Posters Want Offensive Line Help

[mgteich]

The OL has been injured all year, used two rookies next to each other, and a sub center who almost didn't make the team. The rooks will be much better next year, and we will add Koppen and Light. Surely, we ready to go with
Light,Mankins,Koppen,Hochstein,Kayzur/Gorin. Just sign up Neal, Ashworth or free agent replacements. The OL will be better next year, and the running game will certainly be better.

Is there something wrong with this picture? Are there good reasons why so many are coming together so early and asking for OL help? Which side are you on?

I AGREE with the posters that offensive line help may be the biggest achievement we can make on Day One, using a couple of our picks. Another two studs would complete the reclamation project. 2007 could be a year with 5 studs, five Day One draft picks across the OL, or one will be a backup, with Koppen and/or Neal staying. The OL would match the situation of the DL. But we're one draft away.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

The nice thing is, BB doesn't have to treat the OL like a major reclamation project. We don't need to look for the next Walter Jones, we have enough talent on the line now, when healthy, and they did okay this year given the circumstances.

 

[SoonerPatriot]

Count me in the "not a big deal" camp. I love Mankins and I think Kaczur was a real find. We invested two high picks in OL help last year. There's no reason to believe Light won't be back and fully recovered.And when did Koppen become a stiff, as was suggested in the another thread? The real question is Neal and if he goes, I'd prefer they get a veteran mauler type to fill that spot anyway, not another rookie.

The opinions will probably change wildly over the next few months. I think we need a safety, corner or RB with that first or second pick.

But I fail to see the reasoning in saying that BB won't take an RB, WR, S or CB early this time around because he hasn't done it before. The only thing I think you can say for certain about BB's draft strategy any given year is that it's fluid. If the right player falls to them (as was the case with Wilfork) he will pull the trigger. That could be any player and probably one that none of us expects.

 

[jczxohn1]

The nice thing is, BB doesn't have to treat the OL like a major reclamation project. We don't need to look for the next Walter Jones, we have enough talent on the line now, when healthy, and they did okay this year given the circumstances.

IMO, this years O-line was barely adequate. Tommy was hit too much and we couldn't open holes consistently on anyone.
Admittedly, youth and injuries had a lot to do with it. Mankins and Kaczur can be expected to improve, Neal might. Ashworth, Hochstein, and Gorin, what you see is what you get. There was talk last year that Koppen might want to go home to the Eagles. Everyone says Light will be back 100%, and I don't want to be a jinx, but I didn't like the sound of blood-pooling in his leg. That's venous.
One thing for sure, the league knows the only way to attack Tom is to blitz to hurry him and keep the TE's in. We can expect a steady diet of it and need to upgrade in '06. Against a defensive-minded AFC East, an adequate O-line isn't going to be good enough.

 

[SoonerPatriot]

Seems to me that a lot this depends on 1-What we do in free agency and 2-Rodney's situation.

Having the best OL in the history of football is great and all, but not when it means Artrell Hawkins is one of your starting safeties. Nothing against the guy, but if people think we can upgrade over Light and Koppen it stands to reason we could probably upgrade over Hobbs and Hawkins as well.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

IMO, this years O-line was barely adequate. Tommy was hit too much and we couldn't open holes consistently on anyone.
Admittedly, youth and injuries had a lot to do with it. Mankins and Kaczur can be expected to improve, Neal might. Ashworth, Hochstein, and Gorin, what you see is what you get. There was talk last year that Koppen might want to go home to the Eagles. Everyone says Light will be back 100%, and I don't want to be a jinx, but I didn't like the sound of blood-pooling in his leg. That's venous.
One thing for sure, the league knows the only way to attack Tom is to blitz to hurry him and keep the TE's in. We can expect a steady diet of it and need to upgrade in '06. Against a defensive-minded AFC East, an adequate O-line isn't going to be good enough.

We'll get some inkling of what BB thinks when FA starts, Ashworth and Neal being re-signed or at least made more then the minimum offer is one key.

 

[Alk]

I definately don't think the O line is a top priority, especially once we get all of the original starters healthy. The only person I can think of in FA that I would rather have starting on this O line is Hutchinson. Some veteran depth wouldn't hurt either.

 

[VrabelMayeWin]

I'm more concerned with WR, S, CB and age at LB.

 

[upstater1]

Sign Neal. As for signing Ashworth, i really don't care if they do or not, as long as he doesn't play.

 

[texpat]

Sign Neal. As for signing Ashworth, i really don't care if they do or not, as long as he doesn't play.

Don't know why the dislike of Ashworth is, but you probably don't have to worry about him next year. He will probably get an offer to be RT on a couple teams, Cowboys current RT is awful, Texans need help.

If having a guy who can swing from RT & LT like him is a problem, I'm sure several other teams would like to have that problem.

 

[bucky]

I agree - resign Neal and let Ashworth go. Gorin and Hochstein are perfect backups - both in terms of ability and salary. I think Kaczur is an upgrade at RT next year. One of the problems this line had was too much change in the personnel. If Kaczur plays in the Den game, he probably picks up the blitzing safety and Brady doesn't throw the pick to Champ.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Don't know why the dislike of Ashworth is, but you probably don't have to worry about him next year. He will probably get an offer to be RT on a couple teams, Cowboys current RT is awful, Texans need help.

If having a guy who can swing from RT & LT like him is a problem, I'm sure several other teams would like to have that problem.

Amen, I was reading Felger's notebook this morning and the part about Mangini's offensive challenges also listed a rehabbing tackle - which immediately led to the concern that you mentioned with the Cowboys. Folks down on Ashworth need to recognize that BB started him at LT in the Divisional round of the playoffs - and the designed rollouts Tommy did were going behind the left side, Ashworth and Mankins. Ash got some free advertising out of that deal.

 

[Halifax_Pats_Fan]

I agree - resign Neal and let Ashworth go. Gorin and Hochstein are perfect backups - both in terms of ability and salary. I think Kaczur is an upgrade at RT next year. One of the problems this line had was too much change in the personnel. If Kaczur plays in the Den game, he probably picks up the blitzing safety and Brady doesn't throw the pick to Champ.

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WOW! That is a strong statement, I am not saying that it could not be true. That being the case, the whole face of the game would have changed...

interesting....fyi I like Kazcur too, hopefully he continues to improve...as a rookie, and protecting the franchise, I think he did great and that was huge responsibility, a few mistakes but overall he was a great find...