BradyManny
Pro Bowl Player
- Joined
- Mar 13, 2006
- Messages
- 11,103
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With Belichick masterfully getting two potential stud tackles in the fold on very affordable rookie contracts, I am hoping/assuming we can now pay Logan Mankins what the man deserves (I say this after saying some pretty nasty things about him and his agent...but I openly eat crow that I underestimated his value - his agent is still a piece of work, though).
Assuming that - our top two interior line choices left are naturally Koppen at Center and Connolly at right guard.
I'm surprised we didn't take a successor to Koppen in this draft, unless they think maybe Connolly is that man. Connolly played well in his time at guard, but was occasionally overmatched (replaced in one of the games, I'm forgetting which...Browns?) But perhaps ultimately Connolly's position is at center, where he has played for us in the past - and where we have great long term need.
I also come to this conclusion since to start the 2010 camp, Nick Kaczur was our starting left guard in Mankins' place, not Connolly. And I wonder if Belichick has the same plans for this year.
IF Kaczur is cut out for guard - and that remains to be seen since the experiment was cut short due to injury - it would be an ideal situation, given he also provides starting-caliber depth at both tackle positions.
If he can start at guard, we'd have a bigger line which excels at both run and pass blocking. In Vollmer and Solder, Belichick has grabbed two mammoth tackles, and added our biggest interior linemen in this era (Cannon) in the draft. It seems he is trying to beef up this line - while keeping it athletic, a difficult task, but one he appears to have done.
Assuming that - our top two interior line choices left are naturally Koppen at Center and Connolly at right guard.
I'm surprised we didn't take a successor to Koppen in this draft, unless they think maybe Connolly is that man. Connolly played well in his time at guard, but was occasionally overmatched (replaced in one of the games, I'm forgetting which...Browns?) But perhaps ultimately Connolly's position is at center, where he has played for us in the past - and where we have great long term need.
I also come to this conclusion since to start the 2010 camp, Nick Kaczur was our starting left guard in Mankins' place, not Connolly. And I wonder if Belichick has the same plans for this year.
IF Kaczur is cut out for guard - and that remains to be seen since the experiment was cut short due to injury - it would be an ideal situation, given he also provides starting-caliber depth at both tackle positions.
If he can start at guard, we'd have a bigger line which excels at both run and pass blocking. In Vollmer and Solder, Belichick has grabbed two mammoth tackles, and added our biggest interior linemen in this era (Cannon) in the draft. It seems he is trying to beef up this line - while keeping it athletic, a difficult task, but one he appears to have done.
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