Starting Center

[Marqui]

Re: Center Will Montgomery released by Washington

He can't be any worse than Ryan Wendell.

 

[mgteich]

Re: Center Will Montgomery released by Washington

He certainly can be.

In any case, we need to find a starter inside. We could move Connolly to center, but we'd still need a RG we could count on although Cannon might beat him out. This is not likely since we have no backups at RT.

He can't be any worse than Ryan Wendell.

 

[dex13]

Re: Center Will Montgomery released by Washington

found this concerning his 2012 season. (profootball focus)

"Solid as a pass blocker, where his Pass Blocking Efficiency rating of 98.2 was 11th among all players at the position, it was as a run blocker where he really stood out. His run blocking grade of +16.0 was the fourth best mark of all centers in 2012, and tied for 16th best since we began grading in 2008.

His consistency was key too, with just 51 negatively graded plays and three penalties in 1,112 snaps showing that, while he may not have been mauling opposing defensive linemen downfield, he did a solid job as a blocker to open holes for the Redskins running game."

but a redskins blog says this,

"Will Montgomery ranks 13th among NFL centers. Chris Cooley and others have questioned Montgomery's ability to call the proper blocking schemes."

A few people on Redskins forum say he has some issues with shotgun snaps.

Have to go with what what I can find as I've never really watched a Redskins game. Seems like a solid center with a few issues. The blocking scheme and shotgun snapping issues would be a little disconcerting for Brady is accurate.

 

[zipster9]

Extend Connolly by 1 year, for $1m cap relief
Slide Connolly to center
Draft center in round 3
Sign guard in FA (i.e. Smith, Incognito)

Incognito? Nuts.

 

[Miguel]

I'm sure there is a way. Mack's agent has even gone on record as saying he can craft the contract that would be tough for the Browns to match.

Why else would he say?

The Browns are under the cap by $33 million with Mack counting on their cap for $10 million.

 

[BelichickFan]

Shelley Smith gone now. Good thing we got the crown jewel of FA because we've gotten nothing else. Nothing. And although I am patient about FA, players are going off the board with not a lot left.

I do have a little hope for PSer Braxston Cave as Center but this is getting a little disappointing.

 

[DaBruinz]

Evan Dietrich-Smith is also gone. Signed with Tampa today..

 

[Joker]

Shelley Smith gone now. Good thing we got the crown jewel of FA because we've gotten nothing else. Nothing. And although I am patient about FA, players are going off the board with not a lot left.

wrong...we signed Hoomanawannamanure to a deal the first day of free agency.

Patriots re-sign TE Michael Hoomanawanui

 

[zipster9]

Evan Dietrich-Smith is also gone. Signed with Tampa today..

Brian De La Puente, best available Center.

Please do not re-sign Wendell... Protect Brady.

 

[DaBruinz]

Brian De La Puente, best available Center.

Please do not re-sign Wendell... Protect Brady.

I whole-heartedly agree with you.

Rumors also are out there that Jeremy Zuttah could be released by the Bucs. I'd love to add him or Davin Joseph.

 

[stinkypete]

Here's how it's going down.

Connolly is moving to C.
Cannon is moving to RG.
A Jag, Svitek type OL will be signed in a couple of weeks.
A couple of linemen get drafted in the mid-late rounds.

In summary, the line will be fine.

 

[Love The Drake]

Scar isn't walking through that door anytime soon.
Need some talent.

 

[Miguel]

One more reason not to sign Mack - he would count against the Patriots in the 2015 comp pick calculations.

 

[borg]

Here's how it's going down.

Connolly is moving to C.
Cannon is moving to RG.
A Jag, Svitek type OL will be signed in a couple of weeks.
A couple of linemen get drafted in the mid-late rounds.

In summary, the line will be fine.

Have to agree......Once the Pats sort out DT and TE early in the draft, OL and MLB depth will get addressed. My thinking at LB....Collins, Mayo, and Hightower (in descending order) all have coverage abilities so a lower round thumper at MLB for depth seems logical. I'm guessing a cheap FA LB or two will find training camp as well.

 

[RayClay]

There's not really a whole lot available in free agency at center that would be an upgrade other than New Orleans' Brian De La Puente or Green Bay's Evan Dietrich-Smith. The other option would be mayoclinic's plan to give Alex Mack an offer that Cleveland won't match, but that may be tough to pull off.

There's the draft, but do we want use an early pick on a center with the other positions that need to be addressed? If that's the plan, do we start a Marcus Martin, Weston Richburg or Travis Swanson from day one protecting Brady and calling out the signals, or give him time to develop and start the season with Connolly at center?

Wendell needs to be replaced, no doubt. I'm just not sure if the answer is one of those veteran free agents, a draft pick, or sliding Connolly over.

As players drop, I think one of the top centers (there aren't any blue chippers anyway) should drop. They should be able to pick up arguably a top rated center in the mid to lower rounds.

The top three have no higher than second and third round grades meaning they could drop further as teams try to fill other needs.

Also, they were working Barker at Center and have free agent Braxton Cave and Josh Kline played well at guard, and Cannon could be a road grader if he improves there.

about Barker...

the fact that the Patriots kept him on the active roster, rather than trying to land him on the practice squad, speaks to the idea that the Patriots see some developmental value in him

Chris Barker - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN

The new coach seems aggressive, so it could be a competition among potential candidates, maybe with Connolly starting initially. O Line seems to be the position with the most improvement through practice and development.

 

[Brady6]

I am not against resigning Wendell personally. I think we could do a one-year deal for around $1M. He was very good as a run blocker, he struggled allowing 37 pass disruptions, but that was not an issue in 2012. I want to replace him but I would do it through the draft with Marcus Martin (at pick #62) and having Wendell would offer insurance. I would move Cannon to right guard and ask Connolly to take a pay cut or release him and sign a solid veteran guard to compete with Cannon. I would also draft Joel Bitonio to be the heir apparent for Mankins.

 

[Jimke]

Replacing Wendell with Connolly is probably not the answer. Connolly
allowed 33 pass hurries last year, almost as many as Wendell (37).
There has to be a bigger and better young center than Wendell in free agency. The trouble is he will cost 4-5 million per year. Maybe, the
Pats are counting on Cave. He was a highly ranked UDFA.

 

[mayoclinic]

One more reason not to sign Mack - he would count against the Patriots in the 2015 comp pick calculations.

I can't see that that would be much of a factor.

Solidify the interior OL for the next 5 years vs. get a higher comp pick in 2015. Not much of a question, IMO.

 

[Kontradiction]

There's a few ways they could do it. They could sign Goodwin and draft Su'a-filo. They can move Connolly to center and sign a FA on the cheap like Colon. Or they can draft Su'a-filo with their first round pick (Pats fans goes up in flames) and then draft one of the many talented center prospects on days two or three. There's a lot of flexibility there. I'm just happy the team is past the Wendell er(ror)a.

 

[DaBruinz]

Replacing Wendell with Connolly is probably not the answer. Connolly
allowed 33 pass hurries last year, almost as many as Wendell (37).
There has to be a bigger and better young center than Wendell in free agency. The trouble is he will cost 4-5 million per year. Maybe, the
Pats are counting on Cave. He was a highly ranked UDFA.

Who are these "bigger, better, younger" centers you keep talking about?

Last I looked, there are only 2 left that fall into that Category. Mack and De La Puente. And Mack is likely getting his contract matched.