2010/11 Starters: Mankins, Koppen, Connolly

[mgteich]

We finished as a top offense. Our starters are returning. We made our first choice for our 2012 OL in Cannon. The rest are all question marks for 2012, but not for 2011.

Starters: Mankins, Koppen, Connolly
Backups: Wendell, Cannon or Ohrnberger or free agent (perhaps Ojinnaka)

 

[Deus Irae]

Connolly was not a starting quality guard last year. He's never been a starting quality guard in his career. With any luck, he won't be the team's starting guard in 2011.

 

[Anj]

I've been looking at Marcus Cannon. He was considered a possible first round talent before his diagnosis.

He seems big enough to play OG at 6-foot-5, 358, but on NFL.com it said he could be an effective OT.

This article says he has a 90+% of recovery (TCU OL Marcus Cannon has cancer - College Football Nation Blog - ESPN) and I heard he's hoping to make it to camp. I think he could be a huge factor on the line if he can return. I'm really hoping for this guy.

Keep him in your prayers

 

[mgteich]

I agree that we could use an upgrade from Connolly. Perhaps if camp starts soon enough, Cannon will be our starting RG, or even a free agent from another team. We can only hope. My point was that we have our interior line coming back, along with a top prospect.

Belichick drafted the #2 OG in the draft. I can hope for a free agent in addition. In any case, while I would have also draft an OG at 73, this position is not a draft failure.

I guess I should stop complaining about drafting a fullback and short yardage back who plays special teams.

Connolly was not a starting quality guard last year. He's never been a starting quality guard in his career. With any luck, he won't be the team's starting guard in 2011.

 

[Deus Irae]

I agree that we could use an upgrade from Connolly. Perhaps if camp starts soon enough, Cannon will be our starting RG, or even a free agent from another team. We can only hope. My point was that we have our interior line coming back, along with a top prospect.

Belichick drafted the #2 OG in the draft. I can hope for a free agent in addition. In any case, while I would have also draft an OG at 73, this position is not a draft failure.

I guess I should stop complaining about drafting a fullback and short yardage back who plays special teams.

Nah.... It's back to dead time, at least until the stay ruling comes down. Debating this stuff, and griping about the things that are under our skin a bit, is all we've got right now, really.

 

[patsfan-1982]

IMO i dont see a upgrade to the OL this year because the real problem was at C and RG

 

[patriotscpfc]

Connolly was not a starting quality guard last year. He's never been a starting quality guard in his career. With any luck, he won't be the team's starting guard in 2011.

Did he bang your wife or something? You have never had a positive word to say about him.

Go through the other 32 teams and look at their Guards and Center.

He is in the top 96 interior Linemen in this League.

Is he as good as Mankins or Neal? No.

But, it's also his first year of full NFL competition, I'd like to see what he can do in his 2nd season of proper competition.

 

[mgteich]

And you think that Cannon plays defensive end?

And just BTW, it is only posters who have the view that our OL problem is at center. Others though that we need an OT and and OG. Curiously, Belichick and the mediots were on the same page. Solder was the #2 OT and Cannon was the #2 OG (and the best Day 3 pick in the draft) on Gosselin's board.

So, we are where we are almost always, poster disagreeiong with Belichick's assessments. And that's fine. Belichick drafted a top OT and a top OG and that is not enough OL help. GREAT! I too wanted a 3rd offensive lineman, but I do realize that two is enough to absorb in one year.

IMO i dont see a upgrade to the OL this year because the real problem was at C and RG

 

[Deus Irae]

Did he bang your wife or something? You have never had a positive word to say about him.

Go through the other 32 teams and look at their Guards and Center.

He is in the top 96 interior Linemen in this League.

Is he as good as Mankins or Neal? No.

But, it's also his first year of full NFL competition, I'd like to see what he can do in his 2nd season of proper competition.

It's a simple thing. I've got nothing personal against the guy, because I know nothing about his off-the-field life. For all I know, he could be more saintly than any human being ever. However, Connolly's been in the league for quite some time, and he's never been a starting quality offensive guard. I don't want guys who shouldn't be starting to be doing so, especially when it comes to the offensive line, since it opens Brady up to the results.

 

[mgteich]

I suspect that Belichick tries to have better than 1 of the top 96 in the league at every position. This sort of goes with being a 10 win team every year. Connolly had been around for awhile, starting here and there whenever Neal was injured. He started 13 games last year. Dante has had plenty of time to evaluate him.

If there had been no holdouts or injuries, Connolly would not have started last year.

I see nothing wrong with expecting Connolly to be the solid backup that he has been for years. Personally, I would suggest that we extend his contract. We always have use for a solid backup on the interior of the OL. HOWEVER, no of this means that Connolly is a quality starter and we shouldn't look for an upgrade.

Did he bang your wife or something? You have never had a positive word to say about him.

Go through the other 32 teams and look at their Guards and Center.

He is in the top 96 interior Linemen in this League.

Is he as good as Mankins or Neal? No.

But, it's also his first year of full NFL competition, I'd like to see what he can do in his 2nd season of proper competition.

 

[patriotscpfc]

Can't argue with either of you, I'd rather have him sitting there as a quality backup instead of a low-level starter.

Maybe bringing Light back as Guard opposite Mankins (who whether he likes it or not, will be here) for a year while we wait for Cannon would be a better option.

I personally feel there wouldn't be a huge drop-off from Koppen to Connelly right now, but Connolly isn't young anyway.

With a 2011 Line of Solder-Mankins-Koppen-Light/Connolly-Vollmer, it'd be raw on the Left side, but with Solder and Mankins manhandling players in the run game on the left side, it'd be fine.

2012 we'd still have the bookend tackles. We might have solved the Mankins problem, and with the help of God, Cannon will be ready to play RG. It might mean a 2nd rounder being spent on Koppen's replacement.

 

[crowell33]

Did he bang your wife or something? You have never had a positive word to say about him.

Go through the other 32 teams and look at their Guards and Center.

He is in the top 96 interior Linemen in this League.

Is he as good as Mankins or Neal? No.

But, it's also his first year of full NFL competition, I'd like to see what he can do in his 2nd season of proper competition.

Agree 100%. Connelly made big strides last season. No reason to believe he won't keep improving. When you have BB on your side and messageboard posters against you, rest assured, your mind is in the right place.

 

[TheComeback]

It's a simple thing. I've got nothing personal against the guy, because I know nothing about his off-the-field life. For all I know, he could be more saintly than any human being ever. However, Connolly's been in the league for quite some time, and he's never been a starting quality offensive guard.

I guess you missed 2010, when Connolly actually was a starting-quality guard.

Maybe we have different definitions of starting-quality. I take that to mean that a guy can do his job effectively and makes few mistakes. That's exactly what Connolly gives you.

He's an athletic pulling guard with pretty decent power in the running game. He's no pro-bowler, but claiming the guy isn't starting quality is just plain ignorant. He could start on most teams in the NFL.

But maybe years of having a quality, top-10 offensive line year in and out has clouded fans' perception of what makes a good offensive lineman. He's our new Russ Hochstein. If he starts, he'll do his job and the offense won't miss a beat. He's a player the other players have confidence in as a starter.

 

[Ring 6]

We finished as a top offense. Our starters are returning. We made our first choice for our 2012 OL in Cannon. The rest are all question marks for 2012, but not for 2011.

Starters: Mankins, Koppen, Connolly
Backups: Wendell, Cannon or Ohrnberger or free agent (perhaps Ojinnaka)

Hard to conclude this before Free Agency.
I would venture that the draft showed us OLB and G would be the 2 FA priorities.
Frankly if you look at the roster, we have quality, depth and developing youth at pretty much every other position.
Its hard to find a spot other than those 2 that, for example, a 4th round pick could have made the team.
We will be active in FA, and other than depth and competition guys, those 2 spots look like the targets.

 

[mgteich]

You say that we will be active in free agency. You list 2 target positions (I agree). I don't think that we will all that active compared to other years, especially if there is a short freea gency period.

Hard to conclude this before Free Agency.
I would venture that the draft showed us OLB and G would be the 2 FA priorities.
Frankly if you look at the roster, we have quality, depth and developing youth at pretty much every other position.
Its hard to find a spot other than those 2 that, for example, a 4th round pick could have made the team.
We will be active in FA, and other than depth and competition guys, those 2 spots look like the targets.

 

[Ring 6]

You say that we will be active in free agency. You list 2 target positions (I agree). I don't think that we will all that active compared to other years, especially if there is a short freea gency period.

I dont understand what you are trying to say.

 

[Deus Irae]

I guess you missed 2010, when Connolly actually was a starting-quality guard.

Maybe we have different definitions of starting-quality. I take that to mean that a guy can do his job effectively and makes few mistakes. That's exactly what Connolly gives you.

He's an athletic pulling guard with pretty decent power in the running game. He's no pro-bowler, but claiming the guy isn't starting quality is just plain ignorant. He could start on most teams in the NFL.

But maybe years of having a quality, top-10 offensive line year in and out has clouded fans' perception of what makes a good offensive lineman. He's our new Russ Hochstein. If he starts, he'll do his job and the offense won't miss a beat. He's a player the other players have confidence in as a starter.

Connolly wasn't a starting quality guard in 2010. He was a backup forced to start, and he played like it.

 

[mgteich]

When most folks talk about being active in free agency, they are talking in terms of lots of needs and lots of signings. I think that this will be a below average year for pats signings in terms of numbers of players re-signed, midlevel and higher free agents, and in terms of depth players signed (not counting UDFA camp bodies needed to fill the 80-man roster).

I agree that we will focus on picking up an OLB and an OG if we can, and perhaps a RB and WR for camp compeitition. As I have said elsewhere, I would also try to re-sign G. Warren and White.

I dont understand what you are trying to say.

 

[ATippett56]

Mankins - Koppen - Kaczur (LG to RG) or Mankins - Koppen - Cannon (LG to RG). Connolly rots on the bench where he belongs.

 

[mgteich]

And a raw rookie with a limited camp starts at OT. Brady will appreciate your ideas.

Mankins - Koppen - Kaczur (LG to RG) or Mankins - Koppen - Cannon (LG to RG). Connolly rots on the bench where he belongs.