Held Hostage by the OT Position

[mgteich]

The interior and run game look good because the interior blocking is good. It looks shaky in pass protection because the edges at tackle are shaky. None of these tackles are going to be dominant, the most we can hope for is a bandaid until next year's draft and free agency.

They need to give up on Lowe already, the guy doesn't have it... he sucks. Chuks is what he is, maybe not better than Lowe... we'll see.

Hope at tackle lays in Calvin Anderson, Caedan Wallace, Zuri Henry and the kid they brought in today Kellen Diesch. There's a reason to be concerned about the tackle position in 2024, this is a big unknown and there's no stud rookie sitting there waiting to develop.

OK, believe as you will.

Wallace may very well be a stud rookie at RT, waiting to develop. And just perhaps, we can run behind Andrews-Onwenu-Wallace or even Andrews-Sow-Wallace.

 

[AQPE]

The biggest question here is whether they have the right coaches in place. Are they capable of taking guys with decent skills and molding the group into an effective unit?

I’m OK with being patient, my tickets are paid for and I accept that this is a bridge year. I’m encouraged that Wallace got 1st team reps at LT and the reports indicated he wasn’t a debacle there. Small steps.

I’m expecting Chuks to start at the beginning of the season, probably at LT, with one of Wallace, Anderson, and Lowe duking it out for the other starting spot and the swing tackle role. I liked Diesch coming into the draft a couple of years back, don’t know why it didn’t pan out for him yet, don’t know a thing about Zuri Henry, haven’t seen his name except on his forum but his measurements look good. This is where coaching is crucial, three young guys with good measurements to mold, three still relatively young veterans with NFL reps. I think a good coach can work with that and get decent performance from the group.

Unless we see something totally shocking (in a good way) this year, drafting top level talent for OT next spring is an absolute must. I’ve also been thinking that if it is a fiasco at OT early, Bakhtiari and Humphries are still out there.

 

[mgteich]

The biggest question here is whether they have the right coaches in place. Are they capable of taking guys with decent skills and molding the group into an effective unit?

I’m OK with being patient, my tickets are paid for and I accept that this is a bridge year. I’m encouraged that Wallace got 1st team reps at LT and the reports indicated he wasn’t a debacle there. Small steps.

I’m expecting Chuks to start at the beginning of the season, probably at LT, with one of Wallace, Anderson, and Lowe duking it out for the other starting spot and the swing tackle role. I liked Diesch coming into the draft a couple of years back, don’t know why it didn’t pan out for him yet, don’t know a thing about Zuri Henry, haven’t seen his name except on his forum but his measurements look good. This is where coaching is crucial, three young guys with good measurements to mold, three still relatively young veterans with NFL reps. I think a good coach can work with that and get decent performance from the group.

Unless we see something totally shocking (in a good way) this year, drafting top level talent for OT next spring is an absolute must. I’ve also been thinking that if it is a fiasco at OT early, Bakhtiari and Humphries are still out there.

I think that we'd move Onwenu to RT before we'd sign a free agent starter. Then, one of the many backup guards would start at RG.

However, I don't expect that to happen. I expect Anderson and Wallace to be part of the 3-man corps of OT's, with Lowe as the option if needed. I could even see us carrying four OT's, including Lowe or one of the developmental OT's. After all, as we well know, OT's are hard to find.

 

[State]

C Wallace looks the Part he couldn't play LT in College for obvious reasons and would if there was an injury. That's Good Scouting from our Organization to get him in the Third after the run on Offensive Tackles. A lot of Good Offensive Tackles in the League weren't First Rounders you have to do your homework on some of them and sometimes it pays off.

Remember he was plan B. Blake Fisher, the RT at Notre Dame playing with LT Joe Alt, was plan A.

Very smart on the GM’s part not to panic. Taught well by his highly respected dad, Ron Wolf.

 

[State]

On Jake Andrews he hasn't shown anything to say he's more than a back up: Michael Jordan is ahead of him at Center. Jake Andrews should be a sure PS candidate

Very interesting take. I think you may be correct.

Not sure why BB drafted JA so high. He played at Troy and no one had him rated highly.

 

[Wozzy]

OK, believe as you will.

Wallace may very well be a stud rookie at RT, waiting to develop. And just perhaps, we can run behind Andrews-Onwenu-Wallace or even Andrews-Sow-Wallace.

I don't see "stud," if we're very lucky Wallace, Henry, Anderson and Diesch might become serviceable.

Maybe Wallace makes a big leap in year two, after a year in the strength and conditioning program.

 

[mgteich]

I don't see "stud," if we're very lucky Wallace, Henry, Anderson and Diesch might become serviceable.

Maybe Wallace makes a big leap in year two, after a year in the strength and conditioning program.

I have no words for someone that would consider Wallace comparable to Diesch.

If you consider Wallace a bandaid at RT for 2024, then so be it.

 

[Wozzy]

I have no words for someone that would consider Wallace comparable to Diesch.

If you consider Wallace a bandaid at RT for 2024, then so be it.

You should probably wait to see how Wallace performs before you declare him "a stud" or more than serviceable... you could look pretty foolish if he struggles.

Wallace could improve, get a lot stronger and be a better player next season, like I said above and have said about countless rookies the Pat's have drafted in the past.

Very few rookies are ready to step into the NFL and start immediately, some will be ready after some further development. You're putting a lot of faith in a third round offensive tackle.

 

[mgteich]

You should probably wait to see how Wallace performs before you declare him "a stud" or more than serviceable... you could look pretty foolish if he struggles.

Wallace could improve, get a lot stronger and be a better player next season, like I said above and have said about countless rookies the Pat's have drafted in the past.

Very few rookies are ready to step into the NFL and start immediately, some will be ready after some further development. You're putting a lot of faith in a third round offensive tackle.

Ok, top draft choices are equal. Let's wait until the end of next year before we speculate that Wallace is a potential stud.
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For me, I expect Wallace to start. I hope that it is at RT so that we can see us run behind Andrews-Onwenu-Wallace. There will be many, many hiccups along the way to a rookie developing. That isn't a reason not expecting him to succeed.

There is no reason to believe that Okorafor won't be what he was hired to be: a below average veteran starter at LT.

Nothing has changed for weeks.

 

[Wozzy]

Ok, top draft choices are equal. Let's wait until the end of next year before we speculate that Wallace is a potential stud.
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For me, I expect Wallace to start. I hope that it is at RT so that we can see us run behind Andrews-Onwenu-Wallace. There will be many, many hiccups along the way to a rookie developing. That isn't a reason not expecting him to succeed.

There is no reason to believe that Okorafor won't be what he was hired to be: a below average veteran starter at LT.

Nothing has changed for weeks.

I hope Wallace does start because the alternative is a disaster. Right now we have Vederian Lowe repping at one tackle spot... that is horrendous. Okorafor can't be anything but a below average starting tackle... two of them could make passing long a nonstarter.

Like I said above, Wallace, Anderson, Henry and Diesch are the only hope at having good tackle play. That's about as complimentary as I can be.

 

[captain stone]

Very interesting take. I think you may be correct.

Not sure why BB drafted JA so high. He played at Troy and no one had him rated highly.

Why was Jake the Latest Fake drafted so highly, when Every Single scouting service had him pegged as a late day-3/UDFA talent?

Because Bill & Al Groh’s kid are ****ING IDIOTS.

 

[mgteich]

Like I said above, Wallace, Anderson, Henry and Diesch are the only hope at having good tackle play. That's about as complimentary as I can be.

Yes, we disagree. I think the hopes for good OT play are Okorafor, Wallace and Anderson.

You think that "Wallace, Anderson, Henry and Diesch are the only hope at having good tackle play"

 

[AQPE]

Why was Jake the Latest Fake drafted so highly, when Every Single scouting service had him pegged as a late day-3/UDFA talent?

Because Bill & Al Groh’s kid are ****ING IDIOTS.

Only took a few hours for the ultimate conformation of the veracity of this post. What an absolute disgrace. But I’m sure no one still around other than Groh has any culpability.

Andrews #107
Jones #111

No worries, they don’t need Dawand Jones, too risky. After all they have Tyrone Wheatley’s kid to play RT, Pierre Strong at RB3, and that stud … wait,what?

Oh ****.

 

[PancakeBlockPaul]

The interior and run game look good because the interior blocking is good. It looks shaky in pass protection because the edges at tackle are shaky. None of these tackles are going to be dominant, the most we can hope for is a bandaid until next year's draft and free agency.

They need to give up on Lowe already, the guy doesn't have it... he sucks. Chuks is what he is, maybe not better than Lowe... we'll see.

Hope at tackle lays in Calvin Anderson, Caedan Wallace, Zuri Henry and the kid they brought in today Kellen Diesch. There's a reason to be concerned about the tackle position in 2024, this is a big unknown and there's no stud rookie sitting there waiting to develop.

Woz, you are spot on as always. Especially about Lowe..... The dude gives me Marshal Newhouse turnstile vibes...The cupboard must truly be bare in the league if this is all we can get OT wise. Well, that and the fact we are not a top location to go to these days doesn't help either. The next few years will truly be a test for fans.

 

[Wozzy]

Yes, we disagree. I think the hopes for good OT play are Okorafor, Wallace and Anderson.

You think that "Wallace, Anderson, Henry and Diesch are the only hope at having good tackle play"

Okorafor can play, but I said "good."

 

[mgteich]

Okorafor can play, but I said "good."

He's likely better than Anderson, certainly better than the last 2 scrubs you list who will be lucky to make the Practice Squad.

But, sure Okorafor could be as low as #3 OT.

 

[Wozzy]

Woz, you are spot on as always. Especially about Lowe..... The dude gives me Marshal Newhouse turnstile vibes...The cupboard must truly be bare in the league if this is all we can get OT wise. Well, that and the fact we are not a top location to go to these days doesn't help either. The next few years will truly be a test for fans.

I'm hoping that Wallace and Zuri Henry are moving up the depth chart the way Sow did last year through camp, hope they're playing their best ball by week one and we can count on them.

Diesch is an unknown, but he is not without athleticism. Anderson is a failsafe at one tackle spot, he can play every spot except center which makes him a versatile bench piece... assuming he's healthy. The tackle position is tenuous at best and the depth on the line is thinner now without Jake Andrews. With supreme health, there's an outside shot at good line play.... but it's not looking great right now.

 

[Wozzy]

He's likely better than Anderson, certainly better than the last 2 scrubs you list who will be lucky to make the Practice Squad.

But, sure Okorafor could be as low as #3 OT.

He wasn't good in Pittsburgh, but he'll be good now... we'll see.

 

[mgteich]

He wasn't good in Pittsburgh, but he'll be good now... we'll see.

Good, so-so or bad, he is probably our best starter at LT in 29=024, and our probable one, as was likely the day they signed him.

I hope that he is 'good" enough to compete to be our backup OT in 2024.

 

[Hugepatsfan]

I'm excited/optimistic about the interior trio of Sow/Andrews/Onwenu. I think that could be a very high performing group.

The OT situation looks like a mess. My hope is that, if not to start the year then by the end, Wallace has grown to the point where he's at least worth giving a chance to develop at one OT spot. More likely to be RT than LT but we'll see. Not even saying for him to be a good starter there, just show flashes of eventually being a passable starter. I'd be ok if he plays spotty so long as it looks like developmental project worth investing in.

For the other spot, my realistic hope is just that Okorafor and/or Anderson can combine to be bad but not sooooooooooooo bad that it ruins the whole offense.