Offensive Line

[Fencer]

The OL rotation

Our OL are not distinguished by their likely durability.

• Our starting right tackle has chronic back issues.
• Our starting left tackle is a recent cancer survivor.
• Our backup swing tackle is actually a cancer survivor himself.
• Our presumptive starting center is a second-year player with concussion issues.
• Our actual starting center is a rookie. Rookies traditionally hit rookie walls.
  
• Two of the three guards in our current rotation are rookies.
• The other one has never started a full season, nor indeed played well for very many consecutive games.

Wendell has been known to play a lot of snaps in a season and hold up well, but he's the only exception to this general rule.

My point is that it is likely that the Patriots will rotate OL for as long as they think they can. Eventually, some guys may fall out action due to injury or poor play, but I'm guessing that the shuffle will continue for quite a while.

 

[RayClay]

Offensive Line

Didn't see a thread on the front page. I know there's been concern threads, but where do we stand?

How long is Vollmer out? How about Tre Jackson? Who else do we need to be at full strength? Shaq, Jackson, Stork, and Andrews fills the guard and G-C group. Cannon[health], Fleming and Vollmer is a fine T rotation.

That's 7. If healthy. Kline apparently can play tackle and guard. So, extra spot with Lewis IR and Tavon Wilson, if Ebner playing regular defense snaps [I like Wilson, but I'm just bowing to reality].

IMO, we need a pure left tackle and maybe a tackle/guard mauler since Andrews and stork seem to have the C-G position covered.

Thoughts?

 

[VectorPrime]

We have enough quality bodies that if they are all healthy together we'll have at least a solid group to depend on.

The problem is they can't seem to stay healthy at the same time.

 

[BelichickFan]

See my "Good News" thread. Cannon was walking without a limp. Jackson's knee was wrapped but walking OK. No idea if they'll play this week but they sound close. No clue on Vollmer, concussions have their own timetable. The last concussions we know about for him though, were two in 2009 so his history isn't bad.

 

[RayClay]

See my "Good News" thread. Cannon was walking without a limp. Jackson's knee was wrapped but walking OK. No idea if they'll play this week but they sound close. No clue on Vollmer, concussions have their own timetable. The last concussions we know about for him though, were two in 2009 so his history isn't bad.

I'd like a LT just in case. Clausell from the PS or somebody floating around. Couldn't hurt.

 

[ViperGTS]

With as bad as things have been I would imagine it will come back to the center a bit injury wise. Once all healthy it will be a formidable group. How they have been performing to is point has to be giving them massive amounts of confidence.

It is a good group that will perform fine when all healthy again.

 

[JarOfMayo51]

Once they're healthy everything is going to be fine, but I'm pretty nervous right now about trotting out the offensive line that we fielded yesterday after Vollmer went down. We may have got away with it against the Redskins with a lead, but against the Broncos, Bills, Jets and Dolphins I don't think we'd be as fortunate.

Pretty unreal to be 4 LTs deep by week 8, that just doesn't typically happen. It's really frustrating when you go from a good LT like Solder who goes down for the year to IR, then its like "no problem, we paid a premium price on this swing tackle Cannon for exactly this reason!" Then like 1 quarter later he leaves with an injury. So you're like "Eww, that sucks! At least we have an all-pro RT that can switch over to LT and play well." Then against the Redskins Vollmer leaves with a concussion and its like "Oh s***! Well, I guess we can move Fleming from RT over to LT.... and then play Stork... who as a rookie was one of our best lineman last year as a Center, can just move over to RT after being out with an injury for a month... What could possibly go wrong?"

Really hope we get some guys back from injury soon! JPP was back and made a few pressure plays on the Giants, so once he shakes the rust off he'll be a pretty legit threat against a Fleming or Stork at tackle. Von Miller would probably have a career game against that setup.

Still amazing that they were able to continue to produce on offense given those circumstances, that says a lot about the players and coaching!

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

Good news!

 

[RayClay]

Cannon is still marginal at LT. He and Fleming really RTs.

 

[DaBruinz]

Some good injury news | New England Patriots Forums - PatsFans.com Patriots Fan Messageboard

On the front page ...

 

[Bobsyouruncle]

I'm not sure, I gave up trying to figure out who's on the offensive line, memorizing all the names in the phone book would be easier.

 

[oldrover]

I'm not sure, I gave up trying to figure out who's on the offensive line, memorizing all the names in the phone book would be easier.

Phone book?!?! Heck, I don't think all the healthy ones could fit in a phone BOOTH.

 

[The Gr8est]

I'd like a LT just in case. Clausell from the PS or somebody floating around. Couldn't hurt.

I'm thinking Vollmer should take another week off, and I expect him to if the Pats' previous history is any indication.

Sometimes you just need to bite the bullet for the player's, and ultimately the teams' sake.

I remember that Sean Lee had a concussion for the Cowboys the week before they played the Pats, but he was active against the Pats.

Not saying that caused his issues now but it didn't help. I'm sure Lee would have benefited with more rest.

 

[JMC00]

Zolak on "Monday Night Patriots" tonight

“From what I understand Cannon’s very close to coming back and they didn’t really go with a concussion yet on Vollmer, but it’s a head injury,” said Zolak. “So I’ve got to think when Vollmer’s back - and maybe it’s this week - he’s left side, Cannon’s right tackle, you kick Stork back inside so you bolster the guard position, David Andrews has been out of sight at center"

 

[supafly]

Cannon was walking without a limp. Jackson's knee was wrapped but walking OK.

Pretty sure he was wearing a knee brace, not just wrapped--for whatever it's worth. I don't think it's anything to be overly concerned about, but he may have had an MCL injury that needs another couple of games to heal.

I'd have to think that he'll ditch the brace for a good week or so of practice before being able to play in his first game back, but that's obviously just a guess.

 

[Gronkowski123]

Zolak on "Monday Night Patriots" tonight

“From what I understand Cannon’s very close to coming back and they didn’t really go with a concussion yet on Vollmer, but it’s a head injury,” said Zolak. “So I’ve got to think when Vollmer’s back - and maybe it’s this week - he’s left side, Cannon’s right tackle, you kick Stork back inside so you bolster the guard position, David Andrews has been out of sight at center"

boom.
everything should be alright as long as vollmer's around.

 

[Fencer]

How good are our current TEs at chipping a blocker on their way out into a pass route?

 

[supafly]

How good are our current TEs at chipping a blocker on their way out into a pass route?

I haven't noticed quite as much chipping on pass routes this year, but I could be wrong. I've noticed great run blocking and pass protection from the TEs, but for the most part I either see them staying in or just all out running the route in the majority of plays (or, obviously, some combination of both depending upon the formation and number of TEs). Maybe it's because they want to get rid of the ball more quickly and those routes tend to take a bit longer to develop?

 

[fnordcircle]

A healthy line against the Bills and @ Denver is going to be very important.

By healthy I mean not playing guards at tackle. You know, as one does.

 

[meatface]

Hopefully cannon can play this week, funny to think that now the interior line is much more stable than the tackles

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