Zack Martin IS visiting today

[tm1119]

Why does everyone want Free to leave? He's done well this past year. There are many team that would love to have his services. What try to create another hole in the OL?

No one should want Free to leave this coming year, but we would have to pay him about $7 million if he's on the roster to start 2015. And that's just not an option.

 

[CashMan]

Very good point. IMO , size, strength and athleticism can not be taught and one if the biggest gambles a team can make when drafting olinemen is hoping that power and athleticism will develop. Using Warford as an example, it was easy to see the power in game and thought he would make the jump to the pro level without much problem. He did, and he will only get better as his technique gets better. Arkin was example of hoping the power would develop any that gamble didn't turn out so great.

Ya, but Arkin was like a 4th or 5th rd pick. This guy, I think is going to go in the 1st rd, if the the top of the 2nd.


IMO, the first 3-4rds you should be able to get starters. The first 2, for sure, after that, draft as many developmental players as you want.

 

[burmafrd]

I hope you are kidding. There is a big difference in the quality of coaching from some of these colleges and the pros.

The top schools like ND are not going to have bad coaching as regards technique. Not sure why you think so. None of those guys mentioned are coming from Podunk U.

 

[burmafrd]

No one should want Free to leave this coming year, but we would have to pay him about $7 million if he's on the roster to start 2015. And that's just not an option.

I would happily wave good by to the yo yo

 

[CashMan]

I would happily wave good by to the yo yo

If you draft Martin, I would not throw him at RT, right away. I am not a Free fan, but it is all about the Devil you know is better then the Devil you don't know.

 

[btcutter]

I would happily wave good by to the yo yo

Better have a better option ready to go before we wave bye bye.

You can't have All Pro at every slot. Some just need to be above average. Free got help last yr from whom? Waters didn't play but a few games then rest of the yr was Bernadeau who has his own issues and we are trying to replace.

 

[xwalker]

No one should want Free to leave this coming year, but we would have to pay him about $7 million if he's on the roster to start 2015. And that's just not an option.

I think Free's salary is guaranteed for 2014 anyway. It was reported that when he signed the new contract with a pay cut last year, that his agent required a clause that his salary become guaranteed if they kept him on the roster after the beginning of free agency. They didn't want the Cowboys to hold on to him past the peak of free agency and then cut him or ask him for another pay cut.

 

[burmafrd]

Better have a better option ready to go before we wave bye bye.

You can't have All Pro at every slot. Some just need to be above average. Free got help last yr from whom? Waters didn't play but a few games then rest of the yr was Bernadeau who has his own issues and we are trying to replace.

I put on ignore anyone spewing this bs about pro bowlers at each spot

 

[burmafrd]

If you draft Martin, I would not throw him at RT, right away. I am not a Free fan, but it is all about the Devil you know is better then the Devil you don't know.

we know that Free has not been consistent from one year to the next. Good riddance

 

[Beast_from_East]

Better have a better option ready to go before we wave bye bye.

You can't have All Pro at every slot. Some just need to be above average. Free got help last yr from whom? Waters didn't play but a few games then rest of the yr was Bernadeau who has his own issues and we are trying to replace.

The problem is salary vs. production...................Free is not worth $7 or $8 million a season, that is what you pay probowl RTs. Free has not and will not ever go to a probowl, hence it is stupid to pay him as if he was one.

So after this season, it is bye bye Free (unless he takes another large pay cut).

 

[btcutter]

The problem is salary vs. production...................Free is not worth $7 or $8 million a season, that is what you pay probowl RTs. Free has not and will not ever go to a probowl, hence it is stupid to pay him as if he was one.

So after this season, it is bye bye Free (unless he takes another large pay cut).

I didn't realize his cap hit would be 7-8 million in 2015. If he is able to reproduce his production like last yr then I would consider extending his contract to something more reasonable. Unless we are sure we have a heir apparent to the RT spot I don't want to go back to the years when we are marching out a 6th round rookie or a 35 yr old Vet from the street to play RT.

 

[Beast_from_East]

I didn't realize his cap hit would be 7-8 million in 2015. If he is able to reproduce his production like last yr then I would consider extending his contract to something more reasonable. Unless we are sure we have a heir apparent to the RT spot I don't want to go back to the years when we are marching out a 6th round rookie or a 35 yr old Vet from the street to play RT.

I agree you don't want to get caught with your pants down.

That is why Martin is a very good pick in my opinion. He can step in on day 1 and be a very good Guard and then next year we could kick him out to RT to replace Free when his salary balloons in 2015.

Martin can also play Center if something happens to Frederick, so you are getting a guy with "position flex" as Garrett likes to call it.

 

[bodi]

well what did the niners do

2010

took Anthony Davis at 11
took Michael Iupati at 17

2007

took Joseph Staley

 

[jnday]

Ya, but Arkin was like a 4th or 5th rd pick. This guy, I think is going to go in the 1st rd, if the the top of the 2nd.


IMO, the first 3-4rds you should be able to get starters. The first 2, for sure, after that, draft as many developmental players as you want.

I just used those players as examples because everybody should be familiar with them. DeCastro had struggles due to lack of power in his game and it caused problems. I should have used him in my post. I admit that my type if olinemen is the huge , power guys that wears a defense down by the second half if the game and I know that much power is not something that is developed in the pros. The player has to have much of that power before turning pro.

 

[CashMan]

He's projected as a Pro Bowl caliber guard so that's his position for the Cowboys according to reports. His arms are under 33" and in the last ten years almost every OT (except 2) to make the Pro Bowl has at least 34" arms. He is also 2 inches shorter than ideal (6'6".) Some teams are projecting him to RT anyway, but not the Cowboys. He could play there in a pinch, or center for that matter.

They will likely address the RT position with another pick, plus have interest in seeing what Weems and Parnell can do this year. This will probably be Free's last year here.

I just looked up the 3 top OT in the drafted compared to Martin's arm length:
Lewan: 33 7/8ths
Robinson: 35
Mathews: 33 3/8ths

Vs Martin: 32 7/8th's


I just can't buy this argument.

 

[Gaede]

Martin makes more and more and sense, in the event Donald and Barr are gone.

 

[xwalker]

I just looked up the 3 top OT in the drafted compared to Martin's arm length:
Lewan: 33 7/8ths
Robinson: 35
Mathews: 33 3/8ths

Vs Martin: 32 7/8th's


I just can't buy this argument.

Overall wingspan is a bigger issue than arm length. Martin has longer arms than the Giants 1st rounder from 2013 (Justin Pugh), but Martin's wingspan is smaller.
Martin:
Arm Length: 32-7/8
Wingspan: 76

Pugh:
Arm Length: 31-1/2
Wingspan: 79

This is an indicator that he has a narrow body/shoulders.

Also, arm length is less of an issues with taller players. That's why you often hear scouts refer to length. Length implies a combination of arm length and height. Joe Thomas has similar arm length to Martin, but he is 6-7, whereas, Martin is 6-4.

It's not a mirage that most NFL OTs are 6-5 and over.

 

[CashMan]

Overall wingspan is a bigger issue than arm length. Martin has longer arms than the Giants 1st rounder from 2013 (Justin Pugh), but Martin's wingspan is smaller.
Martin:
Arm Length: 32-7/8
Wingspan: 76

Pugh:
Arm Length: 31-1/2
Wingspan: 79

This is an indicator that he has a narrow body/shoulders.

Also, arm length is less of an issues with taller players. That's why you often hear scouts refer to length. Length implies a combination of arm length and height. Joe Thomas has similar arm length to Martin, but he is 6-7, whereas, Martin is 6-4.

It's not a mirage that most NFL OTs are 6-5 and over.

I don't think it is, but you are talking about LT vs RT. Not 100% of the time, but I would say, most of the time, the RT has help from the TE either with extra blocking or a chip. I think at worst, if you want to play him at RT, you would be fine.

 

[Doomsday101]

Martin lined up at both guard and tackle at the Senior Bowl and routinely stymied the competition with quickness, power and overall technique.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1664509/zack-martin

I think it is possiable just as Dallas did with Flo to start him at G and move him to tackle later.

 

[CashMan]

Martin lined up at both guard and tackle at the Senior Bowl and routinely stymied the competition with quickness, power and overall technique.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1664509/zack-martin

I think it is possiable just as Dallas did with Flo to start him at G and move him to tackle later.

I think, usually the transition is the other way around. I think he could, not saying it is ideal to draft him, but could play RT. If protecting Romo is the #1 goal of the draft, I would say looking at any OL in the 1st rd, is something to do.