Maybe I'm crazy but. La'el at blocking TE?

[Bleu Star]

Imagine this. La'el Collins lines up as the blocking TE in any set that requires such. Screw the injuries. Can you imagine how ridiculously stout that configuration would be? It would be an all you can eat occasion for Zeke.

So I'm not sure where Collins is in his rehab but I recall some chatter last week about him being close to ready. Why don't we improvise at the blocking TE position? It's pretty clear that, without Swaim and Hanna, we are up craps creek at that spot and it's an area of need in the running game. Rico isn't ready & Escobar couldn't block his way out of a paper bag.

So why not La'el?

 

[DeaconMoss]

Imagine this. La'el Collins lines up as the blocking TE in any set that requires such. Screw the injuries. Can you imagine how ridiculously stout that configuration would be? It would be an all you can eat occasion for Zeke.

So I'm not sure where Collins is in his rehab but I recall some chatter last week about him being close to ready. Why don't we improvise at the blocking TE position? It's pretty clear that, without Swaim and Hanna, we are up craps creek at that spot and it's an area of need in the running game. Rico isn't ready & Escobar couldn't block his way out of a paper bag.

So why not La'el?

I thought the same thing. But the roster conundrum is that Looney is a backup T. Collins is a G. If Collins is activated then Looney is deactivated and Collins would have to play T in the event of an injury. But I do think Collins is better in that jumbo package

 

[cowboys1981]

I wouldn't mind that at all and line him up on the inside and have Written chip and release. I'm actually excited for his return.

 

[Tabascocat]

No

Either a FB or go sign a FA TE, we need someone who is at least a threat to catch a pass. Did you see what Looney did? It would be much of the same with another offensive lineman.

Now, it might work in the 13 package, but not the 12.......IMO of course

 

[xwalker]

I thought the same thing. But the roster conundrum is that Looney is a backup T. Collins is a G. If Collins is activated then Looney is deactivated and Collins would have to play T in the event of an injury. But I do think Collins is better in that jumbo package

Emmett Cleary is the game day backup OT. Looney is the backup OG/OC.

On one of the sacks they had Looney outside of Doug Free blocking the DE by himself. That should not have happened. Looney is not an OT and should be blocking an outside pass rusher.

La'el is a Guard but played LT at the highest level (SEC) in college. He would have a much better chance to block an outside pass rusher than Looney.

The problem is that Colllins does not play Center; therefore, he would need to be able to serve as the backup OT in order to be active on game day.

 

[xwalker]

Imagine this. La'el Collins lines up as the blocking TE in any set that requires such. Screw the injuries. Can you imagine how ridiculously stout that configuration would be? It would be an all you can eat occasion for Zeke.

So I'm not sure where Collins is in his rehab but I recall some chatter last week about him being close to ready. Why don't we improvise at the blocking TE position? It's pretty clear that, without Swaim and Hanna, we are up craps creek at that spot and it's an area of need in the running game. Rico isn't ready & Escobar couldn't block his way out of a paper bag.

So why not La'el?

It would work best if they had him run a route occasionally to put that into the minds of the defense. If they completed a pass to him even better.

 

[HTownCowboysFan]

Imagine this. La'el Collins lines up as the blocking TE in any set that requires such. Screw the injuries. Can you imagine how ridiculously stout that configuration would be? It would be an all you can eat occasion for Zeke.

So I'm not sure where Collins is in his rehab but I recall some chatter last week about him being close to ready. Why don't we improvise at the blocking TE position? It's pretty clear that, without Swaim and Hanna, we are up craps creek at that spot and it's an area of need in the running game. Rico isn't ready & Escobar couldn't block his way out of a paper bag.

So why not La'el?

The problem is that when a T or G plays TE, they are not a threat to receive the ball. Thus, D's know they are running out of that formation. You have to have a true TE to run a 2 TE package anywhere on the field, except, say GL or short yardage.

 

[Mr Cowboy]

I thought the same thing. But the roster conundrum is that Looney is a backup T. Collins is a G. If Collins is activated then Looney is deactivated and Collins would have to play T in the event of an injury. But I do think Collins is better in that jumbo package

just sit Dunbar, he brings nothing to the game, and now McFadden is back.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

The problem is that when a T or G plays TE, they are not a threat to receive the Thus, D's know they are running out of that formation. You have to have a true TE to run a 2 TE package anywhere on the field, except, say GL or short yardage.

Folks don't get that part.

 

[perrykemp]

Based on what I saw from Looney vs NYG I can't see how Collins could possibly be any worse at pass blocking and we certainly know he would be a better run blocker.

 

[Idgit]

This has been talked about if Collins were to return. It's already been mentioned, but the big negative is that he's not a receiving option.

It's not so much that Escobar can't block, it's that he's inconsistent, though that's as big a problem for different reasons.

I think at this point, we're better off going with Escobar/Mayle. Though the guy I thought we might consider was Austin Traylor, who blocked well for us in camp and at least presents a small threat to catch the ball. The problem is fitting him on the roster. All-told, we're probably better with Escobar at this point since he's the devil we know best. Just have to power through the limitation here at the end of the season, like everybody else has to do.

 

[Nightman]

LCollins is our starting LG and we want to move him to back-up blocking TE

 

[xwalker]

just sit Dunbar, he brings nothing to the game, and now McFadden is back.

I don't get the Dunbar hate. He is a good blocker and good receiver. They just don't throw to him much. I have not really seen him get opportunities and fail.

 

[Bleu Star]

The problem is that when a T or G plays TE, they are not a threat to receive the ball. Thus, D's know they are running out of that formation. You have to have a true TE to run a 2 TE package anywhere on the field, except, say GL or short yardage.

So just put him in when we know were going to ram it down their throats and dare them to stop it.

 

[Nightman]

I don't get the Dunbar hate. He is a good blocker and good receiver. They just don't throw to him much. I have not really seen him get opportunities and fail.

He has done nothing at all this year and already on the poop list because of his fumbles and injuries in the past...........if Sunday was his audition he failed miserably

 

[Bleu Star]

LCollins is our starting LG and we want to move him to back-up blocking TE

Lol. Just thinking out loud. Our current starting LG is Leary.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

So just put him in when we know were going to ram it down their throats and dare them to stop it.

That's not the issue. They are trotting out Looney in 2TE sets and passing the ball, effectively making Looney a default OT on an edge rusher. Him being in the game outside of clear short yardage situations tips off the defense.

 

[Nightman]

Lol. Just thinking out loud. Our current starting LG is Leary.

If he is on the 46 man roster and you want to run a couple jumbos with Collins over Looney, OK

But we usually carry 7 OL and need Looney and Cleary for OG/C and swing OT

 

[Bleu Star]

If he is on the 46 man roster and you want to run a couple jumbos with Collins over Looney, OK

But we usually carry 7 OL and need Looney and Cleary for OG/C and swing OT

Yes. Why not? Don't you think it would be a nightmare to look up and see Collins on that edge? We could ram it down their throats on that side or pull Collins to lead block the other way.

 

[AbeBeta]

Emmett Cleary is the game day backup OT. Looney is the backup OG/OC.

On one of the sacks they had Looney outside of Doug Free blocking the DE by himself. That should not have happened. Looney is not an OT and should be blocking an outside pass rusher.

La'el is a Guard but played LT at the highest level (SEC) in college. He would have a much better chance to block an outside pass rusher than Looney.

The problem is that Colllins does not play Center; therefore, he would need to be able to serve as the backup OT in order to be active on game day.

Looney shouldn't be blocking outside. However, if we don't try to sneak a few passes in when we are in the 3 TE set then we are showed a really predictable set.

I don't think the discussion is Collins vs. Looney. Looney is the backup at C so he's always going to be active. The real question is whether La'el is better than Cleary at T. I don't know that we'd be comfortable with La'el as the swing T without having practiced there at all.