Could Kaczur win RT Spot From O'Callaghan?

[Pat_Nasty]

It seems like Kaczur's shoulder is finally starting to get healthy, and he's practicing more regularly. Meanwhile, O'Callaghan is really struggling. He's got the strength and size, but he's been having a hard time getting his hands on the defenders.

When he's fully back from injury, I think should we try starting Kaczur at RT. He showed the footwork and agility to hold his own at LT last season, but has the power to succeed on the right.

 

[JR4]

Who came up with that report on O'Callaghan? I read stuff saying he was
doing a great job. Yes he has missed some blocks but so hasn't Kaczur.
Tommy sure looked protected on Monday night. I don't see need to
change something that's working.

 

[shakadave]

Kaczur has been the forgotten man on the O-line. Even if he doesn't start, I love having that type of talent on the bench. I sense that by next year, O'Callaghan will have passed Kaczur if both are healthy. If that's accurate, it might make sense to give O'Cal the reps now to speed his improvement. (Similar to how you might prefer to play Hobbs over Law right now.)

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Judging by the lingering effects of Kazcur's shoulder injury, I doubt it ever gets to 100% this year.

By the start of TC next year, we should see a real battle. That would be Kazcur's best chance to beat out O'Callaghan.

 

[Pat_Nasty]

Who came up with that report on O'Callaghan? I read stuff saying he was
doing a great job. Yes he has missed some blocks but so hasn't Kaczur.
Tommy sure looked protected on Monday night. I don't see need to
change something that's working.

Well, some of it's my own amateur report, but I'm not the only one who's noticed.

The Herald's Albert Breer had this to say about O'C's Monday Night performance:

SHAKING DOWN
RT Ryan O’Callaghan: Was beat badly by Jayme Mitchell for a second-quarter sack and struggled some with little help by way of the team going heavy on spread, empty sets. Darrion Scott consistently got to Brady off the right offensive edge and the rookie, clearly, had to adjust to playing such a different style of offense.

Here's a quote from Felger after the previous week's game @Buffalo:

The inside guys were great and the tackles were shaky. That's probably the best way to describe it. Center Dan Koppen was terrific all day. Guard Stephen Neal also showed great athleticism on the first drive, getting out on the edge on his favorite play - the tight end screen - before making the key block on Dillon's first touchdown run. Now the bad news: Light and O'Callaghan were simply outmatched by Aaron Schobel and Chris Kelsay, respectively.

So far, O'Callaghan's given up a pretty bad sack in the past three game's, althoug giving up a strip sack to Jason Taylor I suppose is more forgiveable (the guy's good, after all.)

I understand the thought that, if O'Callaghan projects to be the RT of the future, we want to get him experience, but if Kaczur's further along right now, I wouldn't mind the Pats electing to protect "the franchise" a little better at the present, and let the O'C era start in ernest when he's got another year of practice + camp under his belt... if Kaczur doesn't show he's the guy outright.

 

[mgcolby]

I am interested to see how they align O'Callaghan this week against Freeney. I wonder if they will cheat him to the outside just a bit? Freeney likes to put his head down and just bull rush the QB he can and has been run out of plays all season long. He is faster than any edge rusher that O'cal has consitently faced all season so it makes me wonder if he is quick enough to get to him before Freeney gets by him? Any thoughts?

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I agree with Ochmed regarding the healing timeline for Kaczur's shoulder. I believe the goal at present is to get him stronger and maybe work him into the game for some reps in case he is needed going forward, but he won't be at full strength this season.

Felger's assessment is based on the Buffalo game, they have always been a difficult defense for the Pats' tackles, Kaczur included. O'Callaghan did just fine against Minnesota, if you allow for the other club also having talented and hard working players. If you inisist on perfection for the Pats and incompetence for the opposition you'll always find fault.

Freeney and Mathis are known commodities, McDaniels and Scarnecchia know what help will be needed to slow them down. Light and O'Callaghan pancaking them in advance of Dillon, Maroney, Faulk, and Evans will be one method I'm sure.

Overall, the O-line has been good and is steadily improving, Yates performance in Buffalo and Minnesota is evidence of the depth and improvement. This O-line looks to be progressing well along the playoff timeline, I do not advocate any changes.

I expect Woicik and Nash have a plan in place for O'Callaghan for the off-season program to improve his foot speed and lateral agility. Next year's training camp will be an intense competition for the tackles - if Kac had been healthy I would not have been surprised if he and Light had battled for starting LT.

 

[Remix 6]

im not worried about Mathis..hes real small..i think O'Callaghan could just drop him with a push if he learns to slow the speed down

 

[pats1]

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/showthread.php?t=44033

--O'Callaghan has some work to do. He's good on the drive blocks, but he is routinely beaten by speed rushers. His lone cut block of the drive was mediocre, and his inability to attain an angle with his large frame was the achilles heel of one Dillon run.

 

[AzPatsFan]

It seems like Kaczur's shoulder is finally starting to get healthy, and he's practicing more regularly. Meanwhile, Callaghan is really struggling. He's got the strength and size, but he's been having a hard time getting his hands on the defenders.

When he's fully back from injury, I think should we try starting Kaczur at RT. He showed the footwork and agility to hold his own at LT last season, but has the power to succeed on the right.

When he and Mankins were drafted, the "book" on them were that they were left tackles that their more natural positions in the pros would be inside. Mankins became the LG on his first day and has continued to do so, with increasing recognition of his abilities.

Kaczur has demonstrated that he can play both tackle positions but I still sense that he would be a pretty good interior player.

We have four starting quality tackles and three and maybe four interior linemen in Mankins, Koppen, Neal and perhaps Hochstein,with Hochstein proving he could do more than an adequate job at Center too. Light, OC and Britt are tackles pure and simple, although Light could do an acceptable job at Guard. He is much more valuable as a LOT though. Britt and OC are too tall to do a good job inside.

I could see Kaczur as the ultimate swing man better than Hochstein and eventually the "super sub". He can do anyone of the five positions on the line, since he has a good intelligence level and could pick up the block-calling duties of a Center without too much trouble, I suspect.:rocker:

 

[mgteich]

I agree that Kaczur's future may be that of Game Day sub, but he also is the hunt to beat out Neal or O'Callaghan for starting spots. We should always have an OL who is our Game Day substitute center. Hochstein is fine in that role.

As of now, we have a fine set of offensive linemen

Light, Mankins, Koppen, Neal, O'Callahgan
Kazcur, Hochstein, Yates, Britt

If all are healthy, Stevenson will find it difficult to get of the Practice Squad, even next year.

The problem is that our OL are rarely all healthy. I worry about Neal's and O'Callaghan's injury histories much more than Kaczur's recovery.

When he and Mankins were drafted, the "book" on them were that they were left tackles that their more natural positions in the pros would be inside. Mankins became the LG on his first day and has continued to do so, with increasing recognition of his abilities.

Kaczur has demonstrated that he can play both tackle positions but I still sense that he would be a pretty good interior player.

We have four starting quality tackles and three and maybe four interior linemen in Mankins, Koppen, Neal and perhaps Hochstein,with Hochstein proving he could do more than an adequate job at Center too. Light, OC and Britt are tackles pure and simple, although Light could do an acceptable job at Guard. He is much more valuable as a LOT though. Britt and OC are too tall to do a good job inside.

I could see Kaczur as the ultimate swing man better than Hochstein and eventually the "super sub". He can do anyone of the five positions on the line, since he has a good intelligence level and could pick up the block-calling duties of a Center without too much trouble, I suspect.:rocker:

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

When he and Mankins were drafted, the "book" on them were that they were left tackles that their more natural positions in the pros would be inside. Mankins became the LG on his first day and has continued to do so, with increasing recognition of his abilities.

Kaczur has demonstrated that he can play both tackle positions but I still sense that he would be a pretty good interior player.

We have four starting quality tackles and three and maybe four interior linemen in Mankins, Koppen, Neal and perhaps Hochstein,with Hochstein proving he could do more than an adequate job at Center too. Light, OC and Britt are tackles pure and simple, although Light could do an acceptable job at Guard. He is much more valuable as a LOT though. Britt and OC are too tall to do a good job inside.

I could see Kaczur as the ultimate swing man better than Hochstein and eventually the "super sub". He can do anyone of the five positions on the line, since he has a good intelligence level and could pick up the block-calling duties of a Center without too much trouble, I suspect.:rocker:

In my opinon, we have four starting quality RIGHT tackles. I really don't feel like we have a single dominating left tackle. That is the spot which I think needs the most improving, and the spot I would like to see upgraded with an athletic, big and quick stud from the draft.

Let all our starting quality tackles compete for other spots on the line.

That's my opinion going forward for at least two seasons.