mgteich said:
Maybe some year the team will decide that "running is our strong suit". Until then I guess you'll be cranky. This is a primarily passing team, set up and balanced by the run. We don't believe in fullbacks. We emphasize pass-rushing in the choosing of offensive linemen. And finally, we spend less on the OL than almost any other team. Finally, we often need to use one of our TE's to help the mediocre do its job against top defenses.
Given what Dante has to work with, the OL has been been a terrific one, great VALUE. Dante has made UDFA's, minor free agents and a couple of draft choices from other teams into Super Bowl lines.
Last year it seems we starting moving toward change. We extended Light, and we signed Mankins and Kaczur as a start of a possible future top OL. Stay tuned, we'll see whether we continue along that path.
Shaka asks a legitimate question and mg has an excellent answer. If folks are done with knee jerk reactions and ready to look at the central point of Shaka's post, the question becomes wither the offensive line? As mg notes, Light's re-signing and the 2005 draft are indicators that BB is looking to give Dante better tools with which to craft his O-line. That leads us back to 2006 FA and Draft, and the 2007 look-ahead:
- before re-signing/signing anyone we have a gap showing in the interior at C and G. BB has gotten his Gs and back-up centers off FA with one G drafted for the 5th round in 2000 and a back-up C drafted in 2003. For Scar to make that mix into a line that has been so solid in the playoffs (and I include this year's run, most of the sacks/hits Tommy took against Jacksonville came from his holding the ball too long and trying to do too much - McDaniels better grow a big, gruff pair this year and keep Tommy on a tighter leash to prevent him trying to carry the team again, that's a recipe for disaster. I can't say for certain with Denver since I haven't rewatched it yet, but we know which offense actually moved the ball against the other's elite defense.) is a major accomplishment that does border on genius - a genius for teaching and drilling lesser talents into an effective unit.
- does BB draft for G and C this year?
- does BB pick up another OT who is versitile enough to play G or C?
- does BB send Pioli to pick through the FA/UDFA bin for some more low cost replacements?
With four picks in the first day and two picks in the 4th, BB has the tools for a strong draft. BB drafted OTs 2nd & 4th rounds in 2000-2001 when he was first building his team. Mankins was as close to a 2nd as you can get without being there, and Kaczur was essentially a 4th round pick as a supplemental. Will history repeat? There is a lot of good mid-round OT talent in this draft, the kind of player Dante can turn into a Kaczur gold mine - first round talent for chump change. If we take an OT in the 2nd-4th rounds again (or someone like Ryan Cook (NM) who is a C with the ability to play RT and maybe Swing Tackle with Dante's magic) then mg's O-line rebuilding prophecy is coming true.
Pioli will be bringing a number of castoffs in for Dante to pick through, but I suspect mg has hit the nail squarely, and BB will be drafting one or two players as stronger supplements for Dante's tool kit. I join those who'd love to be a fly on the wall as the personnel staff prepares the draft board.
A good question Shaka, as far as working with the O-line, Dante is a genius the way BB is a genius in organizing a team - their not absent-minded Einsteins, just guys who rise to that level in their chosen trade. I'll give you a pass for forgetting Dante's prior coaching assignments before the O-line...
