We Could Start The Season With 8 OL

If Cannon does not practice, I could see us starting the year with 8 OL's on the 53. In any case, I like having "veterans" as Game Day backups, in this case LeVoir and Wendell. In is fine for rookie offensive linemen to be inactive.

OT Light, Vollmer, Solder
OG/C Mankins, Connolly, Koppen, Wendell
OG/OT LeVoir
PS Austin, Maneri
PUP Cannon

The key is that LeVoir can also backup at OG.
Also, we still could sign a backup veteran to take to replace either Wendell or LeVoir.
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Re: We Could Start The Season With 8 OL's

mgteich said:

If Cannon does not practice, I could see us starting the year with 8 OL's on the 53. In any case, I like having "veterans" as Game Day backups, in this case LeVoir and Wendell. In is fine for rookie offensive linemen to be inactive.

OT Light, Vollmer, LeVoir, Solder
OG/C Mankins, Connolly, Koppen, Wendell
PS Austin, Maneri
PUP Cannon

The key is that LeVoir can also backup at OG.
Also, we still could sign a backup veteran to take to replace either Wendell or LeVoir.
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Unless they have a great deal with Maneri--one where he makes close to the minimum salary--there's a good chance someone else picks him up. He looked great last week.

Re: We Could Start The Season With 8 OL's

I agree but think it will more than likely be this configuration.

OT Light, Vollmer, Solder
OG/C Mankins, Connolly, Koppen, Wendell, Orhnberger
PS Austin, Maneri
PUP Cannon

The Pats have gone with 3 OT before to open the season in 2009 [Light, Kazcur, Vollmer(a rookie)] and really only had 3 OT to start the year last year [Light, vollmer, LeVoir] since Maneri was a waiver claim destined for the PS and Kazcur was kept to see if he could come back from injury.

Cannon has also played both RT/LT so could be the 4th OT/G when he comes off the PUP.

Re: We Could Start The Season With 8 OL's

So, yes, our disagreement is whether LeVoir is more valuable tha Ohrnberger.

Also, you seem comfortable with Solder as the Game Day backup at RT as well as LT from Game One onward. I'd rather have LeVoir.

SirApropos said:

I agree but think it will more than likely be this configuration.

OT Light, Vollmer, Solder
OG/C Mankins, Connolly, Koppen, Wendell, Orhnberger
PS Austin, Maneri
PUP Cannon

The Pats have gone with 3 OT before to open the season in 2009 [Light, Kazcur, Vollmer(a rookie)] and really only had 3 OT to start the year last year [Light, vollmer, LeVoir] since Maneri was a waiver claim destined for the PS and Kazcur was kept to see if he could come back from injury.

Cannon has also played both RT/LT so could be the 4th OT/G when he comes off the PUP.

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Re: We Could Start The Season With 8 OL's

Off of the Jags game I think Ohrnberger will beat out the smaller Wendell as a Caddy to Koppen. Although Ohrnberger is no great shakes as a G, he has played there and at Center. Has Wendle played any place other than C?

Manieri looks like he can pull nicely, but he was getting abused in pass protection. I think he needs another year of beefing up on the PS.

Re: We Could Start The Season With 8 OL's

mgteich said:

If Cannon does not practice, I could see us starting the year with 8 OL's on the 53. In any case, I like having "veterans" as Game Day backups, in this case LeVoir and Wendell. In is fine for rookie offensive linemen to be inactive.

OT Light, Vollmer, Solder
OG/C Mankins, Connolly, Koppen, Wendell
OG/OT LeVoir
PS Austin, Maneri
PUP Cannon

The key is that LeVoir can also backup at OG.
Also, we still could sign a backup veteran to take to replace either Wendell or LeVoir.
=====================================

Click to expand...

Agree on the number 8

OT Vollmer, Light, Solder
OG Mankins, Connolly
C Koppen

1 of Maneri or Levoir
1 of Austin, Wendell or Ohrnberger
PUP Cannon

I'd keep Maneri as the 4th tackle thinking that Light could slide inside either by necessity or design and Austin who has more size to play guard than either Wendell or Ohrnberger.

You'd be 4 deep at tackle with Vollmer, Light, Solder, Maneri. 4 deep at guard Mankins, Connolly, Light and Austin and 3 deep at center Koppen, Connolly and Austin but only take up 8 roster spots. Hopefully be able to add Cannon after week 6.

Re: We Could Start The Season With 8 OL's

AzPatsFan said:

Off of the Jags game I think Ohrnberger will beat out the smaller Wendell as a Caddy to Koppen. Although Ohrnberger is no great shakes as a G, he has played there and at Center. Has Wendle played any place other than C?

Manieri looks like he can pull nicely, but he was getting abused in pass protection. I think he needs another year of beefing up on the PS.

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Wendell started the last two games at right guard last year and didn't play all that bad. Ohrnberger isn't any bigger than Wendell.

Re: We Could Start The Season With 8 OL's

mgteich said:

So, yes, our disagreement is whether LeVoir is more valuable tha Ohrnberger.

Also, you seem comfortable with Solder as the Game Day backup at RT as well as LT from Game One onward. I'd rather have LeVoir.

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LeVoir hasn't done anything to impress me. He was inactive on gamedays for most of the year in 2010 and would probably hold down that spot again if on the 53. While it's a bonus he's getting work at RG I think Wendell/Orhnberger have the edge in the Interior OL dept.

I'm fine with Solder as the gameday backup OT. I think the only reason he's not going into the season as a starter is because of the lockout.

Re: We Could Start The Season With 8 OL's

SirApropos said:

I agree but think it will more than likely be this configuration.

OT Light, Vollmer, Solder
OG/C Mankins, Connolly, Koppen, Wendell, Orhnberger
PS Austin, Maneri
PUP Cannon

The Pats have gone with 3 OT before to open the season in 2009 [Light, Kazcur, Vollmer(a rookie)] and really only had 3 OT to start the year last year [Light, vollmer, LeVoir] since Maneri was a waiver claim destined for the PS and Kazcur was kept to see if he could come back from injury.

Cannon has also played both RT/LT so could be the 4th OT/G when he comes off the PUP.

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2010: The Pats added Steve Maneri prior to the start of the season. Maneri was inactive for the 1st 3 games of the season, but he was an OT. Though Maneri was "destined for the Practice Squad" he still had to serve the 3 games on the Pro-Roster

You also fail to mention Quinn Ojinnaka who the Pats traded for prior to the start of the season. Ojinnaka was an OT/OG who was suspended for week 1.

2009 is the only year that the Pats didn't have 4 OTs on the Active Roster to start the season. Though they did end up adding LeVoir off the PUP after week 6.

Re: We Could Start The Season With 8 OL's

We are agreed on what decisions need to be made. We don't agree on which players dante and Belichick will choose, but there is no reason that we should agree at this point. My personal bias is in favor of veterans as Game Day backups.

If Cannon practices, I think that we will keep 9 OL's, with the thought being that Cannon would not be ready for Game 1 with such little practice time.

Armchair Quarterback said:

.

1 of Maneri or Levoir
1 of Austin, Wendell or Ohrnberger
PUP Cannon

Hopefully be able to add Cannon after week 6.

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Re: We Could Start The Season With 8 OL's

mgteich said:

If Cannon does not practice, I could see us starting the year with 8 OL's on the 53. In any case, I like having "veterans" as Game Day backups, in this case LeVoir and Wendell. In is fine for rookie offensive linemen to be inactive.

OT Light, Vollmer, Solder
OG/C Mankins, Connolly, Koppen, Wendell
OG/OT LeVoir
PS Austin, Maneri
PUP Cannon

The key is that LeVoir can also backup at OG.
Also, we still could sign a backup veteran to take to replace either Wendell or LeVoir.
=====================================

Click to expand...

Don't disagree with them going with 8 OL, but I can't see Maneri making to the PS. Did you watch the Jets last night, their back up OTs were getting destroyed so that's at least one team that would take him.

Re: We Could Start The Season With 8 OL's

I think Armchair has it right. Right now the backups look interchangeable, but both Austin and Maneri have more upside and future cost control. The veterans haven't outplayed them. Of course the Tampa Game should give us all a better insight.

Armchair Quarterback said:

Agree on the number 8

OT Vollmer, Light, Solder
OG Mankins, Connolly
C Koppen

1 of Maneri or Levoir
1 of Austin, Wendell or Ohrnberger
PUP Cannon

I'd keep Maneri as the 4th tackle thinking that Light could slide inside either by necessity or design and Austin who has more size to play guard than either Wendell or Ohrnberger.

You'd be 4 deep at tackle with Vollmer, Light, Solder, Maneri. 4 deep at guard Mankins, Connolly, Light and Austin and 3 deep at center Koppen, Connolly and Austin but only take up 8 roster spots. Hopefully be able to add Cannon after week 6.

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Re: We Could Start The Season With 8 OL's

We would have more options if someone like possibly wendell could displace koppen.

Re: We Could Start The Season With 8 OL's

So LeVoir is out of the equation now. I guess we're down to Maneri vs Orhnberger for the last OL spot now.

Re: We Could Start The Season With 8 OL's

I would just cut Levoir right now if I was BB.

Re: We Could Start The Season With 8 OL's

SirApropos said:

So LeVoir is out of the equation now. I guess we're down to Maneri vs Orhnberger for the last OL spot now.

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At this point, I don't 8 OL. The reason is that Solder has not played any snaps at RT and neither has Light. So who's your game-day swing tackle? And I certainly think it would be a high risk for BB to carry only 4 internal OL.

Re: We Could Start The Season With 8 OL's

In Scar We Trust!!!

Coach 'em up, Dante!!

Re: We Could Start The Season With 8 OL's

bucky said:

At this point, I don't 8 OL. The reason is that Solder has not played any snaps at RT and neither has Light. So who's your game-day swing tackle? And I certainly think it would be a high risk for BB to carry only 4 internal OL.

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I tend to agree with you, especially now with LeVoir out of the equation, as he could play inside and out.

I also agree with mgteich that I would have rather had LeVoir in there, as I think he provided some good experience and versatility. Apparently BB felt otherwise, so I am sure that he has a good plan and feel on the situation.

I am curious to see if this move has any impact on the possibility of Cannon being able to practice within the next week or so, and thus make the straight 53 man roster.