Let The OL Competition Begin!

mgteich said:

We now seem to want bigger OL's. We keep 8-9 OL's on the 53.

TACKLES
Solder, Vollmer, Cannon, Fleming
The four tackles should be safe, especially since both backups can play RG.

GUARD AND CENTER
Mankins and Stork should be safe for 2014.
Wendell, Connolly, Kline, Cave, Barker, and Halapio are competing for 2-3 roster spots.

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I would have been much happier with this draft if a center had been taken with the second pick. This team has been on the cusp of winning it all and one of the reasons they haven't is the interior o-line, especially center. The front office tries to make do with mid round picks that are coached up. This works fine against weekly competition, but in the post season against top flight D-lines it hasn't.You can take a player with average skills and coach them up, but when that player goes up against premier talent, when the games really matter (lose and you go home) the difference in ability shows.

I look at Fleming as an OG not an OT. In my mind, he is Mankins without all the skill and technique.

Vollmer usually gets hurt every year and Solder has had multiple concussions. We seem a little thin at OT still.

The interior OL spots should be a knock down drag out brawl for jobs.

If we want to keep 8 OL, keeping Connolly at RG makes the most sense. He'd also be the backup C. One less thing to worry about when you name your game-day roster. I think it's going to be Stork at center and Connolly at RG. The backups will be; Cannon, Fleming and a battle for that 8th spot. If Hanapio looks good at RG, I think it's him. I read an interview with Fleming. Prob linked here somewhere. He said he's never played anywhere other than T. Dangerous to carry 3 rookies out of 8. But, I think only one starts.

This is going to be a great battle for spots but I am pretty sure Wendell is safe. He is far better than Connolly and he is younger. Also, Wendell has played guard for us in the past in spot duty, so that shouldn't be overlooked. If the rookies play well, then I expect Connolly to be gone and if they really play well maybe even push Mankins off the roster next year especially if he doesn't reduce his overpriced contract.

doesntmatter1 said:

This is going to be a great battle for spots but I am pretty sure Wendell is safe. He is far better than Connolly and he is younger. Also, Wendell has played guard for us in the past in spot duty, so that shouldn't be overlooked. If the rookies play well, then I expect Connolly to be gone and if they really play well maybe even push Mankins off the roster next year especially if he doesn't reduce his overpriced contract.

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Wendell is far better than Connolly? When did this happen?

JackBauer said:

Wendell is far better than Connolly? When did this happen?

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It happened when he took the starting center spot from Connolly. In our last game, we struggled to run the ball mainly because Wendell couldn't move Knighton(who could) but aside from a few runs he was very solid like he usually is. Also, have you really watched Connolly? He is on the ground far more than any of our other linemen.

doesntmatter1 said:

This is going to be a great battle for spots but I am pretty sure Wendell is safe. He is far better than Connolly and he is younger...

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No.

Just, no.

doesntmatter1 said:

It happened when he took the starting center spot from Connolly. In our last game, we struggled to run the ball mainly because Wendell couldn't move Knighton(who could) but aside from a few runs he was very solid like he usually is. Also, have you really watched Connolly? He is on the ground far more than any of our other linemen.

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I don't think Connolly is all that great, but Wendell is the worst starting OL by a fair margin.

I also think that if we had a capable RG Connolly will still be the starter at OC.

We'll just have to see come training camp and if I am wrong I will gladly eat crow. I just want the same thing as everybody else, which is a great line.

doesntmatter1 said:

It happened when he took the starting center spot from Connolly. In our last game, we struggled to run the ball mainly because Wendell couldn't move Knighton(who could) but aside from a few runs he was very solid like he usually is. Also, have you really watched Connolly? He is on the ground far more than any of our other linemen.

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He didnt take the starting job from Connolly. He got the starting job when Connolly moved to RG to replace Waters. If Waters had come back Connolly was the starting C.

I too am looking forward to camp battle on the OL.

If I had to guess at a starting OL for game 1:

Solder - Mankins - Connolly - Halapio - Vollmer/Cannon

I don't think that Connolly has even been showed this much support on this board. In any case, we all seem to be fine with Connolly being a utility player, able to start at LG, C, or RG, or to be the Game Day backup if two players beat him out for the starting C and RG positions.

SEEMS RIGHT FOR NOW
Solder, Mankins, Stork, Connolly, Vollmer
Fleming, Halapio/Kline, Cannon

BTW, as with Cannon when he came, the talk is about Fleming playing RG. As with Cannon, I don't see it, other than as an emergency with an injury on Game Day. Fleming has never played guard. But that's fine, Fleming is Cannon's replacement as Vollmer's partner at RT.

We have our 2 oft-injured OT's. We will always need to carry a top backup.

THE MAJOR OVERHAUL OF THE REST
We replaced 3 offensive lineman this year.
We could replace 3 more next year. (Connolly, Mankins and Cannon)

DURING THE TRANSITION
It would be great to be able to carry a 9th offensive lineman. This is especially true because of the injury situation with both of our starting OT's.

mgteich said:

I don't think that Connolly has even been showed this much support on this board. In any case, we all seem to be fine with Connolly being a utility player, able to start at LG, C, or RG, or to be the Game Day backup if two players beat him out for the starting C and RG positions...

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My guess is that it's a lot more about the dissatisfaction with Wendell than it is with liking Connolly's play.

Bet the 2nd string RB will be happy in pre-season, he will likely get to run behind Stork/Wendell, Halapio, Cannon & Fleming. They should make some holes against backup DLs!