Projecting the starting OL

The question is how the guard positions pan out. I think the other 3 are set. As much as I love Wendell, I don't think he or Mason are the best candidates for LG. A lot depends on Jackson's health as well. If he is healthy, my guess is Tre at LG and Wendell at RG with Flemming/Kline (LG) and Flemming/Mason/Cannon (RG) knocking at the door.

Backup LT is also a big dropoff after Solder. There, we would be relying on Cannon, Flemming or flip flopping Vollmer. On the entire team, I only see that big of a dropoff with Brady and McCourty.

Schmo said:

The question is how the guard positions pan out. I think the other 3 are set. As much as I love Wendell, I don't think he or Mason are the best candidates for LG. A lot depends on Jackson's health as well. If he is healthy, my guess is Tre at LG and Wendell at RG with Flemming/Kline (LG) and Flemming/Mason/Cannon (RG) knocking at the door.

Backup LT is also a big dropoff after Solder. There, we would be relying on Cannon, Flemming or flip flopping Vollmer. On the entire team, I only see that big of a dropoff with Brady and McCourty.

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How much has Jackson played LG. All the projections were that he was a fine RG. Switching from RG to LG is NOT easy. If we wanted to draft a conversion project, we would have drafted LT, who would have found the change much, much easier.

mrbean said:

I think preseason will see Jackson, Mason, Andrews and Fleming take snaps at LG to see how they look at game speed.

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That's fine. But if Cannon or Stork are be considered as potential LG's, they should be given lots of reps also. While everything turned out great, we should be more prepared with OL options than we were last year.

Solder Kline Stork Jackson Vollmer. Wendell and Cannon as gameday backups.

Gotta keep Vollmer I think, he's too good to get rid of

Solder-Jackson-Stork-Mason-Vollmer

After hearing the offseason reports that Fleming has been asked to move to Guard, combines with BB saying Jackson has always played RG and thats where they see him.

IMO all things going well our best OL should be:

Solder-Fleming-Stork-Jackson-Vollmer

C/RG back up - Wendell
T backup - Cannon
LG backup - Kline
Extra Run Blocker - Mason

IMO if it works out that way it gets our most talented athletically line on the field and gives us great coverage with the backups as Fleming could also cover T.

I also think that Mason could see some time in some specific run sets e.g 3rd and 1 or Goal Line .

This is really exciting for me as this has been an issue i think for the pats for a while. Our run game works well situationally. However against stout run teams (Ravens, Broncos), if we need that 1/2 yards we have found it tough to simple just line up and run it down peoples throat.

A Run Line of Hooman-Solder-Wendell-Stork-Mason-Vollmer-Fleming-Gronk with Blount in the backfield could be devastating.

mrbean said:

The wild card here is Cannon.

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Given what's been written about the uncertainty of Jackson, he's a wild card as well.

Wendell has started at C and RG. People think he can't play LG?? Huh?

L-R It's; Solder-Wendell-Stork-Fleming-Vollmer.

The gameday backups are Cannon and Kline. Jackson and Mason could crack the gameday backup early in the season. And, could start at some point.

I clearly meant to type 'Solder' and typed 'Vollmer' twice. Glad y'all had a little fun with it!

jsull87 said:

After hearing the offseason reports that Fleming has been asked to move to Guard, combines with BB saying Jackson has always played RG and thats where they see him.

IMO all things going well our best OL should be:

Solder-Fleming-Stork-Jackson-Vollmer

C/RG back up - Wendell
T backup - Cannon
LG backup - Kline
Extra Run Blocker - Mason

IMO if it works out that way it gets our most talented athletically line on the field and gives us great coverage with the backups as Fleming could also cover T.

I also think that Mason could see some time in some specific run sets e.g 3rd and 1 or Goal Line .

This is really exciting for me as this has been an issue i think for the pats for a while. Our run game works well situationally. However against stout run teams (Ravens, Broncos), if we need that 1/2 yards we have found it tough to simple just line up and run it down peoples throat.

A Run Line of Hooman-Solder-Wendell-Stork-Mason-Vollmer-Fleming-Gronk with Blount in the backfield could be devastating.

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Add Develin at FB and you've got one hell of a crew to get you a yard

dreighver said:

Solder-Jackson-Stork-Mason-Vollmer

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Whoever the RB is would be rushing for 1200+ yards with that line.

I'll copy and paste this from the rounds 4-7 draft day thread.


New England Patriots OL Depth Chart at start of 2014 season:
LT: Nate Solder --- Marcus Cannon --- Jordan Devey
LG: Josh Kline --- Marcus Cannon
C: Ryan Wendell --- Chris Barker --- Bryan Stork
RG: Dan Connolly --- Marcus Cannon
RT: Sebastian Vollmer --- Marcus Cannon --- Cameron Fleming

New England Patriots OL Depth Chart at end of 2014 season:
LT: Nate Solder --- Marcus Cannon --- Jordan Devey
LG: Dan Connolly --- Marcus Cannon --- Jordan Devey
C: Bryan Stork --- Ryan Wendell --- Dan Connolly
RG: Ryan Wendell --- Josh Kline --- Jordan Devey
RT: Sebastian Vollmer --- Marcus Cannon --- Cameron Fleming

New England Patriots OL Depth Chart after 2015 draft:
LT: Nate Solder --- Marcus Cannon --- Jordan Devey
LG: Tre' Jackson --- Marcus Cannon --- Chris Barker
C: Bryan Stork --- Ryan Wendell --- Shaq Mason
RG: Ryan Wendell --- Shaq Mason --- Josh Kline --- Jordan Devey
RT: Sebastian Vollmer --- Cameron Fleming --- Caylin Hauptmann


Obviously the current depth chart is fluid and very much up in the air - not only with the rookie draft picks (e.g., it is premature to put Jackson in as a week one starter), but also with where returning players like Wendell, Cannon and Fleming fit in.

Regardless, the bottom line is that the Patriots' offensive line has improved over where it was 365 days ago. That is not an easy feat when you consider that this unit is now without 40% of their starters from one year ago.

jmt57 said:

New England Patriots OL Depth Chart at end of 2014 season:
LT: Nate Solder --- Marcus Cannon --- Jordan Devey
LG: Dan Connolly --- Marcus Cannon --- Jordan Devey
C: Bryan Stork --- Ryan Wendell --- Dan Connolly
RG: Ryan Wendell --- Josh Kline --- Jordan Devey
RT: Sebastian Vollmer --- Marcus Cannon --- Cameron Fleming

New England Patriots OL Depth Chart after 2015 draft:
LT: Nate Solder --- Marcus Cannon --- Jordan Devey
LG: Tre' Jackson --- Marcus Cannon --- Chris Barker
C: Bryan Stork --- Ryan Wendell --- Shaq Mason
RG: Ryan Wendell --- Shaq Mason --- Josh Kline --- Jordan Devey
RT: Sebastian Vollmer --- Cameron Fleming --- Caylin Hauptmann


Obviously the current depth chart is fluid and very much up in the air - not only with the rookie draft picks (e.g., it is premature to put Jackson in as a week one starter), but also with where returning players like Wendell, Cannon and Fleming fit in.

Regardless, the bottom line is that the Patriots' offensive line has improved over where it was 365 days ago. That is not an easy feat when you consider that this unit is now without 40% of their starters from one year ago.

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I think that the most reasonable comparison is the current roster with the roster at the end of the season, being augmented with anyone on IR. Let us review the differences and see where the great improvement lies.

THE TOP SEVEN
1-4) 4 starters remain the same
5-6) The backup OT's remain, along with the sixth man. These roles are taken by Cannon and Fleming.
7) LG Connolly replaced by JACKSON
Connolly played OK last year. The OL looked pretty good in the last half of the season with Connolly at LG. JACKSON is a RG. It is a reach to consider him the starter at LG. It is a DREAM to think that he will be a better LG in his rookie year than Connolly was last year.

THE BOTTOM TWO
8) Kline is back for the moment.
We might upgrade this position, but that hasn't happened yet. Kline might even start instead of Jackson.
9) We have MASON over Davey.
This a plus for the future, but we are talking about the 9th OL, who will likely be inactive.

BOTTOM LINE
We've replace Connolly and Davey with Jackson and Mason. These are good moves for the future. It is not at all clear that there will be significant 2015 improvement.