Can the Line hold up?

[50-yard-line]

I pretty much agree, although one of the rookies might be able to take the OG position, but they have more than enough $ to sign a vet if they need to. Like you I’m just a layman talking football, but I think Strange could make that move, and itt would certainly justify his draft cost, although I think guards are now at a much higher premium that they used to be, as nothing blows up an offense faster than pressure up the middle. I’m hopeful Klemm can become their next great OL coach, as losing Scar has really hurt them the past couple of seasons.

Mafi might get there, sure - maybe Sow, if tackle doesn't work out (I think it will - just a hunch).

Risner is young, big, has started 62 games in his career and is only 28. I've never heard a bad word about him. Not sure what he's looking for $$$-wise, but he is everything we're hoping some of the young'uns can become.

The Pats have money - lots of money. The Pats need RELIABLE OL help, lots of RELIABLE OL help!

They couldn’t have taken a shot after Gonzalez and White? There are seven rounds, they could have thrown a few darts at least to see if we could get a capable OT out of it.

They drafted three interior lineman after selecting Cole Strange with their first pick last season.

They took three shots - including the next pick and another in the 4th round, and a 5th-rounder, who might be the most promising of the three.

Note that they took none of the OTs, which means they didn't think they would be upgrades.

 

[Family]

I'm re-watching the offensive part of the game, focused just on the o-line.

Conor McDermott is a major concern.We look to him as stability, but until recently he was just a practice squad jag, and that's what he looks like.

Russey/McDermott/Sow constantly getting beat 1-1 like not even pros. Mafi seemed the best of the bunch.

Even when the tackles, McDermott and Sow, were given double team help, they still seemed to struggle.

 

[State]

The Pats don't like to pay for OL - they lost Thuney in a contract that no longer seems unreasonable.

Yep. Should have kept Ironman Thuney and not resigned Shaq Mason. Captain Stone’s insight.

LG is more important than RG, anyway. RG is the easiest position to fill on the line.

And when they let Karras go for his big payday to Cincinnati, they should have brought someone in to replace him. They did look at Ryan Bates. Could have offered. Didn’t bother. They felt comfortable with Ferentz. Big mistake.

Chicago offered but Buffalo matched. He was a restricted FA.

Now the panic button is being pressed.

And a true LT such as Carter Warren or Jaelyn Duncan could have easily been drafted after our first three picks. We had plenty of ammunition. But Bill was bound and determined to reach for a kicker. A foolish move.

We do miss Dante. Taylor Swift have a song with that title? Pats fan in Viginnie would know.

In the Phil Perry interview with Dante the legend specifically mentions starting talent can be found in the fourth round.

But Bill likes to show off how smart he is. It’s a character flaw. So he takes Sidy Sow, who only played tackle in the MAC as a true freshman in 2018, to develop.

It turns out this potentially good player is undergoing a steep learning curve. Should have been kept as a guard.

 

[State]

I’d even add that swapping tackles last year was an unqualified disaster. And it has led to us parting ways with Isaiah Wynn. We wouldn’t be in so much trouble with Wynn-Sow-J Andrews-Mafi-McDermott. That would have gotten it done in the first preseason game. Players at positions that they can succeed at.

 

[50-yard-line]

And a true LT such as Carter Warren or Jaelyn Duncan could have easily been drafted after our first three picks. We had plenty of ammunition. But Bill was bound and determined to reach for a kicker. A foolish move.

We do miss Dante. Taylor Swift have a song with that title? Pats fan in Viginnie would know.

He would have taken a tackle if he thought there was one worth taking in that spot - one that he thought would be better than Reiff or Anderson NOW. Clearly he didn't.

In the Phil Perry interview with Dante the legend specifically mentions starting talent can be found in the fourth round.

They can - or could be - but that was for INTERIOR OL, not tackles. The only tackle they got after the second round who worked out was Marcus Cannon, and he only dropped because, you know, he had cancer.
They tried with Garcia and McDermott in 2017, but one couldn't get on the field and the other didn't cut it - back then.

But Bill likes to show off how smart he is. It’s a character flaw. So he takes Sidy Sow, who only played tackle in the MAC as a true freshman in 2018, to develop.

This is talk-radio psychobabble based solely on innuendo and "feelings." An honest analysis of the Pats drafting through the run will give alternate and better explanations of WHY certain players were taken, and an honest examination of teams drafting, hits and misses, will show the Pats near the top, not the bottom - and that with picking at or near the bottom pretty much every damned year since 2002, along with two stolen firsts, a third, and a fourth.

It turns out this potentially good player is undergoing a steep learning curve. Should have been kept as a guard.

Why? Mafi has looked pretty good at guard, from all reports, they have Onwenu and a first round pick at guard already. I don't know about Russey or Hines, and I'll bet no one else outside the organization really does, either.

If they can develop Sow at tackle - he has the size and the athleticism - he'd prove to be a steal. If not, well, he's a guard, as per Dante's edict.

 

[Dedhampatsfan]

I’d even add that swapping tackles last year was an unqualified disaster. And it has led to us parting ways with Isaiah Wynn. We wouldn’t be in so much trouble with Wynn-Sow-J Andrews-Mafi-McDermott. That would have gotten it done in the first preseason game. Players at positions that they can succeed at.

Are you actually suggesting we should have kept Isaiah (I'm injured) Wynn? GTHFO/LOL

 

[p8ryts]

Are you actually suggesting we should have kept Isaiah (I'm injured) Wynn? GTHFO/LOL

he was better than he played last year for whatever reason.

 

[Dedhampatsfan]

he was better than he played last year for whatever reason.

Seems he was injured every year with the Pats IIRC. On top of that he seemed to be a penalty machine.

 

[Real fan 02]

Yea thats the issue with injuries. There is nothing you can do to predict them. All you can do is minimize that risk with quality depth.

I agree the line is a serious concern right now. No only the injuries to the starters but the lack of proven, quality depth in this system.

Agreed, if healthy we have a decent line. But as you perfectly said quality depth in this system. Although it was pre season game.. it was terrible to watch offensively outside of Cunningham. I watched some other games on NFL network and teams were playing thier 3rd stringers and they looked fluid offensively..

 

[State]

They can [draft from mid rounds] but that was for INTERIOR OL, not tackles.

Nope. Have you heard the interview?

 

[p8ryts]

Watching Lombardi, evaluating Will Anderson, said, he ran by Sow once but that Sow blocked him. Wish I had taped the game.

 

[mgteich]

Agreed, if healthy we have a decent line. But as you perfectly said quality depth in this system. Although it was pre season game.. it was terrible to watch offensively outside of Cunningham. I watched some other games on NFL network and teams were playing thier 3rd stringers and they looked fluid offensively..

I don't know much about other team's 3rd stringers.

INTERIOR OL
Belichick is probably OK with either Russey or Ferentz as a BACKUP center until Andrews gains more experience (in practice),

I believe Mafi is our #3 OG as of now, but perhaps it is Russey or Ferentz.

Yes, we need Onwenu or Strange to be ready to play.
================
OT

The reality is that McDermott will NOT be starting at LT, not 1st string, not 2nd string and not 3rd string. MAYBE, is out 3rd string RT, maybe not.

We have a month to prepare for Miami. A LOT will happen at OT between now and then. If our SVEN OT options aren't enough, we will sign some one or two off the waiver wire after the cutdown.

OT's: Brown, Reiff, Anderson, McDermott, Sow, Steuber, Onwenu

Personally, I think that both Brown and Reiff will be ready to start the season. If Anderson is still not available, we might sign a LT for a few weeks. I see McDermott as a RT (sow also). Of course, Klemm may find that Steuber is OK as a backup LT (at least for a month).

 

[Real fan 02]

I don't know much about other team's 3rd stringers.

INTERIOR OL
Belichick is probably OK with either Russey or Ferentz as a BACKUP center until Andrews gains more experience (in practice),

I believe Mafi is our #3 OG as of now, but perhaps it is Russey or Ferentz.

Yes, we need Onwenu or Strange to be ready to play.
================
OT

The reality is that McDermott will NOT be starting at LT, not 1st string, not 2nd string and not 3rd string. MAYBE, is out 3rd string RT, maybe not.

We have a month to prepare for Miami. A LOT will happen at OT between now and then. If our SVEN OT options aren't enough, we will sign some one or two off the waiver wire after the cutdown.

OT's: Brown, Reiff, Anderson, McDermott, Sow, Steuber, Onwenu

Personally, I think that both Brown and Reiff will be ready to start the season. If Anderson is still not available, we might sign a LT for a few weeks. I see McDermott as a RT (sow also). Of course, Klemm may find that Steuber is OK as a backup LT (at least for a month).

Agreed with everything you've posted. I'll just say this.. at this point it's all about week 1 and beyond. The best 5 that are out there will have to be ready to go and play sound. We are tested right out the gate with that eagles defensive front.

What I mentioned about other teams is.. the teams that played over the weekend had thier 3rd line players and they looked fluid offensely. So what does that say about our 3rd line players.

 

[50-yard-line]

Nope. Have you heard the interview?

No, I'm just going by the reality that almost every really good tackle in the NFL was drafted in the 1st round, a couple in the 2nd, and the occasional third.

 

[State]

You must be new here, 50. Cuz every Patriots championship had _no_ starting tackles from the first round. Unf—king believable if true. Can someone verify?

I blame Dante. It’s his fault. Seabass, Matt Light, Greg Randall-Robinson, Nick from Toledo, etc.

UD: Not to forget Nate Solder. But I just remembered him. A first-rounder. Drats!

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Watching Lombardi, evaluating Will Anderson, said, he ran by Sow once but that Sow blocked him. Wish I had taped the game.

Is there a link? I could not find it.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

You must be new here, 50. Cuz every Patriots championship had _no_ starting tackles from the first round. Unf—king believable if true. Can someone verify?

I blame Dante. It’s his fault. Seabass, Matt Light, Greg Randall-Robinson, Nick from Toledo, etc.

UD: Not to forget Nate Solder. But I just remembered him. A first-rounder. Drats!

Seabass was a 2nd, M Light an early 3rd. That is what @50-yard-line said. Wynn, Solder are 1st round tackles. Mankins and Strange are1st round guards. T Brown was a 7th rounder

 

[ralmat55]

So what does that say about our 3rd line players.

Perhaps, it says that they’re woefully inexperienced. Of the 8 linemen who played against the Texans, there were 3 rookies and 3 2nd year players including Steuber who spent his 1st season not practicing or playing on the NFI. The other 2 2nd year players played very little in their 1st preseason, and their position coach was spread too thin as he also served as the OC. There were reports that David Andrews and James Ferentz at times had to step up and prepare their fellow linemen. So, just how much coaching do you think Russey and Hines got.

Chances are the quality of the Pats line in 2023 will depend more on Brown, Strange, Onwenu and Anderson returning to the field and staying there than it does the level of play and development of Sidy Sow, Andrew Steuber and Chasen Hines.

 

[State]

M Light an early 3rd

I thought Matt Light was a second-rounder. Great player out of Purdue. Dominated in the Big Ten. Considered a tweener, best suited to move to guard. Can’t teach toughness and brains, which he had in spades.

Richard Seymour was the first-round pick that year.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Richard Seymour was the first-round pick that year.

I still wish we drafted David Terrell.