Jerry on the Offense Line

[btcutter]

I don't nee Probowlers on the entire OL. I do like solid starters. We may have improved our OL but it's far from above average. Does it have potential...yes. So does our 6th and 7th rounders. In fact, every team is a SB contender in April (maybe except the Commanders since they have 1-2 picks). We need quality depth and eventual starters on the OL. You can't argue with that. We don't anything behind the starters. If the OL goes south, the season is over. It's really that simple.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Michael, this has always been my concern with the "WE MUST DRAFT OL!!!" mentality.

If there's a good value, I damn sure wanted him. But in saying that, I never even expected such potential picks to come in and start. More than likely, had we taken a second-round talent that had some warts and needed grooming, he'd have sat the bench this year and would hopefully develop for the future.

Now, such players are good -- and necessary -- to have. But I certainly do not agree with the large segment of fans who think such a player would have come in and improved the team this season, unless one of our actual starters got hurt.

Well said Dale.

Quite frankly other than Ferguson I have serious doubts that any rookie tackle could come in and outperform a 2nd year Rob Petitti. Some may laugh at that but I honestly believe it. I read the list of OT's after Ferguson and there weren't any that didn't have issues. Many lacked strength just like Petitti did last year and that's why I think Rob would have the edge.

And now that Fabinin is in the mix I would almost guarantee that no rookie tackle would come in and start other than maybe Ferguson.

That being the case we picked up starter in round 1 (for Fujita) and a starter in round 2 (for Polite). Picking an OL in round 1 or 2 would not have generated a starter for '06.

 

[DawnOfANewD]

thank you - i've been banging that drum for awhile now and saying "hope" does NOT constitute improvement.

flo was never our anchor and now he gets hurt, the line falls apart? fabini can't even be a lock to replace petitti?

no other position on this team has more ?'s then the OL and to get a super - hela - mega sleeper and a 3 year project was just ignorant.

The starting five is aging with some of the older guys coming off injuries, plus the unit has almost zero athleticism. You could argue KC had an old OL and it was still awesome, but we don't have anyone close to a Will Shields or Tait. Our backups are coming off injuries or are works-in-progress/inexperienced. We have basically half of IND's O: quality skill players but we have nowhere near the quality of their OL.

 

[zrinkill]

flo was never our anchor and now he gets hurt, the line falls apart?

So the line wasn't good till Flo went down? Its a coincidence that We had line problems the second he went down?

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I don't nee Probowlers on the entire OL. I do like solid starters. We may have improved our OL but it's far from above average. Does it have potential...yes. So does our 6th and 7th rounders. In fact, every team is a SB contender in April (maybe except the Commanders since they have 1-2 picks). We need quality depth and eventual starters on the OL. You can't argue with that. We don't anything behind the starters. If the OL goes south, the season is over. It's really that simple.

But btc... that's the way it is for a lot of teams.

 

[zrinkill]

The 90's team spoiled you guys rotten.

 

[AtlCB]

I see alot of HOPING. Al Johnson, Peterman and Gurode have not exactly lite the world on fire and they were high picks. Now I see alot of people hanging their hats on Petitti (6 rounder) and a fully recovered but often underachieving Flo. Why should I be concerned???? In fact, everyone should. If you have no doubts about our OL, then you really are a homer. I am just a realistic die hard cowboy fan.

The line was very good last year before Flozell was injured. The key is Flozell Adams. If he stays healthy and continues to play at a high level, the OL will be very good. If this does not happen, the offensive line will be very bad.

 

[SMCowboy]

The guy who are saying that the OL is so terrible are not being realistic, but pesimistic.

The Pesimistic view on our OL is:
Flozell Adams - He is coming off an injury and even when he is not injured, he is not very athletic
Marco Rivera - He has an injured back and is getting old, he is not all that good.
Al Johnson - He is small and weak.
Kyle Kosier - Anyone who started for Detroit is trash
Jason Fabini - He is a huge question mark coming off an injury.

The realistic view:
Flozell Adams - When healthy, he is a very good, but not elite OT. And he is reported to be 100% for a while now.
Marco Rivera - He was injured all last year, and was still solid, now being healthy he will be better.
Al Johnson - He is still a question mark, but between him and Gurode we can get by although not be great.
Kyle Kosier - We finally have an OG that can move. He may not be a strong as Larry Allen, but he can hold is own at guard atleast.
Jason Fabini - He is a bit of a question mark, because of his health, but between he and Petitti (who was not to bad till Flozell went down) we will atleast be solid.

The Optimistic View
Flozell Adams - A healthy Flozell Adams coached by Bill Parcells is one of the best OT's in the game, see 2004.
Marco Rivera - When healthy he is one of, if not the best OG's in the game, and he should be fully healthy this year.
Al Johnson - He has bulked up to 320 lbs, and is much strong, he can now hold his own against the bigger guys and is alwasy very technically sound.
Kyle Kosier - An OG, that while not terriblly strong, always does a good job of walling guys off. And he is very good at getting out and pulling on screens which we have never had.
Jason Fabini - When healthy, he is one of the better RT's in the game, not spectacular but very very good. And he should be fully healthy last year since he was able to pass the physical.

Count me in the group that thinks reality actually resides somewhere between the Optimistic View and the Realitic View.

 

[SMCowboy]

But btc... that's the way it is for a lot of teams.

That is the way it was even for Kansas City. Look at how their OL struggled when Roaf was hurt at the beginning of the season.

 

[zrinkill]

The guy who are saying that the OL is so terrible are not being realistic, but pesimistic.

The Pesimistic view on our OL is:
Flozell Adams - He is coming off an injury and even when he is not injured, he is not very athletic
Marco Rivera - He has an injured back and is getting old, he is not all that good.
Al Johnson - He is small and weak.
Kyle Kosier - Anyone who started for Detroit is trash
Jason Fabini - He is a huge question mark coming off an injury.

The realistic view:
Flozell Adams - When healthy, he is a very good, but not elite OT. And he is reported to be 100% for a while now.
Marco Rivera - He was injured all last year, and was still solid, now being healthy he will be better.
Al Johnson - He is still a question mark, but between him and Gurode we can get by although not be great.
Kyle Kosier - We finally have an OG that can move. He may not be a strong as Larry Allen, but he can hold is own at guard atleast.
Jason Fabini - He is a bit of a question mark, because of his health, but between he and Petitti (who was not to bad till Flozell went down) we will atleast be solid.

The Optimistic View
Flozell Adams - A healthy Flozell Adams coached by Bill Parcells is one of the best OT's in the game, see 2004.
Marco Rivera - When healthy he is one of, if not the best OG's in the game, and he should be fully healthy this year.
Al Johnson - He has bulked up to 320 lbs, and is much strong, he can now hold his own against the bigger guys and is alwasy very technically sound.
Kyle Kosier - An OG, that while not terriblly strong, always does a good job of walling guys off. And he is very good at getting out and pulling on screens which we have never had.
Jason Fabini - When healthy, he is one of the better RT's in the game, not spectacular but very very good. And he should be fully healthy last year since he was able to pass the physical.

Count me in the group that thinks reality actually resides somewhere between the Optimistic View and the Realitic View.

LOL good post man

 

[big dog cowboy]

The guy who are saying that the OL is so terrible are not being realistic, but pesimistic.

The Pesimistic view on our OL is:
Flozell Adams - He is coming off an injury and even when he is not injured, he is not very athletic
Marco Rivera - He has an injured back and is getting old, he is not all that good.
Al Johnson - He is small and weak.
Kyle Kosier - Anyone who started for Detroit is trash
Jason Fabini - He is a huge question mark coming off an injury.

The realistic view:
Flozell Adams - When healthy, he is a very good, but not elite OT. And he is reported to be 100% for a while now.
Marco Rivera - He was injured all last year, and was still solid, now being healthy he will be better.
Al Johnson - He is still a question mark, but between him and Gurode we can get by although not be great.
Kyle Kosier - We finally have an OG that can move. He may not be a strong as Larry Allen, but he can hold is own at guard atleast.
Jason Fabini - He is a bit of a question mark, because of his health, but between he and Petitti (who was not to bad till Flozell went down) we will atleast be solid.

The Optimistic View
Flozell Adams - A healthy Flozell Adams coached by Bill Parcells is one of the best OT's in the game, see 2004.
Marco Rivera - When healthy he is one of, if not the best OG's in the game, and he should be fully healthy this year.
Al Johnson - He has bulked up to 320 lbs, and is much strong, he can now hold his own against the bigger guys and is alwasy very technically sound.
Kyle Kosier - An OG, that while not terriblly strong, always does a good job of walling guys off. And he is very good at getting out and pulling on screens which we have never had.
Jason Fabini - When healthy, he is one of the better RT's in the game, not spectacular but very very good. And he should be fully healthy last year since he was able to pass the physical.

Count me in the group that thinks reality actually resides somewhere between the Optimistic View and the Realitic View.

 

[Zaxor]

LOL!

EXACTLY!

Honestly B. I'm more excited about this team than I have been in a long time.

Is it a SB contender? I won't go that far but it should be in every game and very capable of winning 11 games.

Yup me too...

It looks to me that we will finally be getting the pass rush we have needed on defense for 10 years...even if we have to scheme it in...

I believe the def and special teams are gonna be in the top 10...

I am most worried about the center position...especially with who we have as QB and WR depth but if green can catch than I ain't so worried there...my next worry position is guard..but that is not nearly as grave...

most of my worry checklist has been filled

NT, OLB, DE, WR, TE, OL

man this draft was very, very nice and so was FA

my expectations for this team has gone up

 

[kmd24]

No OL that Dallas had a shot at in the draft was going to start, so depth is all that Dallas could have improved. Even then, it would be at the expense of one of BP's projects like Pettiti, Peterman, or Johnson, so it was pretty unlikely to happen.

I think we forget how snakebit the OL was last year because two of the inured players, Pettiti and Rivera, ended up playing anyway. Certainly it's not an elite OL, but it's one that has the potential to be a lot better than last year.