38 Special;3856336 said:
I'm not so sure. Here's a list of some of the best LT frome the last decade and when they retired:
Boselli - 31
Ogen - 34
W Jones - 36
Tarik Glen - 31
W Roaf - 35
Most of those guys were in real decline or retired by 33.
Either way I don't get the excuse that a RT is not worth the #9 pick. Think St Louis is mad that they spent a top 10 pick on Jason Smith? Having two good bookend tackles is critical in today's NFL, pressure doesn't just come from the Left anymore.
Boselli was a wreck due to injuries, which is why he was basically a " forced " retirement. Tarik Glenn and Walter Jones were basically the same thing as Boselli. Ogden could still play today if he wanted to, but he simply didn't want to anymore. He, pretty much, pulled a Barry Sanders, ie: retired when he could still play at a pretty high level.
If you look at the Hall of Fame ( which is the best of the best ), you'll see guys like Bruce Matthews, Gary Zimmerman, Forrest Gregg, Jackie Slater, Ron Yary, who played well into their late 30's, some in their 40's ( Slater ). And with today's training and medicine, this linemen ( the good ones ) tend to last longer. FLO is 35 and will probably play next year again. The late Tui played until his 37th birthday, Jumbo Elliot... etc..etc..
As for the RT theory, the Rams drafted Smith with the intention of him being their starting LT, not RT. I don't know how he's been doing, other than something didn't go as the way they planned when he's starting at RT and a rookie ( Stafford ) started at LT last year for them. I can pretty much assure you that had the Rams known that Smith wasn't going to be able to handle the LT position, they wouldn't have drafted him 2nd overall in the draft.
You are right in that in today's NFL pressure doesn't come just form the left anymore, but that's still where the best pass rushers line up for the most part. Even so, I agree with you in that regard which is why I've been advocating shoring up the middle of the O-line ( G, C, G ) even before the tackles, but unfortunately, highschools and colleges are still playing the best talent at LT and then RT, so the NFL has to roll with the punches.