Interior OL

[Hugepatsfan]

I thought that many mediots think that Campbell's next chance for success in the NFL is at LG.

But, yes, you are correct.

I am indeed trying to convince myself that Campbell is good enough to be our LT for the next 5 years.

I feel ya on that. It’s a shame. We’re picking #4. There should be a LT there that we feel comfortable taking. Unfortunately it just feels like a year that there isn’t. But then again, it kind of feels like there isn’t any player to really get excited about. It feels like a 2 (non QB) player draft in Carter and Hunter and there doesn’t seem to be a second QB that’s going to entice anyone to pass on the non QBs or someone to move up and take one.

Part of my hesitation is that LT is kind of pass/fail. You’re not going to rotate multiple of them in. The guy can hack it or he can’t. And then if he can’t you have to move him to a new position at guard where once again, it’s pass/fail. Defensive line (Mason Graham) or WR or DB on the other hand play positions where there’s more wiggle room. A guy can bust at WR as the #4 pick and still have a long, productive career as a #2 or #3. A DT can be a rotational player. A DB can be a #2 or nickel CB. If I have to talk myself into a prospect, I’d rather do it at a spot that isn’t as much pass/fail.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

I feel ya on that. It’s a shame. We’re picking #4. There should be a LT there that we feel comfortable taking. Unfortunately it just feels like a year that there isn’t. But then again, it kind of feels like there isn’t any player to really get excited about. It feels like a 2 (non QB) player draft in Carter and Hunter and there doesn’t seem to be a second QB that’s going to entice anyone to pass on the non QBs or someone to move up and take one.

Part of my hesitation is that LT is kind of pass/fail. You’re not going to rotate multiple of them in. The guy can hack it or he can’t. And then if he can’t you have to move him to a new position at guard where once again, it’s pass/fail. Defensive line (Mason Graham) or WR or DB on the other hand play positions where there’s more wiggle room. A guy can bust at WR as the #4 pick and still have a long, productive career as a #2 or #3. A DT can be a rotational player. A DB can be a #2 or nickel CB. If I have to talk myself into a prospect, I’d rather do it at a spot that isn’t as much pass/fail.

Alt was the best LT in last year's draft and played RT all year for the Chargers. We take Membou at #4, and let him play RT as he learns LT. Membou is 20 years old and still growing into his body while competing against grown men. Sign a LT in FA and draft another developmental tackle this year or next. Move Wallace inside to play guard and solidify that group. OL problems solved.

 

[Real fan 02]

I am . Right now they don’t have starters at both positions, and hope isn’t a plan.

If we headed into week one with Campbell at LT, Strange at LG, Andrews at C, Owenu at RG and Robinson at RT.. with real coaching, real scheme and blocking assignments I think we would be thankful. It would mean it's a step up from the 32nd ranked OL. Unless something changes between FA and the draft. That's probably what the line up will be IMO.

 

[Real fan 02]

Alt was the best LT in last year's draft and played RT all year for the Chargers. We take Membou at #4, and let him play RT as he learns LT. Membou is 20 years old and still growing into his body while competing against grown men. Sign a LT in FA and draft another developmental tackle this year or next. Move Wallace inside to play guard and solidify that group. OL problems solved.

Really like Membou good post One. I definitely think we should take him where do you see him at in the draft?

 

[Real fan 02]

Get in line for the answer to that question and stop cutting people.

Nurtralized is what happened to him.

 

[Real fan 02]

Given how difficult it is to find a quality starting LT in free agency, I think that we are undervaluing Campbell. This is a poor draft. Getting s starting LT at 4 would be a success.

Even if he ends up being a top LG who can back up LT, we will have filled a major need, a 5-year starter on the oL.

Correct! Stanley is expected to resign with Ravens, Jackson already did. There is Cam Robinson out there and sure I'd love to make a run at him especially with Marrone coaching him... however is he a long term fix that can grow with Drake? Not sure he may be a stop gap. So Campbell just makes sense.. the guys a dam mauler.. we haven't had a mauler since mankins.

 

[PowerRunRevival]

I’m for the Pats adding as many new starters to the OL as possible. Surprised that so many are advocating for internal options at both guards. The offensive line was so bad last year that literally all of the positions should be up for grabs.

I personally think the pats should target as many as 4 new starters at the ol in free agency and the draft. I also think they will have trouble spending all their cap space in free agency so I don’t buy the idea that we should go in house at the o line to save money for other players in free agency.

Will Fries, Becton, Ryan Kelly, Mekari, Jenkins all would help the team immediately. Obviously tackle is more of a need than guard or center, but if the best lineman available are guards and centers then that is what they should add. Pats need good players all over the roster and OL is no different.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

The Pats can target two tackles and move Wallace to guard. Then they have Strange, J Andrews, D Andrews, Robinson, Sow, Onwenu, and Wallace. We can probably find 3 guards out of those 7.

 

[Wozzy]

I am mostly fine with this - I like what you did with RT, because out of Udoh, Becton and Wallace you're probably bound to get at least one decent starting RT. Things also look fine at RG.

There are a few pain points though from center over. David Andrews, Cole Strange, and Jedrick Wills all have injury history issues. Andrews is also old and near retirement, and Cole Strange may be a primary center now as well. Even if they stick with that lineup, you'd have to worry about all 3 of those starters staying healthy.

I'd personally rather start Cole Strange at center and keep D.Andrews and J.Andrews as backups, with J.Andrews being a depth C and G. Then, sign or draft a new LG, but pencil in Sidy Sow as the starting LG for time being. He was fine under McDaniels previously, so hoping last year was a weird one-off regression under different coaching. Ideally though you're signing someone else because you'll end up very thin there.

Agree with this, just think if David Andrews gets relegated to backup or doesn’t have the juice anymore he’ll retire.

Otherwise they need to stay healthy, but they have some talented interior linemen if they do.

 

[Real fan 02]

I’m for the Pats adding as many new starters to the OL as possible. Surprised that so many are advocating for internal options at both guards. The offensive line was so bad last year that literally all of the positions should be up for grabs.

I personally think the pats should target as many as 4 new starters at the ol in free agency and the draft. I also think they will have trouble spending all their cap space in free agency so I don’t buy the idea that we should go in house at the o line to save money for other players in free agency.

Will Fries, Becton, Ryan Kelly, Mekari, Jenkins all would help the team immediately. Obviously tackle is more of a need than guard or center, but if the best lineman available are guards and centers then that is what they should add. Pats need good players all over the roster and OL is no different.

The fact of the Matter is the top OL are all going to be retained by their respective teams. So rather than trying to completely tear down the OL.. you add a LT, sign some other guys and let them all dictate thier jobs in camp battle.

Simply having 5 competent starters on the OL, and not relying on PS players to protect Drake will make a world of difference.

 

[Ross12]

Agree with this, just think if David Andrews gets relegated to backup or doesn’t have the juice anymore he’ll retire.

Otherwise they need to stay healthy, but they have some talented interior linemen if they do.

It's possible, but then if he's your starting C again, then what was the point of training and using Strange at C last year? Just to see what it looked like? I am assuming that was done at the behest of the front office. Then again, what those guys wanted last year is not necessarily going to be part of the planning this year with Vrabel in charge.

I am just a little hesitant to roll D.Andrews and Strange out there as your C and LG when one is knocking on retirement's door and the other is not particularly durable. Strange is too athletic NOT to use, though...

 

[Wozzy]

It's possible, but then if he's your starting C again, then what was the point of training and using Strange at C last year? Just to see what it looked like? I am assuming that was done at the behest of the front office. Then again, what those guys wanted last year is not necessarily going to be part of the planning this year with Vrabel in charge.

Strange played some center in college and at the senior bowl, he had that in his tool chest the entire time. Last year they needed him at center, Ben Brown wasn’t good after one okay game, he got exposed.

I am just a little hesitant to roll D.Andrews and Strange out there as your C and LG when one is knocking on retirement's door and the other is not particularly durable. Strange is too athletic NOT to use, though...

Jake Andrews is a plus athlete, strong and might be able to step in there in year three.

Strange suffered one injury that kept him out a long time because it happened at the end of the previous year and it was a significant injury. Not sure one injury is cause for the “injury prone” label.

Strange would probably be their best answer at center because Onweu and Sow at guard would be a really big athletic interior line. Get some solid tackles and that line would be a load. Strange has unique athleticism, he can pull with the best of them.

 

[Real fan 02]

Strange played some center in college and at the senior bowl, he had that in his tool chest the entire time. Last year they needed him at center, Ben Brown wasn’t good after one okay game, he got exposed.

Jake Andrews is a plus athlete, strong and might be able to step in there in year three.

Strange suffered one injury that kept him out a long time because it happened at the end of the previous year and it was a significant injury. Not sure one injury is cause for the “injury prone” label.

Strange would probably be their best answer at center because Onweu and Sow at guard would be a really big athletic interior line. Get some solid tackles and that line would be a load. Strange has unique athleticism, he can pull with the best of them.

Strange and Jake Andrews need to stay healthy to be beneficial to the team and themselves as players. Strange has the athletic ability to play LG he was solid there prior to him being hurt. It's not his fault he was over drafted. We need him! Some posters will lead you to believe we need a completely new OL altogether.

 

[Wozzy]

Strange and Jake Andrews need to stay healthy to be beneficial to the team and themselves as players. Strange has the athletic ability to play LG he was solid there prior to him being hurt. It's not his fault he was over drafted. We need him! Some posters will lead you to believe we need a completely new OL altogether.

Assuming health and development by the youth they’re pretty set inside.

Both Strange and Jake Andrews had one injury, if they keep getting injured we can slap the injury prone tag on them. Right now they’re just guys who got injured once.

 

[Real fan 02]

Assuming health and development by the youth they’re pretty set inside.

Both Strange and Jake Andrews had one injury, if they keep getting injured we can slap the injury prone tag on them. Right now they’re just guys who got injured once.

Yes and what is the deal with sow?? Was it coaching last season or???

 

[mgteich]

The fact of the Matter is the top OL are all going to be retained by their respective teams. So rather than trying to completely tear down the OL.. you add a LT, sign some other guys and let them all dictate thier jobs in camp battle.

Simply having 5 competent starters on the OL, and not relying on PS players to protect Drake will make a world of difference.

So,
1) Find a starting LT.
2) Let everyone compete for the other positions

and, by MAGIC, we will then have 5 competent starters, a competent swing OT and a competent backup IOL.
=====
Do I have it right?

 

[Real fan 02]

So,
1) Find a starting LT.
2) Let everyone compete for the other positions

and, by MAGIC, we will then have 5 competent starters, a competent swign OT and a comeptent backup IOL.
=====
Do I have it right?

Yeah you have it right. I think Vrabel will follow your expertise. You have not seen what competence looks like since you saw your team hoisting the last Lombardi. Let's start there first.

 

[40yrpatsfan]

I hope Strange transitions fully and successfully to Center. It's a difficult position to address via draft and almost impossible in free agency. We need a long term answer there, Andrews thank you very much but he is done.

Easier to find a LG or even draft one to develop.

D Andrews will be 33 in July, is undersized at 6'2 300, and is coming off a shoulder injury from October. It's likely that Josh & MV will want to move on to a younger bigger player, and I think that will be Cole Strange. He'll be 27 in July, is 6'5 310, moves very well, played center the last 2 games of the year, talented player, under contract.

If so, then without adding anyone else our IOL has Onwenu at RG, Sow at LG, Robinson as backup guard, Jake Andrews as backup C/G, and Ben Brown as a backup center. That's half-decent assuming Sow regains his 2023 form - not our worst unit.

For OT we need help - the only guy with potential is Wallace who I see as a 3rd/swing tackle, so we need a starting LT and RT. Campbell would probably be OK at LT, certainly an upgrade. But Membou looks like he could be a premier RT, so if we go OT with the 1st pick I'd go for Membou, then get a 2nd tier FA for LT like Cam Robinson or Dan Moore while we continue to look for a solution, plus draft a mid-round OT. So Membou at RT, Robinson or Moore at LT, and Wallace + mid-round draft choice as depth.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Really like Membou good post One. I definitely think we should take him where do you see him at in the draft?

I am not sure how to play it. Not even sure if we can trade down because who wants to trade with us? I think we will be stuck with Graham or Membou or another at #4. I used to think Sanders would go to the Giants at #3, but now I wonder.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

D Andrews will be 33 in July, is undersized at 6'2 300, and is coming off a shoulder injury from October. It's likely that Josh & MV will want to move on to a younger bigger player, and I think that will be Cole Strange. He'll be 27 in July, is 6'5 310, moves very well, played center the last 2 games of the year, talented player, under contract.

If so, then without adding anyone else our IOL has Onwenu at RG, Sow at LG, Robinson as backup guard, Jake Andrews as backup C/G, and Ben Brown as a backup center. That's half-decent assuming Sow regains his 2023 form - not our worst unit.

For OT we need help - the only guy with potential is Wallace who I see as a 3rd/swing tackle, so we need a starting LT and RT. Campbell would probably be OK at LT, certainly an upgrade. But Membou looks like he could be a premier RT, so if we go OT with the 1st pick I'd go for Membou, then get a 2nd tier FA for LT like Cam Robinson or Dan Moore while we continue to look for a solution, plus draft a mid-round OT. So Membou at RT, Robinson or Moore at LT, and Wallace + mid-round draft choice as depth.

I agree with all of that, except Wallace could potentially kick inside to guard with Onwenu and Strange maybe leaving next year.