Addressing the LT Position

[RayClay]

When I was much, much younger, I knew a few girls who people said that about. They all turned out to be great "players", actually.

It's all about the team.

 

[archstanton543]

Throwing meaningless **** against the wall is no argument either.

It's not meaningless ****. My posts are backed up by facts, broheim. And one shouldn't be afraid to take a LT in the first round. No matter where they're picking. The Pats usually draft O-linemen well. And the Pats won't be picking at 30-32 this year...(I reserve the right to change this opinion but as of today with their D they won't go far in the playoffs)

 

[luuked]

It's not meaningless ****. My posts are backed up by facts, broheim. And one shouldn't be afraid to take a LT in the first round. No matter where they're picking. The Pats usually draft O-linemen well. And the Pats won't be picking at 30-32 this year...(I reserve the right to change this opinion but as of today with their D they won't go far in the playoffs)

Your facts were literally it doesnt matter what evidence shows for the past 5-6 drafts because it happened to other teams and we are the Patriots:

We're not talking about KC or LA. We're talking about the Patriots.

Hi! Welcome to Patsfans.com!

Which is meaningless garbage. You keep claiming how easy it is to draft great lineman in the first round even though the last couple of drafts have proven otherwise and most experts (Hello Mr. Lombardi) keep hammering how hard it is to find ones that dont need 1-2 years of development.

Nobody is saying you shouldnt take shots (the opposite in fact) but that getting a player like Solder (6 year starter) is already a success story. So drafting someone that can be an upgrade is not particularly likely.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

I've heard some (literally) friend of friend rumors that Solder's son's cancer is back

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Our best option right now at LT is Nate Solder

 

[maineman209]

I've heard some (literally) friend of friend rumors that Solder's son's cancer is back

That thought had also crossed my mind. Terribly sad if it turns out to be true.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Your facts were literally it doesnt matter what evidence shows for the past 5-6 drafts because it happened to other teams and we are the Patriots:



Which is meaningless garbage. You keep claiming how easy it is to draft great lineman in the first round even though the last couple of drafts have proven otherwise and most experts (Hello Mr. Lombardi) keep hammering how hard it is to find ones that dont need 1-2 years of development.

Nobody is saying you shouldnt take shots (the opposite in fact) but that getting a player like Solder (6 year starter) is already a success story. So drafting someone that can be an upgrade is not particularly likely.

The bolded portion is most important - the Pats do this at many positions, but especially at tackle. They draft guys before they need them, then spend some time developing them. Solder was drafted while we still had Light and Seabass, Cannon and Fleming were drafted while we had Seabass and Solder. Flowers was drafted while we still had Jones and Nink, White was drafted while we still had Vereen.

I think there's a good chance that the team views Garcia as Solder's most likely successor, and identified him as a guy who needed a solid year of development before he'd be ready. The scouting reports on him were that he's an outstanding athlete who needs time to add weight and refine his technique, which is exactly the sort of report you'd expect to hear on someone drafted to be your LT after 1-2 years of development. Seems like drafting tackles and hoping they'll be immediately ready to start is kind of a fool's errand these days, so might as well draft projects when everyone is a project. It'll be interesting to see if this plan--assuming its correct--has been affected by his injury. Tough to imagine that it wouldn't be.

 

[captain stone]

He started 13 of 16 games but whatever.

I stand corrected, although almost all of his starts were at RT.

 

[dafoe2016]

This is slowly sliding into comedy territory.

How is a player who has been a starter for over 6 years now, not a first round pick success story ? Do you expect every first round pick to be a HoF level player ? He wont be a player like Thomas or as consistent as Tyron Smith but how many players are ?

Nothing comical about it unless you are easily amused. If I'm taking a tackle in the teens and he is not an above average player I don't consider that to be a homerun. Sorry, I don't. Never said it was an abysmal failure either. It was an okay pick. Bill usually does better in that range.

 

[luuked]

Nothing comical about it unless you are easily amused. If I'm taking a tackle in the teens and he is not an above average player I don't consider that to be a homerun. Sorry, I don't. Never said it was an abysmal failure either. It was an okay pick. Bill usually does better in that range.

A starter since 2011 on the OL is nowadays as close as you get to a home run. It doesnt matter if that player is drafted in the top 5 or top 20.

If you expect (borderline) HoF level play just because someone is drafted in the first round you are setting yourself up for disappointment because as we all know the draft is a **** show.

 

[maineman209]

Nothing comical about it unless you are easily amused. If I'm taking a tackle in the teens and he is not an above average player I don't consider that to be a homerun. Sorry, I don't. Never said it was an abysmal failure either. It was an okay pick. Bill usually does better in that range.

"Bill usually does better in that range."

Context?

Here are the OTs who were drafted in 2011 after Solder:

#22 - Castonzo - IND ... still starting LT for IND; pretty crappy his first two seasons; has gradually achieved adequacy since

#29 - Carimi - CHI ... two crap seasons at RT in CHI; one as a reserve LG in TBY; one as utility reserve OL in ATL; out of football since the end of 2014

#32 - Sherrod - GBY ... four season in GBY with only ONE start; out of football since the end of 2014

#46 - Franklin - DEN ... starting RT thru 2013, starting LG in 2014 for DEN; started at LG for SDG 2015-16; currently a free agent

#49 - Ijalana - IND ... 4 games/0 starts in 2011 for IND before tearing ACL; tore it again before 2012 season; claimed off waivers by NYJ at start of 2013; 3 games/0 starts for NYJ in 2014, OUT 2015, 13 starts 2016, 0 starts so far in 2017

#63 - Gilbert - PIT ... starting RT for PIT since 2011, though often injured

#85* - Jah Reid - BAL ... 7 starts at LG over his first four seasons in BAL; 10 starts at RG/RT for KCY in 2015, one start at RG in 2016; spent 3 weeks on the HOU roster this season after being released by KCY; currently a free agent
[*Garcia was drafted at #85 this year.]

So, do ya think that just maybe BB actually got the best OT who was left on the board in that particular draft? Or is there some logical reason to believe that BB could have "done better" in that draft that I'm not understanding?