Interior OL has to avoid the injury bug!

[Stash]

You know that defensive coordinators have been working all summer on ways to slow down CeeDee and Pickens. They’ll find some ways to defend both better than they did last year, I have no doubt.

However, if they do that they’re going to have to cannibalize other parts of their defense. They’ll still only have 11. Flournoy or Ferguson should have plenty of opportunities to make some plays.

However, what I’m most excited about is that they’ll have to take some manpower out of run support to try to stop the dynamic duo at receiver. Klayton Adams’ run game typically improves significantly from year 1 to year 2, and if the OL continues to improve, it should lead to a very good run game this season. Especially if Blue can be what we hope as the 2nd back.

They should eat up some yards (and clock) this season. If they start doing that, the pressure the defense puts on Lamb and Pickens should ease up because the defense will have to stop the run game.

If it goes like that… the offense will have a huge season and the defense will just have to hold up their end of the bargain.

I want them to be good enough to where even Schotty has faith in the running game in the red zone.

 

[America's Cowboy]

I don't understand why Jerry and Stephen refused to pay a measly $2 million per year to keep Brock Hoffman who could play both Center and Guard very well. Instead, these losers got super greedy, allowed Hoffman to walk, and instead paid $1.4 million for absolutely nothing since he seriously injured his neck during OTAs (WTH???) which required season ending neck surgery which makes him questionable going forward the following years.

Talk about arguably one of the dumbest decisions they have ever made concerning the O-line in the past 30 years.

 

[J_Allen]

They have not fielded a healthy OL in what seems to be 15 years.
The past 2 years, the projected starting OL have never been on the field at the same time, or if so, rarely. And never for a full game.

I keep saying they need new trainers.

We had a monster offensive line and all of that changed when Leary left for Denver and they thought it was a good idea to take a 260 lb offensive guard in the second round (Connor Williams) and put him in. Guess what, he held nine plays out of 10 and got all of our big runs called back. Frederick leaving also hurt us. We have not been the same since.

 

[big dog cowboy]

I do think that Klayton Adams was a big reason that the OL just kept rolling along anyway. They guy is a fantastic coach and is great with OL.

 

[big dog cowboy]

They need to be because the tackles are absolutely terrible.

No

 

[thunderpimp91]

No

Guyton and Steele were ranked 59th and 64th in pass blocking efficiency last year among Tackles with enough snaps to qualify.

I haven’t done a deep dive to see so there could be a Legit answer to this, but can you name a single starting tackle duo that was worse last year against the pass rush?

 

[shabazz]

The key is how the medical staff deals with Fredbeards GBS and keeping him on the field.

 

[LouBrown]

One of the reasons I'm less concerned about the OL than others is that we saw what they did in the Green Bay game. I don't specifically remember if Guyton got hurt or they were rotating, but Thomas played 25% of snaps in that game too. They scored 40 points...

The OL doesn't have to be much better than average. If the defense can be at least competent, the OL (and offense as a whole) won't always be at a disadvantage.

 

[LouBrown]

Guyton and Steele were ranked 59th and 64th in pass blocking efficiency last year among Tackles with enough snaps to qualify.

I haven’t done a deep dive to see so there could be a Legit answer to this, but can you name a single starting tackle duo that was worse last year against the pass rush?

Sheesh, worse than I thought.

I think it's tricky to use a qualifying number of snaps though, because there were probably teams rotating more guys through (though idk if Thomas was any better).

 

[Cowboyny]

That’s what I’m counting on. If that interior trio can move people on a consistent basis, I feel this offense can truly become elite, and possibly historic.

Potential could be great!

 

[Cowboyny]

It’s a big ask. Just 19 players in the league played 100% of their teams OL snaps in 2025. 84 played at least 80% of their teams snaps.

The data indicates that on average a team should expect half their OL to miss multiple games each year.

Part of that is performance based benching im sure, but it’s a high rate of injury position. I’d guess second to only RB.

We usually here late in the season the successful teams haven't had many injuries to their OL.

 

[Cowboyny]

You know that defensive coordinators have been working all summer on ways to slow down CeeDee and Pickens. They’ll find some ways to defend both better than they did last year, I have no doubt.

However, if they do that they’re going to have to cannibalize other parts of their defense. They’ll still only have 11. Flournoy or Ferguson should have plenty of opportunities to make some plays.

However, what I’m most excited about is that they’ll have to take some manpower out of run support to try to stop the dynamic duo at receiver. Klayton Adams’ run game typically improves significantly from year 1 to year 2, and if the OL continues to improve, it should lead to a very good run game this season. Especially if Blue can be what we hope as the 2nd back.

They should eat up some yards (and clock) this season. If they start doing that, the pressure the defense puts on Lamb and Pickens should ease up because the defense will have to stop the run game.

If it goes like that… the offense will have a huge season and the defense will just have to hold up their end of the bargain.

I fully expect teams to continue to play that shell coverage against us, which gives our run game opportunities to feast on light boxes. Also, all those underneath passes to our secondary options should be wide open as you mentioned.