The Key to the Offensive Line

[mgteich]

So many posts act as if the patriots are in control of free agents, and we can just sign and extend at will. Players play under rookie contracts and then are FREE AGENTS. They are not required to extend. Some players would prefer other teams, other teams, and more compensation.

With regard to Wilfork, we can dream of him playing under a franchise tag. If we think that he would play, there is no reason to offer him more than the tag money. Personally, I don't thin he'd play under a tag. I also believe that the team very much wants to keep him.

because very little extending is going on due to the CBA......only 3 of 32 first rounders in mankins' year have been extended and one of those extensions is a joke (QB alex smith of the niners)......fact is, if it is an uncapped year, mankins will be an RFA

wilfork on the other hand will be a FA, but as long as you have the franchise tag handy, you can keep him......I don't believe it is in the pats best interest to allow wilfork onto the open market

 

[tanked_as_usual]

So many posts act as if the patriots are in control of free agents, and we can just sign and extend at will. Players play under rookie contracts and then are FREE AGENTS. They are not required to extend. Some players would prefer other teams, other teams, and more compensation.

With regard to Wilfork, we can dream of him playing under a franchise tag. If we think that he would play, there is no reason to offer him more than the tag money. Personally, I don't thin he'd play under a tag. I also believe that the team very much wants to keep him.

the patriots ARE in control of certain situations........RFA is one of them and that's what mankins will be if 2010 is uncapped

and if they used the tag on cassel, they will use the tag on wilfork.........you don't let a player like that walk for nothing.....for one year anyway......and wilfork has principles and acts out according to the rules, so I would bet that he would show up under the tag.....I also believe the pats want him to stay, but the pats are doing things the way they do things......I'd hate to see wilfork wind up with the dolphins which is a likely destination if he isn't going to be here

 

[letekro]

Stephen Neal . Look for big things from him this year.

The sight of his playing healthy the whole year should do wonders to rejuvenate Fred Taylor.

His ability to operate in space, to pull and take on the second layer of the defensive, is extremely valuable for the Patriots. Without him the line has been known to suffer.

I think he's one of the unheralded keys to the Patriots this season. Isn't he on the last year of his contract?

Is it too much to expect 1200 yards from Taylor? I don't think so. He's finally got a good offense line to run behind. Time to put up some big numbers before taking off the cleats for good.

Deus, it looks like great minds are in alignment on this issue.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Deus, it looks like great minds are in alignment on this issue.

Deus a great mind? Maybe sick and demented (delightfully so), but great? :confused2:

 

[AzPatsFan]

I don't know why everyone says that Neal is injury prone. The number of game she has missed inthe past four years is only a handfull.

But if he does go down, I think that Nick Kaczur will move inside to take his place, and the RT war with Levoir, Vollmer, RO'C and maybe Britt, is on, in earnest. I think R O is targeted at Center more than any thing else.

 

[LA Pats Fan]

Re: The Key to the Offensive Line - is the tight end

The last time tghe PAtriots had unstoppable running was with Cory Dillion.

I went back and looked at the 3 games to glory for those seasons.

The Key was Steven Neal and Dan Graham.

I suspect Baker is expected to provide what we lost and never recovered since Graham left.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Re: The Key to the Offensive Line - is the tight end

The last time tghe PAtriots had unstoppable running was with Cory Dillion.

I went back and looked at the 3 games to glory for those seasons.

The Key was Steven Neal and Dan Graham.

I suspect Baker is expected to provide what we lost and never recovered since Graham left.

Bingo. Tried to get it with Kyle Brady in 2007, but didn't work out.

 

[State]

Re: The Key to the Offensive Line - is the tight end

The last time tghe PAtriots had unstoppable running was with Cory Dillion.

I went back and looked at the 3 games to glory for those seasons.

The Key was Steven Neal and Dan Graham.

I suspect Baker is expected to provide what we lost and never recovered since Graham left.

Excellent, excellent insights.

Neal is almost uncanny how he can move his body so quickly into position to take on LBers. He pulls like John Hannah. Well, almost.

And I think Chris Baker is going to be a major bright spot this year. Very good athleticism and size. Although not quite as good at blocking as Graham, who was devastating at times, Baker has the hands to be a better receiver.

Tom Brady will make Chris Baker play like an All-Pro.

 

[unoriginal]

I don't know why everyone says that Neal is injury prone. The number of game she has missed inthe past four years is only a handfull.

A case where a typo works directly against your point.

 

[patchick]

I don't know why everyone says that Neal is injury prone. The number of game she has missed inthe past four years is only a handfull.

Neal has missed 16 games in the past 3 years -- and 2 more he didn't start. Plus there were those two IR seasons earlier in his career. Terrific player, but hard to argue with the injury-prone label.

 

[State]

Neal has missed 16 games in the past 3 years -- and 2 more he didn't start. Plus there were those two IR seasons earlier in his career. Terrific player, but hard to argue with the injury-prone label.

I'm hoping this year is different.

 

[Spiral]

I think the key to the offensive line this year will be whether O'Callaghan or Vollmer can beat out Kaczur. He just doesn't have quick enough feet to play OT, and that weakness is magnified whenever Neal (or Graham) isn't playing next to him. Upgrade the RT position, and the Patriots won't have nearly as many problems when (not "if") Neal goes out. Between the knee and shoulder problems, it's not realistic to assume Neal plays every game. Kaczur might be able to move inside, either for Neal in 2009 or Mankins in 2010.

 

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

The performance of the OL from the moment when Neal went down in SB42 to the Denver game last year when he returned was night-and-day.

Regards,
Chris

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I think the key to the offensive line this year will be whether O'Callaghan or Vollmer can beat out Kaczur. He just doesn't have quick enough feet to play OT, and that weakness is magnified whenever Neal (or Graham) isn't playing next to him. Upgrade the RT position, and the Patriots won't have nearly as many problems when (not "if") Neal goes out. Between the knee and shoulder problems, it's not realistic to assume Neal plays every game. Kaczur might be able to move inside, either for Neal in 2009 or Mankins in 2010.

Bit of a fantasy life you lead, O'Callaghan has been unable to beat Britt out, let alone Kaczur. You also ignore the O-line stats from last season which show Kaczur played pretty well - oddly enough, that matches what I see on my television when I use the slow motion and frame advance function on my DVR to look at the O-line.

I expect Dante to use this season as development time for Vollmer, we'll see if he can move ahead of LeVoir on the depth chart, let alone Kaczur.

 

[Ring 6]

Bit of a fantasy life you lead, O'Callaghan has been unable to beat Britt out, let alone Kaczur. You also ignore the O-line stats from last season which show Kaczur played pretty well - oddly enough, that matches what I see on my television when I use the slow motion and frame advance function on my DVR to look at the O-line.

I expect Dante to use this season as development time for Vollmer, we'll see if he can move ahead of LeVoir on the depth chart, let alone Kaczur.

Does your film study reveal that everything falls apart without Neal? Or was the inexperience of Cassel a bigger issue?

 

[BradyManny]

Stephen Neal . Look for big things from him this year.

The sight of his playing healthy the whole year should do wonders to rejuvenate Fred Taylor.

His ability to operate in space, to pull and take on the second layer of the defensive, is extremely valuable for the Patriots. Without him the line has been known to suffer.

I think he's one of the unheralded keys to the Patriots this season. Isn't he on the last year of his contract?

Is it too much to expect 1200 yards from Taylor? I don't think so. He's finally got a good offense line to run behind. Time to put up some big numbers before taking off the cleats for good.

I agree w the premise 100%. Taylor get 1200 yards? I'd say Maroney gets that sooner. I'd ballpark 900, 600, 500 for Maroney, Taylor, Morris, respectively. I see this team running for 2000+ yards and being as balanced an offense as its been in a while.

 

[BradyManny]

Bit of a fantasy life you lead, O'Callaghan has been unable to beat Britt out, let alone Kaczur. You also ignore the O-line stats from last season which show Kaczur played pretty well - oddly enough, that matches what I see on my television when I use the slow motion and frame advance function on my DVR to look at the O-line.

I expect Dante to use this season as development time for Vollmer, we'll see if he can move ahead of LeVoir on the depth chart, let alone Kaczur.

O'Cal's inability to beat out Britt was due to injury, though - not his play. When healthy, the drop off from O'Cal to Kaczur is nominal - and thats no knock on Kaczur - just look at Week 17 of 07 when he stepped in versus the Giants and the offense didn't miss a beat.

If healthy, I consider O'Cal an adequate starting RT, which is why I expect him to make the squad...if healthy.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Does your film study reveal that everything falls apart without Neal? Or was the inexperience of Cassel a bigger issue?

Unquestionably Billy Yates was the weak link on last year's OL. I'd like to think he had a nagging injury that slowed him, but all we have are the TV broadcasts. Koppen and Mankins had unusually poor seasons too, whereas Light and Kaczur were consistent with their career to date performances (in the case of Kaczur the naysayers have never impressed me with their screams).

Unoriginal has done the most thorough line play analysis I've read, and I don't recall him being too negative about Kaczur either. As for Neal, I've always felt he was every bit as good as Mankins, only injury has really held him back - there's certainly no better open field blocker on the O-line, and I include other team's OL in that assessment.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

O'Cal's inability to beat out Britt was due to injury, though - not his play. When healthy, the drop off from O'Cal to Kaczur is nominal - and thats no knock on Kaczur - just look at Week 17 of 07 when he stepped in versus the Giants and the offense didn't miss a beat.

If healthy, I consider O'Cal an adequate starting RT, which is why I expect him to make the squad...if healthy.

Perhaps it was injury related, I still consider Kaczur a better pass blocker than O'C.

 

[Ring 6]

Unquestionably Billy Yates was the weak link on last year's OL. I'd like to think he had a nagging injury that slowed him, but all we have are the TV broadcasts. Koppen and Mankins had unusually poor seasons too, whereas Light and Kaczur were consistent with their career to date performances (in the case of Kaczur the naysayers have never impressed me with their screams).

Unoriginal has done the most thorough line play analysis I've read, and I don't recall him being too negative about Kaczur either. As for Neal, I've always felt he was every bit as good as Mankins, only injury has really held him back - there's certainly no better open field blocker on the O-line, and I include other team's OL in that assessment.

Thanks. I tend to agree but think that Cassel's maturity combined with Neal's return to mke things improve.