Offensive Line

[jmt57]

It Is What It Is | Kendall On D&C: Mankins Likely To Sit Season by WEEI's Matt Noonan:

Former Boston College and NFL player Pete Kendall joined Dennis & Callahan on Tuesday. When asked about the Jets’ appearance on HBO’s “Hard Knocks,” Kendall described what he’s seen by saying, “Well it certainly looks like they were having more fun then you’re supposed to in training camp.”

Following are some highlights. To hear the interview, visit the Dennis & Callahan audio on demand page.

On the absence of Logan Mankins at Patriots camp:

That all depends on the chemistry they are able to establish with the guy who ultimately takes his place and how well that guy can play. I know, watching Logan over the last few years, he’s a top-end guard. He’s probably a top-three, top-five guard depending on which type of style you would want to play, and more importantly he’s a guy who has been there I think for about every snap for five years, so there’s a lot of continuity between him and Dan [Koppen] and Matt Light. So, replacing not only the talent but the chemistry is going to be the order of the day for them.


On how he sees the Mankins dispute playing out:

He’s played five years, he has an expired contract. He’s not under contract now. And I guess the way I look at it is he’s got a chance to come in and risk injury for, correct me if I’m wrong, about a million and half [dollars] this year. Or he can stay healthy and most likely hit the free agent market next March and sign a contract that’s going to be somewhere in the neighborhood of $20 [million], $25 million.

 

[jmt57]

It Is What It Is: Stephen Neal Q&A, 8/17 by WEEI's Kirk Minihane:

Q: You have had a lot of moving pieces at this point in camp on the interior of the offensive line. How have you guys been adjusting together?
SN: We are working well together. The great thing about the offensive line is that we have a coach, Dante [Scarnecchia], that makes us do exactly what we are supposed to or attempts to. So we know what we are supposed to do and we know what to expect of the people around us no matter who it is. We know where each person is supposed to be so we get comfortable no matter who is in there.

Q: Can you talk about Dan Connolly in training camp and in the New Orleans game?
SN: Yeah, he’s a solid player and a guy that can play multiple positions. He does a really good job and it’s great that he’s in there. He’s done a good job.

Q: What have you seen out of Ryan Wendell so far?
SN: I think Ryan Wendell has been pretty good. I’m not the guy to evaluate him but he’s holding his own and staying in there. He played with all of those good guys versus the Saints. He is a good competitor and a great teammate.

 

[jmt57]

Jeff Howe of NESN gives us his opinion on the current depth chart:

Left Tackle
1. Matt Light: Been there for a decade
2. Sebastian Vollmer: Would instantly slide over if Light went down
3. George Bussey: Recent emergence hindered by unknown injury
4. Mark LeVoir: Getting action on both sides

Left Guard
1. Dan Connolly: This is his priority position from here on out
2. Ryan Wendell: Made an early charge, but tapered off
3. Eric Ghiaciuc: Gets his chances with the ones
4. Ted Larsen: Hasn’t gotten a shot with the first team
5. Rich Ohrnberger: Trying to make the roster
6. Brian Simmons: Rookie from Oklahoma was signed Sunday
Injured: Nick Kaczur: He'll get a chance to start if his back holds up

Center
1. Dan Koppen: In charge of the line
2. Dan Connolly: He's versatile
3. Ryan Wendell: Similar cast on the inside
4. Rich Ohrnberger: Made the guard-to-center transition from college to NFL
5. Ted Larsen: Played center at North Carolina State

Right Guard
1. Stephen Neal: Very good run blocker
2. Dan Connolly: Right down the line
3. Ryan Wendell: Bill Belichick wants his inside guys to know all three positions

Right Tackle
1. Sebastian Vollmer: He's good at his job
2. Mark LeVoir: Had a brutal night against the Saints
3. Thomas Welch: Just another 6-foot-7, 310-pounder on the right side

 

[jmt57]

This Scar Leaves A Mark On The Patriots by espnBoston's Mike Reiss:



What struck me about the hard-driving Scarnecchia is how focused he was on the little details, and how he never let up. He absolutely lit into second-year guard Rich Ohrnberger for guessing on the opponent's pass rush, and not putting himself in a position of power by reacting.

Then, when rookie free agent Brian Simmons didn't touch a Falcons defender who jumped offside, he let him have it for not having the smarts to draw the 5-yard penalty, giving the defender a chance to get back into position.

It didn't matter if it was Ohrnberger, Simmons or a first-stringer like Matt Light, Scarnecchia treated them all the same, constantly riding them, but at the same time, praising them for a job well done.

 

[AzPatsFan]

It Is What It Is | Kendall On D&C: Mankins Likely To Sit Season by WEEI's Matt Noonan:

Stupid prognosis. He loses 10 million dollars, assuming someone would actually pay him 25 million after two years of idleness.

More likely, the player-clients will fire Mr. Bauer and all three holdouts, Mankins, Jackson and McNeal will sign and report in.

 

[mgteich]

This is all good news for Ryan Wendell. Howe has him as the #1 reserve at LG, C and RG. Howe then notes that Belichick likes to have his backup interior linemen play all three positions. Wendall was paid full roster pay when he was on the Practice Squad last year, and was on the active roster for one game. He will be an ERFA next year, so we have him under contract.

Reading Howe's analysis, one would think that Connolly's promotion to starter moved Wendell to top reserve interior lineman, although Orhnberger will certainly srill be given a shot to convince Dante otherwise, as will Ghiaciuc.

Jeff Howe of NESN gives us his opinion on the current depth chart:

 

[zoffle]

This is all good news for Ryan Wendell. Howe has him as the #1 reserve at LG, C and RG. Howe then notes that Belichick likes to have his backup interior linemen play all three positions. Wendall was paid full roster pay when he was on the Practice Squad last year, and was on the active roster for one game. He will be an ERFA next year, so we have him under contract.

Reading Howe's analysis, one would think that Connolly's promotion to starter moved Wendell to top reserve interior lineman, although Orhnberger will certainly srill be given a shot to convince Dante otherwise, as will Ghiaciuc.

Wendell was solid in the preseason vs the Saints. Orhnberger played ok as well. The depth at T is a little thin though, Welch and LeVoir were awful, I didn't really notice Bussey.

 

[RayClay]

It Is What It Is | Kendall On D&C: Mankins Likely To Sit Season by WEEI's Matt Noonan:

So he can sit out a year to hopefully get a contract less than he's being offered now. Sounds like a great idea.

 

[RayClay]

This is all good news for Ryan Wendell. Howe has him as the #1 reserve at LG, C and RG. Howe then notes that Belichick likes to have his backup interior linemen play all three positions. Wendall was paid full roster pay when he was on the Practice Squad last year, and was on the active roster for one game. He will be an ERFA next year, so we have him under contract.

Reading Howe's analysis, one would think that Connolly's promotion to starter moved Wendell to top reserve interior lineman, although Orhnberger will certainly srill be given a shot to convince Dante otherwise, as will Ghiaciuc.

I bet Murrell is thrilled to be a Starter, according to Howe.

Looking forward to Morris as our starting running back too. Took over a decade, but Sammy has finally won that job.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Wendell was solid in the preseason vs the Saints. Orhnberger played OK as well. The depth at T is a little thin though, Welch and LeVoir were awful, I didn't really notice Bussey.

Bussey did have one spectacular play Thursday, from his LT position. He completely flattened the CB, and sprang Darnell Jenkins for the 50 yard jaunt that let the Pats kick the winning field goal in the last two minutes.

 

[jmt57]

Pats Give OG Simmons A Chance, Despite Clubfoot by Rob Rang of CBS Sports:

You see Simmons, a 6-4, 315 pound former defensive tackle who played in 42 games for the Sooners at left and right guard, has a clubfoot. He wasn't invited to the Combine and despite plenty of hype surrounding him, wasn't drafted. As his mother explained in an sad email used by David Ubben on ESPN's Big 12 blog , her son's clubfoot had landed him on the NFL reject list.

A clubfoot, according to WebMD , is a deformity that occurs in the tendons of the foot prior to birth. The tendons force the foot to turn downward and inward towards the other foot. It may result in the foot, especially after the heel, being smaller than the other foot. To correct the issue, the foot is often broken and placed in a cast to re-shape it.

According to Brandon George's article in the Dallas Morning News, Simmons wears a size 17.5 shoe on his left foot and a size 16 on his right.

George's article, written in August of 2007, notes that Simmons has had his right foot broken and re-set a staggering 16 times during surgeries.

With thousands of prospects to grade, NFL teams rely on sharing medical information. It is one of the primary reasons for the development of the Scouting Combine as we now know it. By being placed on the reject list, Simmons had virtually no shot at getting as much as a workout from an NFL team despite the fact that other professional athletes, including Hall of Famer Troy Aikman, have beaten clubfoot to enjoy productive careers.

 

[blackcat54]

Wendell was solid in the preseason vs the Saints. Orhnberger played ok as well. The depth at T is a little thin though, Welch and LeVoir were awful, I didn't really notice Bussey.

I thought Bussey did a really good job against the Saints. I saw one bad play from him all night, but other than that he was very solid. I thought he was the best reserve lineman. Along with left tackle, I would like to see him play the other tackle spot, and maybe some guard tonight as well.

 

[jmt57]

Friends, don't count on Logan Mankins by Ian Rapoport for the Boston Herald


Rapoport takes an interesting approach in his bleak assessment of the possibility of Mankins returning to the Pats this year. He reasons that because Mankins has been conservative with his money since entering the NFL in comparison to many professional athletes, he can easily go without a paycheck for a year with little or no hardship. And unlike many other restricted free agents, Mankins will not need the service time to become an unrestricted free agent, assuming the amount of time needed to become an UFA is the same in the next CBA as it was previously.

Perhaps the most troubling sign for the Patriots is that friends say Mankins does not spend any money. He has been frugal and cautious with his salary, they say, with a ranch that is paid for and self-sufficient, with few operating costs.

There are no flashy cars in his driveway, for instance, and Mankins has held onto most of the more than $7 million he has earned in his five years. Such a situation makes it easier for Mankins to decline to sign the $3.3 million restricted free agent tender and not show up for training camp.

His financial stability gives him the option of waiting. Mankins’ hope is that with a new league collective bargaining agreement, he’ll be a free agent.

More discussion on Mankins' situation in this thread: http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/10/453812-heres-why-mankins-goner.html

 

[jmt57]

Ojinnaka believes his versatility will help Patriots by Danny Picard for CSNNE:



"It looks like I have a pretty good chance, but at the same time, right now I'm just focusing on learning the offense and playing football," said Ojinnaka.

"It's definitely different from where I was in the past. It's much faster down here, I would say. I mean, the offense is pretty much the same, just the terminology is a little different. So I'm just trying to pick that up right now."

And Ojinnaka believes he can play more than just the left guard position, if need be. He said he's comfortable with every position on the offensive line, a part of his game that he believes will greatly benefit his new team.

"That's one thing I pride myself on," said Ojinnaka. "When I'm studying the playbook, I'm not only looking at one position, but studying all five. So if my name was ever called, at least I know what I'm doing, so yeah, I think I'm pretty versatile, and that should help the Patriots this year."

 

[jmt57]

Ojinnaka has to bust his butt to protect Brady by Mike Petaglia for WEEI:

It didn’t take Patriots offensive lineman Quinn Ojinnaka long to understand job No. 1 with his new employer in his first two practices this week.

The 26-year-old guard will start off on the second unit and second on the depth chart behind Dan Connolly as Logan Mankins is reportedly ready to hold out and Nick Kaczur is out indefinitely with back surgery, according to the Boston Herald.

If Connolly or another starter along the O-Line becomes unavailable for whatever reason, it will be the 6-5, 312-pounder who steps into the fold to help protect the franchise quarterback.

“It’s an upgrade with Tom Brady, a future hall-of-famer,” Ojinnaka began. “I’m not saying Matt Ryan wasn’t good. He’s a great quarterback or is going to be a great quarterback. You definitely have to bust your butt to make sure he doesn’t get touched. It was the same in Atlanta.

“You still have to work hard, study and get in your play books and bust your butt every day.”

 

[jmt57]

Patriots practice snapshot by espnBoston's Mike Reiss and Mike Rodak:

LeVoir returns. Offensive lineman Mark LeVoir, who was on the sidelines rehabbing for Monday’s practice, returned to full action on Tuesday.

Ojinnaka works mostly at tackle. Offensive lineman Quinn Ojinnaka, who was acquired from the Atlanta Falcons for an undisclosed draft choice, worked mostly at offensive tackle. On one play during 11 on 11 work, when lined up at right tackle, he blocked inside, allowing Derrick Burgess a free path to the quarterback. After the play, Ojinnaka was seen talking with right guard Stephen Neal about the blocking breakdown, as both players ended up blocking the same player. This seemed to be an example of some early growing pains as Ojinnaka adapts to the Patriots' system.

 

[AzPatsFan]

I really like that all the line changes have been made and we still have two preseason games to get the situations settled down. Connolly has been a real find at Guard , Rich Ohrnberger has developed at Guard and Center, LeVoir, is OK, and Okinnaka supposedly can swing anywhere. I thought Bussey is coming along pretty well too, even if he still looks like a sophomore Lineman.

On the Defensive line, the Pats would seem to have adjusted well. Warren's full loss hurts, but he has been hobbled the past two seasons and a shell of himself. Gerard Warren is coming along as a 3-4 lineman while retaining his pass rushing. More encouraging is Brace looked good and looks like he can contribute controlling the run. If the anti-run brigade of Warren, Wilfork and Brace comes through, I think there is plenty of interior DL rush to be had from Warren, Wright and Pryor and perhaps Lewis, that was so missing last season, and blame piled on the OLBs.

Now if only Jermaine Cunningham can get back and pickup on his instruction and conversion to an OLB.

 

[jmt57]

Monique Walker of the Boston Globe takes a look at the offensive line, focusing on the players in camp battling for a backup roster spot:

Patriots offensive line has major holes to fill - The Boston Globe

 

[jmt57]

Bert Breer of the Boston Globe takes a look at The future of the offensive line

So is there stability up front? There are currently seven linemen under contract who have started games for the Patriots. Here's the breakdown on those seven, their ages and where they stand in regard to their respective contracts:

G/C Dan Connolly (4 starts): 27 years old, contract expires after 2011

OT Nick Kaczur (62 starts): 31 years old, contract expires after 2012

C Dan Koppen (103 starts): 30 years old, contract expires after 2011

OT Mark LeVoir (2 starts): 28 years old, contract expires after 2011

OT Matt Light (122 starts): 32 years old, contract expires after 2010

G Stephen Neal (73 starts): 33 years old, contract expires after 2011

OT Sebastian Vollmer (8 starts): 26 years old, contract expires after 2012

Is this reason for alarm? Probably not. But seeing as where it's possible that Vollmer is the only guy of the above who's around two years from now, the Patriots may well invest in these positions in the offseason, particularly if Mankins is gone or on his way out by then.

To me the fact several contracts expire soon is of no concern - despite the Mankins situation. I don't think that is out of the ordinary in comparison to other NFL teams, plus the fact that the new CBA has not been worked out yet surely plays a role as well. In my opinion the number to look at is the age of some of those players. I thought there was a good chance the Pats would use a draft pick somewhere in the first four rounds last year on an offensive lineman; the probability of that happening next year is sure to increase.

 

[jmt57]

Who says the big guys don't have some athletic skills?

Official Patriots Football Weekly Blog Blog Archive From the Hart: Tuesday post-camp practice observations


–Brady ran sprints alone on the end line while he was not involved in some scout offense work against the defense. Those sprints took an entertaining turn when a group of his offensive linemen joined him and turned it into a race. Matt Light, Dan Koppen and Stephen Neal ran right with Brady until Neal pulled away at the end for the victory. Neal pulled a Usain Bolt and celebrated as he crossed the finish line. Not bad for one of Brady’s “fat cows.”


Hart also notes that Mark LeVoir returned to practice, and both Dan Connolly and Ryan Wendell took some reps at fullback. Hart also wrote that "as was the case on Monday the offensive line rotated through a bit late in Tuesday’s team drills. Sebastian Vollmer took reps at left tackle with Quinn Ojinnaka manning the right side with a group that included Connolly at left guard, Koppen at center and Neal at right guard."