THE OL REBUILD - IS STRANGE HEALTHY?

[PWRxWLF]

If Okorafor was going to work out, he would have worked out for the Steelers. Bad players don’t suddenly become good players just by changing their uniforms.

100% agreed. We’ve never seen a guy go from one team playing like a bust go to another team and turn their career around. We know you’re pissed Wozzy, but come on.

 

[Wozzy]

100% agreed. We’ve never seen a guy go from one team playing like a bust go to another team and turn their career around. We know you’re pissed Wozzy, but come on.

Linemen don't require other players around them be good to win one on one matchups.

We traded back in the draft last year and gave the Steelers the draft pick for them to replace Okorafor, their line had been terrible for years. He's not magically going to be good now.

 

[JohnJH]

Easley, he wasn't even a great athlete on top of having bad knees leaving college... he was a dual threat. Harry was at least a great athlete, he's just mentally soft and has no competitive fire.

Strange is a very good guard when healthy, suggesting he's a bust is absurd. If he becomes a consistent injury problem, that's another story, but as long as he's healthy you have a near pro bowl level guard.

So far, he's a bust (especially considered where he was drafted) and by no means absurd. Disagree with me, yes. Absurd, no. And thus far in his career, he been consistently unhealthy.

 

[hornetfb85]

I just barfed a little in my mouth.

Imagine how Jacoby Brissett feels. Probably looking to up his medical insurance.

 

[hornetfb85]

Leverett over Mafi

 

[Wozzy]

So far, he's a bust (especially considered where he was drafted) and by no means absurd. Disagree with me, yes. Absurd, no. And thus far in his career, he been consistently unhealthy.

Based on what?

He played the third most snaps on the Patriot's offense his rookie season.

He hurt the knee that would eventually require surgery at the very end of training camp last season and played through it anyway. He started ten games on an injured knee.

David Andrews said he was playing the best ball of his young career despite the injury when he injured the same knee again against the Chiefs. You'd think Patriot fans would respect a player playing through injury, but the more important thing is that BB drafted him at the end of the first round and BB was a meanie... so by default Strange has to suck at his job.

This is just anti BB bullsht.

If Strange is healthy, he's a very good starter and can get out and run at an elite level. He's an exceptional athlete, strong and smart. If he keeps getting injured, then he becomes an injury "bust" by default... but nobody can say he plays consistently bad football.

 

[Wozzy]

Leverett over Mafi

If Mafi doesn't make a second year leap possibly, but he showed flashes later in the season last year.

He was trying to learn the pro game in a dysfunctional mess and coaching situation as a rookie, that's a tall ask.

 

[TheRainMaker]

I'm now torn as to who was the worst BB 1st Round Pick; Easley, Harry, or Strange?

Wynn absolutely should be in the conversation. He offered nothing to the team in 2018. Went on IR for 4 straight years. Was bad when he played.

While Wilfork's career was coming to an end, they needed help at WR. Easley was a very bizarre pick. Picked a DT again in 2015 1st round. I remember Pats media overrating his fake pressures and he eventually showed how bad of a player he was. There was a trickle down effect as it caused Bill to not be aggressive in re-signing Akiem Hicks. By the time Bill contacted Hicks, he had already made up his mind and wanted to sign with Chicago.

We all know about Harry. It looks like Brady wanted out after all and the horrendous 2019 draft had not much to do with it.

Strange is not Wynn level, but he's on that path. This is his last year to get it together or else he'll be fighting for a job elsewhere.

 

[mgteich]

If Mafi doesn't make a second year leap possibly, but he showed flashes later in the season last year.

He was trying to learn the pro game in a dysfunctional mess and coaching situation as a rookie, that's a tall ask.

Yes, it was a tall order to expect Sow or Andrews or Mafi to learn as rookie amid the chaos.

The team seems very confident with the progress Of Sow and Andrews.

Mafi is a question mark. In some sense, both Sow and Andrews were projected to be better players, and they are.

I see Mafi as on the bubble as he was last year.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Anyone else notice Strange looks like a cross between Nate Solder without facial hair and Andrew Luck with facial hair?

 

[Stu Pidassle]

I'm now torn as to who was the worst BB 1st Round Pick; Easley, Harry, or Strange?

Lets triangulate to find the answer. One was a Gronk like injury risk who did not bother to try, one was in the lineup for an unproductive few years and one started game 1 as a rookie.

 

[Wozzy]

Yes, it was a tall order to expect Sow or Andrews or Mafi to learn as rookie amid the chaos.

The team seems very confident with the progress Of Sow and Andrews.

Mafi is a question mark. In some sense, both Sow and Andrews were projected to be better players, and they are.

I see Mafi as on the bubble as he was last year.

Mafi was hard to judge as an armchair GM, he didn't work out at all prior to the draft.

Why I gave him leeway as an evaluator was the Patriot's staff coached him at the Shrine Bowl where he apparently shined... also he's just big and buries guys when he's on.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

Strange is on the Wynn plan

 

[Real fan 02]

From what little I have been able to find, Strange probably had a left knee patellar tendon rupture. Typical recovery time is six months, which would mean that he would not participate in OTAs, but would be ready to go for the start of training camp.

I don't really subscribe to the sky is falling with the OL.. there are only really 2 positions as mayo mentioned that will come to fruition in camp.. of course LT and RG.. everywhere else is solid.

We have some athletic guys we drafted I'm very interested in seeing how the group comes to get to protect maye.

 

[Wozzy]

Strange is on the Wynn plan

One knee injury makes him “injury prone,” I’ll let Tom Brady back in 2008 know.

 

[Ross12]

My current projection based on the roster makeup:

CENTER:
David Andrews (starter)
Jake Andrews

GUARD:
Cole Strange* (starts out on PUP)
Sidy Sow (starter, LG)
Nick Leverett (starter, RG)
Layden Robinson

TACKLE:
Chukwuma Okorafor (starter, LT)
Michael Onwenu (starter, RT)
Calvin Anderson (swing tackle)
Caeden Wallace
Vederian Lowe

Perhaps Mafi sticks, and perhaps McDermott keeps a job over Lowe, but this is how I see it looking right now.

The goal would be to develop Robinson and Wallace to start the year and let them take starting jobs if/once they prove themselves. If Robinson outplays Leverett at some point then start him at RG. When Strange gets back, play the better of him/Sow at LG. If Wallace adapts well to LT and outplays Okorafor eventually then let him start at that time.

Several of these vets are on 1 year deals (Okorafor, Leverett) or expiring deals (D. Andrews, Anderson) so you can see why some of these picks make a little more sense with an eye towards 2025.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

One knee injury makes him “injury prone,” I’ll let Tom Brady back in 2008 know.

Brady and strange cut from the same cloth

 

[Wozzy]

Brady and strange cut from the same cloth

If one knee injury makes a player injury prone, then many of the greatest players in history were injury prone. Just silly...

 

[Wozzy]

My current projection based on the roster makeup:

CENTER:
David Andrews (starter)
Jake Andrews

GUARD:
Cole Strange* (starts out on PUP)
Sidy Sow (starter, LG)
Nick Leverett (starter, RG)
Layden Robinson

TACKLE:
Chukwuma Okorafor (starter, LT)
Michael Onwenu (starter, RT)
Calvin Anderson (swing tackle)
Caeden Wallace
Vederian Lowe

Perhaps Mafi sticks, and perhaps McDermott keeps a job over Lowe, but this is how I see it looking right now.

The goal would be to develop Robinson and Wallace to start the year and let them take starting jobs if/once they prove themselves. If Robinson outplays Leverett at some point then start him at RG. When Strange gets back, play the better of him/Sow at LG. If Wallace adapts well to LT and outplays Okorafor eventually then let him start at that time.

Several of these vets are on 1 year deals (Okorafor, Leverett) or expiring deals (D. Andrews, Anderson) so you can see why some of these picks make a little more sense with an eye towards 2025.

If I had to guess now..

LT (2) – Calvin Anderson, Chukwuma Okorafor, Zuri Henry (PS),
LG (1) – Antonio Mafi, Cole Strange (PUP),
C (3) – David Andrews, Jake Andrews, Layden Robinson, Charles Turner (PS),
RG (1) – Sidy Sow,
RT (2) – Michael Onwenu, Caedan Wallace, Conor McDermott, Tyrone Wheatley (PS)

Not that I think all these guys will land on the practice squad, but probably a number of them will.

 

[Spiral]

Lots of hate for Mafi here, who was a 5th round draft pick last year and was forced to play b/c of injuries to other guys.

So much for all the talk about draft and develop.