15 games - gave up 2.5 sacks - Had 3 penalties for 20 yards

Orlando Pace - 6'7 325
2005 - Started 16 games - gave up 6 sacks - Had 8 penalties for 40 yards
------------------------------------------------------------------------
only Walter Jones statistically put up better numbers, but he missed 1 game.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Super Bowl Starting Right Tackles

Steelers
Max Starks - 6'8 337
2005 - Started 16 games - gave up 8.5 sacks - Had 4 penalties for 20 yards


Seahawks
Sean Locklear - 6'3 301
2005 - Started 16 games - gave up 5.5 sacks - Had 4 penalties for 30 yards
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shaffer's stats were much better than the 2 of them.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cowboy Tackles 2005

Torrin Tucker - 6'6 315
2005 - Started 10 games -gave up 12.5 sacks - Had 5 penalties for 30 yards

Rob Petitti - 6'5 347
2005 - Started 16 games - gave up 13.5 sacks - Had 8 penalties for 46 yards
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shaffer has never given up double digit sacks.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
So why waste a draft pick on day 1 on a tackle, when you have a really really good young right tackle you can get in Free Agency, that will not have a learning curve like the rookies will, who can step right in and will rarely need help if ever?

We can also pick up a good kicker and then focus on other positions in the draft.
Imagine not having to help either side of the line. You could use all
of your receiving options from 3 wr, to TE, FB,RB all in coverage at some point. I know there will be sometimes when a tackle will get overwhelmed, but for the most part, you can leave him on an island to do his thing.

Shaffer's team put up great rushing numbers, and I'm not sure if he had alot to do with it, but he was a part of it.
And Bledsoe could sit back there eating cheetos and drinking bottled water , and carefully pick out the opened receiver, and our offense if we add some Sinorice Moss type speed, another center, and some other parts in the draft, our offense would completely annihilate defenses.

sorry, I just had to copy and paste this entire post, bravo

 

[Bob Sacamano]

I'm willing to give Al Johnson more time.

so is Parcells

 

[ghst187]

while I agree with the premise of NOT drafting a T to start, there aren't many choices out there in FA. This guy from Atlanta doesn't fit in our scheme IMO. Al Johnson is 290 and he's getting his butt kicked. We're a power running team, not a finesse like Atlanta and Denver. As long as BP is here, we'll continue to be a power running team and seek LARGE, POWERFUL OL. We just need to find some that are better pass blockers.

 

[speedkilz88]

Shaffer is not strong enough to play in Dallas's Oline scheme. Remember Atlanta uses a zone blocking scheme. Matt Lehr started for Atlanta, no way could he have started for Dallas this year. Shaffer is a good zone player, I don't think he will do well in a man to man blocking scheme.

Do you realize that Parcells prefers the zone blocking scheme also? The Cowboys have been running a little of both(man-zone) because LA doesn't move well enough for the full zone scheme.

 

[AbeBeta]

Do you realize that Parcells prefers the zone blocking scheme also? The Cowboys have been running a little of both(man-zone) because LA doesn't move well enough for the full zone scheme.

totally different schemes. ATL and DEN run a very particular version of the zone block scheme.

 

[speedkilz88]

totally different schemes. ATL and DEN run a very particular version of the zone block scheme.

Parcells still prefers the zone blocking scheme to man. He was handcuffed with the type of linemen he inherited. The biggest difference to what Parcells would run compared to those schemes is the way Denver/Atlanta like to cut block. (All schemes will vary from team to team, no WCO is exact, but a lot of teams run it.

 

[Z-Man]

Comment:
His wingspan is gigantic and he is very difficult to get around in pass protection.

I hope he develops, but it really didn't seem too difficult for DE's to get around him in pass protection last year.