OL, are the pieces there or is a lot of change up needed?

We've seen good play at times from Stork, Jackson, Mason and Andrews, and Solder and Vollmer are quality players when healthy. Think they just need seasoning or is serous capital needed to be spent on them?

Keep faith in Jackson, Mason, Stork, Andrews.
Consider Kline only a backup.

Do everything you possibly can to upgrade from Cannon and Fleming as backup tackles.

Also allegedly, Mason only gave up one hurry, can anyone confirm this? Didn't focus a great deal on him during the game. Would be impressive for a guy who isn't known as a great pass blocker.

Pats at no time this year had the OL Belichick probably would have preferred to go with. IMO

Solder-Kline-Stork-Wendell-Vollmer.


Stork missed the first 7 games.
Wendell had some type of injury or something and tried to play thru it but couldn't.
Solder was gone after the 4th game.

The OL would have been 1 change from the 1 that went and won a SB which was Connolly retiring.

Would have allowed them to bring Mason and Jackson along more slowly which BB likes to do with rookie OL than just throwing them into the fire like they were.

It's reasonable to assume that Stork, Andrews, Mason, Jackson and maybe Kline will get better. Most OL need at least a couple of years to mature physically. The tackles are another matter. Solder was having issues before his injury, and I don't think it's reasonable to assume that Cannon will ever be any better than he is now, coaching aside. Fleming looks too slow. Vollmer is injury-prove and I don't think that will get better as he gets older. I think this unit needs two veteran additions--a solid left guard who can lead the interior OL, and a starting-caliber tackle. I would expect a lot of changes to this unit over the off season.

It all goes back to the allocation of resources. They can have those five interior guys back for $4M combined next season. I can't see them going out of their way to pay $4 million to one single free agent who could end up being their sixth best interior lineman if the young guys progress, and it also seems like a stretch to think that they'd sign Osemele or somebody for $8 million a year to triple the total spending on the interior line while only upgrading one spot.

I think we have the pieces but need to add one or two developmental ones as well. We tend to go shopping in twos but Solder and Vollmer are locks and the coaches seem to like Waddle. I'd imagine we grab another OT before the 4th round. We wanted to move on from Fleming last year but had to bring him back due to injuries. We might be stuck with Cannon just due to dollars and cents.

Serious improvement comes down to Mason and Jackson improving in year two (I think they will) and getting the right OL coach to right the ship. I expect Stork to look more like 2013 Stork than 2014 Stork. If not, Andrews has an entire offseason to put on some mass and push Stork for the starting Center spot. Win-win either way.

If Solder comes back healthy, he's a massive upgrade at LT. Vollmer is a RT who played out of position out of necessity to cover for Solder. So Vollmer will go to RT were he plays at a near pro-bowl level. So right away, Solder's return makes both tackle positions significantly better.

As for the interior, they have good young talent, and Wendell is solid. I think Stork, Andrews, Jackson, and Mason have the potential to be pretty good. But they were just so beat up all year long and it forced them to play guys out of position and to go with guys like Cannon and Fleming, who just aren't very good at all.

It was just last year that their starting line won a Super Bowl. Solder-Connolly-Stork-Wendell-Vollmer

That was pretty solid. I want them to draft a solid tackle though, because Solder and Vollmer are aging and have dealt with injuries.

VrabelJr said:

I think we have the pieces but need to add one or two developmental ones as well. We tend to go shopping in twos but Solder and Vollmer are locks and the coaches seem to like Waddle. I'd imagine we grab another OT before the 4th round. We wanted to move on from Fleming last year but had to bring him back due to injuries. We might be stuck with Cannon just due to dollars and cents.

Serious improvement comes down to Mason and Jackson improving in year two (I think they will) and getting the right OL coach to right the ship. I expect Stork to look more like 2013 Stork than 2014 Stork. If not, Andrews has an entire offseason to put on some mass and push Stork for the starting Center spot. Win-win either way.

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Thing about Stork that is so awesome is that he's a rare linemen who apparently can play all five (or most of?) positions. Held his own at tackle earlier in the season.

the team had 44 rookie starts this season.........that's a huge number

the offensive line had 30 rookie starts this season.......that's an insane number

upstater1 said:

Keep faith in Jackson, Mason, Stork, Andrews.
Consider Kline only a backup.

Do everything you possibly can to upgrade from Cannon and Fleming as backup tackles.

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Pretty much how I see it. If Mason can develop his pass protection skills he should turn into a quality LG and they won't be giving up on Jackson but should bring in a starting caliber RG to push all of them. Cannon needs to go, I think it's really hard for fans to analyze line play, especially on offense, but he really struggles at tackle and costs to much for a backup, even if it is a swing tackle.

I personally think they have the pieces to be a very good line. They have invested 5 draft picks in the OL in the past 2 drafts 4 of the 5 were in the first 4 rounds of the draft.

I have read numerous positive articles about Jackson, Matt Miller stated he would be a top 10 OG if he stayed healthy.

Mason has more upside than any OL we have had in a long time.

Stork is a top 10 OC if he is healthy but I do have some concerns about his long term health.

JMC00 said:

Pats at no time this year had the OL Belichick probably would have preferred to go with. IMO

Solder-Kline-Stork-Wendell-Vollmer.


Stork missed the first 7 games.
Wendell had some type of injury or something and tried to play thru it but couldn't.
Solder was gone after the 4th game.

The OL would have been 1 change from the 1 that went and won a SB which was Connolly retiring.

Would have allowed them to bring Mason and Jackson along more slowly which BB likes to do with rookie OL than just throwing them into the fire like they were.

Click to expand...

This analysis would argue for bringing back Wendell. I agree. Also, we need an upgrade at backup OT.

Piling on the backup T needing an upgrade. I like Solder/Vollmer but they need a body or two that can COMPETENTLY fill in rather than just praying they don't get hurt. Otherwise there's some solid players but it just isn't enough. They know that clearly, with firing Googs. Cannon can't be the primary backup going into next year. Can't be.

Overall, I think they'll be OK.

But for whatever he used to be or whatever they're hoping he might be again, as of now Marcus Cannon simply is not very good at football.

mgteich said:

This analysis would argue for bringing back Wendell. I agree. Also, we need an upgrade at backup OT.

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That 2nd round pick needs to be the best available OT. Hell wouldn't mind if they even used their slotted 3rd round pick now that they will have the 3rd round comp for Revis and try to move up in the 2nd round to get the best OT on their board. And go in with plans on him being the backup OT in '16 and most likely replacing Vollmer in '17 who will be 32 and a Free Agent after '16.

Froob said:

We've seen good play at times from Stork, Jackson, Mason and Andrews, and Solder and Vollmer are quality players when healthy. Think they just need seasoning or is serous capital needed to be spent on them?

Click to expand...

When did we see good play from Jackson?
Andrews is a liability if he is in the field.
Stork had a bad season.
Mason is a poor pas blocker.

Solder is good. Volmer is good at RT.
Stork will probably be ok.
The G position is a disaster. maybe the rookies will improve but I'm not sure I am fully confident. I'd be drafting guards somewhere from the 3rd to 7th round and not just one.
I'd like to see us return to the idea that a good patriot guard is playing t in college.


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AndyJohnson said:

When did we see good play from Jackson?
Andrews is a liability if he is in the field.
Stork had a bad season.
Mason is a poor pas blocker.

Solder is good. Volmer is good at RT.
Stork will probably be ok.
The G position is a disaster. maybe the rookies will improve but I'm not sure I am fully confident. I'd be drafting guards somewhere from the 3rd to 7th round and not just one.
I'd like to see us return to the idea that a good patriot guard is playing t in college.


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Click to expand...

Andrews played well......got yanked against the Bills and the OL completely sucked the rest of the way

The Browns wanted two first round picks for Joe Thomas because they are stupid beyond hell. It isn't happening.

Hopefully the new offensive line coach will be someone that can impact the youngsters.
Sources: Pats, OL coach DeGuglielmo part ways