Herald's Rap Sheet: G Nick Kaczur undergoes back surgery

[Urgent]

Big blow to depth.

Lose Mankins, then his primary back-up -- a guy who can play T or G, providing lots of depth.

Similarly, lose Seymour, Warren, and Jarvis Green -- another big blow to depth on the defensive line. While the starting game may not be terrible, this will hit the team as injuries mount.

 

[DaBruinz]

Wendell makes the 53 because he plays OC as well as OG. Who takes over for Koppen if the ginger goes down?

Connolly or Ghaiciuc...... They'll keep extra guards around..

 

[DaBruinz]

Yeah, no biggee. I hope Bussey-bust and Ohrn-bust are ready for some serious playing time though.

Why are you so damn ignorant? Seriously. You make stupid comments about players and 90% of the time you're shown to not know what you are talking about.

Bussey is playing OT and he'd be behind LeVoir. Ohrnberger would be behind Connolly and Neal and probably behind Ghiacuic as well.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Well even though I picked on Nick I wish him well in life ... he's probably all done in football or at least he should be if he wants to be walking normally later in life.

 

[DaBruinz]

Brandon Gorin is available.. And he's a known quantity for the Pats. Though I doubt he has much left.

 

[DaBruinz]

The big question is this: What do the Pats do now? Do they fly Reese and Caserio out to Mankins and give him their final offer that is more inline with the Jarhri Evans deal (splitting the difference between what they wanted and what Mankins wanted in the 1st year) or do they sit on him and wait until he blinks?

 

[SanAngeloState]

Why are you so damn ignorant? Seriously. You make stupid comments about players and 90% of the time you're shown to not know what you are talking about.

Bussey is playing OT and he'd be behind LeVoir. Ohrnberger would be behind Connolly and Neal and probably behind Ghiacuic as well.

I'm not ignorant at all and you should be beaten for saying such.

I know they're not starting, but they are needed for depth, so yes they need to be ready. Bussey is supposed to be able to play guard as well. He's kind of short for a tackle anyway.

As far as "90% of the time"? More blather from you. Find me one time. You should be beaten, and beaten quite harshly.

 

[Deus Irae]

That may or may not be true, but I'm not sure what that has to do with Kaczur. It's not like, all of a sudden, our line is suspect because we have to rely on Connolly instead of Kaczur.

Well, yeah... it kind of is.

 

[RussFrancis]

The big question is this: What do the Pats do now? Do they fly Reese and Caserio out to Mankins and give him their final offer that is more inline with the Jarhri Evans deal (splitting the difference between what they wanted and what Mankins wanted in the 1st year) or do they sit on him and wait until he blinks?

My guess is they'll literally be doing nothing with Mankins. He's got a one-year, roughly $1.5mil tender on the table. The man can come in and sign it anytime he wants. They'd go from there if he ever signs that thing. But theyre not meeting him halfway on anything. I think even if Connolly goes down, that doesnt change. Mankins has his "principles". The team has theirs.

 

[g-fresh]

The big question is this: What do the Pats do now? Do they fly Reese and Caserio out to Mankins and give him their final offer that is more inline with the Jarhri Evans deal (splitting the difference between what they wanted and what Mankins wanted in the 1st year) or do they sit on him and wait until he blinks?

They can't up their offer. Ignoring the issues of who is right and who is wrong, if they up their offer after he has held out and bad mouthed the team then they can expect many more players to do the same thing in the future. It would be like them admitting that they were the bad guys, and lose them leverage in every future contract negotiation.

 

[Ring 6]

That may or may not be true, but I'm not sure what that has to do with Kaczur. It's not like, all of a sudden, our line is suspect because we have to rely on Connolly instead of Kaczur.

Connolly is fine. Sure it would be better to have Mankins.
Frankly, I'm not so sure Kaczur would have beaten out Connolly anyway.

 

[mgteich]

The issue is depth. Even if we agree that Connolly was beating out Kaczur for starting role, Kaczur would be by far our best backup lineman. We have lost our Starting LG and now our #1 backup OL.

Connolly is fine. Sure it would be better to have Mankins.
Frankly, I'm not so sure Kaczur would have beaten out Connolly anyway.

 

[AzPatsFan]

I have purposefully been watching who plays as a reserve interior linemen and where and how they do.

Connolly has looked fine in both the run and pass plays.

Curiously he has also been used as the FB while another linemen came in to play "his" LG position too. Guess who?

Wendell has played LG and Orhnberger has played lots of RG, Frankly Ohrnberger has been about the only one subbing for Neal. He also subbed for Koppen at C. He also subbed for Connolly at LG,although others have played there too.

Larsen has played C, and also LG. I think I saw a small number of snaps by Bussey at other than LT where he has played a lot. Those were at LG.

Based on those reviews I rank th effectiveness as:
TOP 2:
Connolly -virtually a regular.
Ohrnberger - good enough to be a reserve at all three interior spots. Probably the next most effective. I've seen him in with at least two TDs scored directly over his position. TD runs by Maroney RG, and Taylor LG (Connolly played FB!). I thought he looked better than Guiacuic.

OK:
Wendell has been OK at LG and occasionally at C.
Guiaciac has been only OK at LG and mostly C. Not noticeably better than Connolly or Ohrnberger. Surprising for a 42 game starter.

AT Tackle:
Levoir has been the main sub at both tackle positions.
Bussey has been OK at LT, against second stringers. Probably next in line and not as disaster, in any snap.

NOT OK:
Welch is not ready for Prime time. PS at best.
Larsen absolutely is not ready for Prime time. PS at best.

 

[pencilneckgeek]

To IR as I predicted. It is a bulging disc I believe.

Wuz. It's gone now.

The big question is this: What do the Pats do now? Do they fly Reese and Caserio out to Mankins and give him their final offer that is more inline with the Jarhri Evans deal (splitting the difference between what they wanted and what Mankins wanted in the 1st year) or do they sit on him and wait until he blinks?

I think the long-term deal for Mankins is dead. The drop-off to Connolly isn't worth the ~$7M/year it would cost to sign him, when that money could be used at OLB/DE or another position of need next year. It's sufficiently in Mankin's interest, however, to come in for a one-year deal later this season. We can hold-up for 9 weeks without him, get him under contract so he gets his year of eligibility toward free agency, use him for the stretch drive, and then wish him well in the off-season. Unless some other team is desperate for a guard, he's worth more that way than in a sign and trade situation.

I'd still rather work something out long-term, because Neal isn't far from retirement, but that's probably water under the bridge. The question is whether Mankins believes the risk of playing for "short" money for part of this year and getting another year of eligibility is greater than that of the season being cancelled in 2011 or the FA eligibility rules not changing while he sits out, so that he's granted UFA status.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

While I've been among those who wish the Pats would just do a deal with Mankins, I've also not panicked because the OL is, after all, a team effort and we have several strong pieces, including Kaczur and Connolly.

But, now, if this is true, I really think they have to come pretty darn close to giving Mankins what he wants. The Offense should be able to rock and roll this year.

 

[Water Boy]

I think the long-term deal for Mankins is dead. The drop-off to Connolly isn't worth the ~$7M/year it would cost to sign him, when that money could be used at OLB/DE or another position of need next year.

I agree. Although Mankins is one of the best guards in the league, from a team building perspective under the salary cap, OG is not a position I feel good about spending big money on, especially with the young talent that we will want to see resigned in the next few years - Mayo, Vollmer, Merriweather, Chung, Edleman, etc.

 

[patchick]

Brandon Gorin is available.. And he's a known quantity for the Pats. Though I doubt he has much left.

Did he ever play guard? I thought he was a pure RT.

As for the impact on Mankins, surely the Patriots knew Kaczur was an iffy proposition from the time he left the field a few weeks ago, no? The fact of the surgery being performed shouldn't really change anything.

 

[sg14]

Nice write-up,,do agree with your assement for the most part
There was alot of penetration against the whole second string in that Altlanta game.

Not all that confident in Levoir,,not all that sure who backs up at the tackle positions, either. Looks like Bussey and O'burger make this team.

Disappointed in those late round picks that were suppose to be 4th round type guys, Larsen and Welch. Maybe the scar academy will help down the road.

I have purposefully been watching who plays as a reserve interior linemen and where and how they do.

Connolly has looked fine in both the run and pass plays.

Curiously he has also been used as the FB while another linemen came in to play "his" LG position too. Guess who?

Wendell has played LG and Orhnberger has played lots of RG, Frankly Ohrnberger has been about the only one subbing for Neal. He also subbed for Koppen at C. He also subbed for Connolly at LG,although others have played there too.

Larsen has played C, and also LG. I think I saw a small number of snaps by Bussey at other than LT where he has played a lot. Those were at LG.

Based on those reviews I rank th effectiveness as:
TOP 2:
Connolly -virtually a regular.
Ohrnberger - good enough to be a reserve at all three interior spots. Probably the next most effective. I've seen him in with at least two TDs scored directly over his position. TD runs by Maroney RG, and Taylor LG (Connolly played FB!). I thought he looked better than Guiacuic.

OK:
Wendell has been OK at LG and occasionally at C.
Guiaciac has been only OK at LG and mostly C. Not noticeably better than Connolly or Ohrnberger. Surprising for a 42 game starter.

AT Tackle:
Levoir has been the main sub at both tackle positions.
Bussey has been OK at LT, against second stringers. Probably next in line and not as disaster, in any snap.

NOT OK:
Welch is not ready for Prime time. PS at best.
Larsen absolutely is not ready for Prime time. PS at best.

 

[mgteich]

Gorin was always a JAG RT.

Did he ever play guard? I thought he was a pure RT.

As for the impact on Mankins, surely the Patriots knew Kaczur was an iffy proposition from the time he left the field a few weeks ago, no? The fact of the surgery being performed shouldn't really change anything.

 

[mgteich]

It seems that Orhnberger and Wendell are Belichick's kind of backup, being able to play more than one position reasonabely well. Connolly has moved up to be our starter.

We still could add a free agent, depending on who becomes available in the next couple of weeks, but I suspect Dante is ready to depend on who we have.

Ghiaciuc is still the wildcard, now on the outside looking in, and insurance against another injury. I still wouldn't be surprised to see him make the 53.

I have purposefully been watching who plays as a reserve interior linemen and where and how they do.

Connolly has looked fine in both the run and pass plays.

Curiously he has also been used as the FB while another linemen came in to play "his" LG position too. Guess who?

Wendell has played LG and Orhnberger has played lots of RG, Frankly Ohrnberger has been about the only one subbing for Neal. He also subbed for Koppen at C. He also subbed for Connolly at LG,although others have played there too.

Larsen has played C, and also LG. I think I saw a small number of snaps by Bussey at other than LT where he has played a lot. Those were at LG.

Based on those reviews I rank th effectiveness as:
TOP 2:
Connolly -virtually a regular.
Ohrnberger - good enough to be a reserve at all three interior spots. Probably the next most effective. I've seen him in with at least two TDs scored directly over his position. TD runs by Maroney RG, and Taylor LG (Connolly played FB!). I thought he looked better than Guiacuic.

OK:
Wendell has been OK at LG and occasionally at C.
Guiaciac has been only OK at LG and mostly C. Not noticeably better than Connolly or Ohrnberger. Surprising for a 42 game starter.

AT Tackle:
Levoir has been the main sub at both tackle positions.
Bussey has been OK at LT, against second stringers. Probably next in line and not as disaster, in any snap.

NOT OK:
Welch is not ready for Prime time. PS at best.
Larsen absolutely is not ready for Prime time. PS at best.