This Board Overrated the OL Draftees

[mgteich]

We have Koppen, the fragile Neal, Connolly, and backup Wendell. Yet,
Ohrnberger made the Practice Squad.
Bussey and Larsen are gone.
==========================
Is the lesson that we now need to use a 1st or 2nd to get OL quality as we once did with Mankins?

Or is the lesson that interior linemen just aren't that important? If the late draft picks don't work in filling the obvious need, we'll just go out and get an Ojinnaka and plug him in with wannabees like Connolly and Wendell.
===========================
After all, we went into both the 2009 and 2010 draft understanding the following.
1) Our underwhelming center needing backup and competition.
2) Our starting RG was extremely injury prone. He would likely to need another starter to replace him for some games in 2009 and 2010.
3) Our starting LG was on his contract year in 2009 and would be a free agent if there was a CBA extension or at best an unhappy 6th year RFA.
4) Our backups were Connolly and Wendell.
5) Kaczur might or might not be real option at one of the THREE positions of need in the interior line. We still don't know.
6) Going into the 2009 draft, we had zero guards signed for the 2010 season.

The situation was so severe that we drafted Ohrnberger and Bussey! and then added Larsen in 2010!

Am I missing something?
=============

I am NOT preaching impending doom. I am just openly wondering what so many of have missed for the last two years when we were sure that we needed help at OG, DE and OLB.

[RayClay]

Originally Posted by mgteich

We have Koppen, the fragile Neal, Connolly, and backup Wendell. Yet,
Ohrnberger made the Practice Squad.
Bussey and Larsen are gone.
==========================
Is the lesson that we now need to use a 1st or 2nd to get OL quality as we once did with Mankins?

Or is the lesson that interior linemen just aren't that important? If the late draft picks don't work in filling the obvious need, we'll just go out and get an Ojinnaka and plug him in with wannabees like Connolly and Wendell.

Or the lesson is "it's pretty damn easy to pick up guards with experience". Depends how you look at it.

[Sciz]

With enough late round picks, Bill and Scarnecchia will hit gold again. It just didn't happen these times.

[Ron Sellers]

After seeing Koppen struggle at times against some bigger and stronger defensive linemen, I think some expected or at least hoped that Larsen would be groomed by Dante to be his replacement in a year or two. We'll probably never know if the coaching staff wanted to sign him to the practice squad.

Even if he seemed to struggle at times in camp and preseason, they knew what they were getting when they drafted him - a player with only two years of experience on defense in college, at an average school in an average conference. I can't help but think that even though he was drafted, the plan was to move him to the practice squad.

I think there may be two factors the Pats did not count on. First, Larsen has a much better chance of catching on with a 3-13 team than he does with a division winner. Second, there is a familiarity aspect: he can live in his home town and drive a few minutes to his new place of work. Not saying that is a big thing, but with all else being equal that could tip the scales to picking Tampa Bay over the Pats.

[upstater1]

I can't think of many late rounders who made it. We have cycled through a lot of guys, Billy Yates, Wesley Britt, etc., in forever. Greg Robinson Randall, Kenyatta Jones, these were some early picks.

Vollmer, Light, Koppen were the good picks.

[AndyJohnson]

Originally Posted by mgteich

We have Koppen, the fragile Neal, Connolly, and backup Wendell. Yet,
Ohrnberger made the Practice Squad.
Bussey and Larsen are gone.
==========================
Is the lesson that we now need to use a 1st or 2nd to get OL quality as we once did with Mankins?

Or is the lesson that interior linemen just aren't that important? If the late draft picks don't work in filling the obvious need, we'll just go out and get an Ojinnaka and plug him in with wannabees like Connolly and Wendell.
===========================
After all, we went into both the 2009 and 2010 draft understanding the following.
1) Our underwhelming center needing backup and competition.
2) Our starting RG was extremely injury prone. He would likely to need another starter to replace him for some games in 2009 and 2010.
3) Our starting LG was on his contract year in 2009 and would be a free agent if there was a CBA extension or at best an unhappy 6th year RFA.
4) Our backups were Connolly and Wendell.
5) Kaczur might or might not be real option at one of the THREE positions of need in the interior line. We still don't know.
6) Going into the 2009 draft, we had zero guards signed for the 2010 season.

The situation was so severe that we drafted Ohrnberger and Bussey! and then added Larsen in 2010!

Am I missing something?
=============

I am NOT preaching impending doom. I am just openly wondering what so many of have missed for the last two years when we were sure that we needed help at OG, DE and OLB.

I didnt overrate them. I never expected Larson or Bussey to make the team. I am disappointed in Oberg but understand more with him on the ps that he didnt cough up a job as much as be the guy we wanted to keep who could go practice squad.
I'm not sure what you are expecting.
When have we ever had reserves that were more than serviceable guys or JAGS? I cant remember any unless you count a Vollmer who is waiting his turn.
This is the way our OL has been for ever. The only consistent backup we really ever had was Hochstein who was a street FA when we got him.
What seasons backup OL does this one not resemble?
Whether they are late round picks who stay on the squad a year or 2 or a FA does it really matter?
Is it bad that Wendell beat out the rookies? I dont think so. Is it bad that LeVoir is here for the 3rd season as backup? I dont think so. Anything wrong with 5 year starter Kaczur mending so he can be the top reserve? Not to me. We picked up a project, which fits in with Ashowrth, Neal, Andruzzi, LeVoir, Hochstein, as players we developed from nowhere.

I'm not understanding what the problem is here. Mot being a wisea$$, I just dont see what different from the last 10 years.

BTW. I dont know how using a 4th, 5th and 6th over 2 years and 20-some pick means he situation was 'severe'.
OL makes up about 20% of the team and practice sqaud every season and using 3 late round picks in 2 years is closer to ignoring the OL than proving it was considered a severe problem.

[ctpatsfan77]

Originally Posted by Ron Sellers

Not saying that is a big thing, but with all else being equal that could tip the scales to picking Tampa Bay over the Pats.

Tampa Bay claimed him off waivers.

[AndyJohnson]

Originally Posted by upstater1

I can't think of many late rounders who made it. We have cycled through a lot of guys, Billy Yates, Wesley Britt, etc., in forever. Greg Robinson Randall, Kenyatta Jones, these were some early picks.

Vollmer, Light, Koppen were the good picks.

No one in the first group was picked before the 4th round. Some were UDFAs

[Deus Irae]

Originally Posted by mgteich

We have Koppen, the fragile Neal, Connolly, and backup Wendell. Yet,
Ohrnberger made the Practice Squad.
Bussey and Larsen are gone.
==========================
Is the lesson that we now need to use a 1st or 2nd to get OL quality as we once did with Mankins?

Or is the lesson that interior linemen just aren't that important? If the late draft picks don't work in filling the obvious need, we'll just go out and get an Ojinnaka and plug him in with wannabees like Connolly and Wendell.
===========================
After all, we went into both the 2009 and 2010 draft understanding the following.
1) Our underwhelming center needing backup and competition.
2) Our starting RG was extremely injury prone. He would likely to need another starter to replace him for some games in 2009 and 2010.
3) Our starting LG was on his contract year in 2009 and would be a free agent if there was a CBA extension or at best an unhappy 6th year RFA.
4) Our backups were Connolly and Wendell.
5) Kaczur might or might not be real option at one of the THREE positions of need in the interior line. We still don't know.
6) Going into the 2009 draft, we had zero guards signed for the 2010 season.

The situation was so severe that we drafted Ohrnberger and Bussey! and then added Larsen in 2010!

Am I missing something?
=============

I am NOT preaching impending doom. I am just openly wondering what so many of have missed for the last two years when we were sure that we needed help at OG, DE and OLB.

This thread is a blow up waiting to happen.

[jsull87]

I think he probably thought that he would keep mankins in all honesty with the contract they offered.

If we had mankins and kazur wasn't injured i think we would have pretty solid Ol depth as i think the plan was have Nick play guard reserve with levoir being the swing tackle. That leaves our now starter connely as a bench player.

I think we are looking at this in hindsight after injuries and a mankins hold out.

I think we would be in pretty good shape this year with out those 2 happenings.

LT LG C RG RT
Light Mankins Koppen Neal Vollmer

Vollmer Kazur/Connely LeVoir

That looks much more appetizing than our current situation.