Which of the following position movements is most likely?

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

I think Bill will be moving around at least one player out of his normal position to compensate for a weak area

Which is most likely to happen from the above poll scenarios?

 

[ausbacker]

I have no idea. Send ocho a tweet and ask him.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

I have no idea. Send ocho a tweet and ask him.

I should have added Ocho to Left Tackle...now THAT would be something fun to read from him at Twitter

 

[Frezo]

I should have added Ocho to Left Tackle...now THAT would be something fun to read from him at Twitter

He doesn't have the hands to be a LT. :bricks:

 

[Sciz]

None are likely in my opinion, but Dowling at least gets a mention since he played safety in high school and could've been studying that safety position behind the scenes all this time.

I still think that if Solder and Light are both on the field, it's Solder at LT, Light at LG, and Mankins at RG.

 

[Tunescribe]

Danny Woodhead to nose tackle, Vince Wilfork to third-down back.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Danny Woodhead to nose tackle, Vince Wilfork to third-down back.

If Brady gets hit as often as he did Saturday we might have to use Wilfork as our Blocking Fullback on 3rd down and long

 

[farn]

None are likely in my opinion, but Dowling at least gets a mention since he played safety in high school and could've been studying that safety position behind the scenes all this time.

I still think that if Solder and Light are both on the field, it's Solder at LT, Light at LG, and Mankins at RG.

First part : I also believe none are likely. I suppose I'd say Dowling if forced, but I chose "none".

Second part : pretty sure I'd bet everything I own and be willing to wear a skin-tight purple unitard with giraffes and elephants drawn on it if that EVER happened. I can't believe you pay Mankins that much to suddenly change him, change Light, AND start a rookie LT. It'd be pretty insane.

Maybe Connelly returns soon and BB picks up in interior OL once teams make cuts. That is the likely scenario.

 

[Sciz]

Second part : pretty sure I'd bet everything I own and be willing to wear a skin-tight purple unitard with giraffes and elephants drawn on it if that EVER happened. I can't believe you pay Mankins that much to suddenly change him, change Light, AND start a rookie LT. It'd be pretty insane.

Exactly. But if Light can't play right tackle, there's no reason he's more likely to play right guard. Solder is too tall for guard, and is just asking to get blown up. Plus it might screw up his growth as a left tackle.

So basically, I'd bet everything I own and be willing to wear a skin-tight purple unitard with giraffes and elephants drawn on it too if they even get Light and Solder on the field at the same time. :lol2:

 

[farn]

Haha. Ok. I guess I thought you were ACTUALLY suggesting that scenario.

They'll just play Light and Solder at LT. Nothing wrong with that. Light will have first dibs and if BB sees that Solder is passing him on the depth chart, he'll start Solder. There are worse things in the world than having two quality LTs. Some on this board will say that Light is limited, can't handle certain pass rushers... I thought he held up quite well last season.

When I see the Ravens starting LeVoir at RT I figure NE is in a pretty good spot. Not that I think LeVoir is trash, but he was clearly low on BB's depth chart.

 

[Banjo]

why isn't Mankins the left guard again?

 

[NinjaZX6R]

why isn't Mankins the left guard again?

Cause the left side is more important than the right side.

 

[BradyFTW!]

I'm going to go with Solder to RG, since of the three that's the one that we've seen evidence of.

 

[supafly]

I'm going to go with Solder to RG, since of the three that's the one that we've seen evidence of.

Agreed. Even though he's not exactly an ideal fit there at guard due to his height, that move would at least save a bunch of other o-line positions from being moved around.

I couldn't imagine BB actually doing some of these crazy O-line shuffling combinations that some posters are suggesting. Why mess with 3 separate positions when you could just plug one guy in at the position of RG? Especially considering that Belichick did give him reps there in TC, although that probably doesn't mean that much in the big picture.

 

[Huckleberry1]

I would like to see Light to RG but that depends upon Solder being completely ready to protect Brady's back, and there's no way to say he is ready yet. That being the case I think Solder to RG is the more likely move. I doubt Ras I-Dowling is anywhere near ready to start at any position for them let alone switch to safety with no preparation. I think the most likely move is Belichik putting Solder at RG if Connolly can't go. i think Orhberger should be released, he really doesn't look like he can play OL in the NFL. There have to be some better OG prospects in the coming cutdowns than the back-ups on the Patriots.

 

[ralmat55]

I'm a big Matt Light fan and fully appreciate his considerable contribution to all the great football we've been privileged to watch over the last ten years. But, from what I've seen of Solder so far, I'm going out on the limb to say that by the half-way point of this season Nate Solder will be a better LT than Matt Light is now or was in 2003 or 2004 for that matter.

What would be "crazy" is playing your present and future LT at RG, and it would not make sense to leave a heck of a football player like Light sitting on the bench especially when you have a hole as big as this team seems to have at RG. So, why not try playing Light at guard.

However, from memory, Light had trouble playing on the right side early in his career. This is not unusual. Many OLs, WRs, DEs, OLBs & CBs also play better on one side rather than the other. If you wonder why, you should watch basketball players play one-on-one sometime. Most right-handed players will instinctively make a move to their left when going to the basket even though it forces them to use their left hand to dribble or shoot or leave the ball more exposed to the defender. They just seem more comfortable moving in that direction. I have no idea why, but it's an observation.

So, my suggestion was moving Logan Mankins from LG to RG allowing Light to stay on the same side, at least, while making the move to guard . I've seen Mankins play RG in the Pro Bowl. Yes, I know it's the Pro Bowl, but he didn't look like a fish out of water, so, maybe, like Sebastion Vollmer, changing sides will not reduce his effectiveness. To me, the RG is just as important as the LG. When the QB is looking to his left to throw the ball, what's his blind side then?

People are right to wonder if this would be too much change or might weaken a position to strengthen another. But, if you were the Patriots, why would you not try it out in practice to see if you can get your 5 best lineman on the field?

Tedy Bruschi was right. If this team is going to win a Super Bowl, it has to figure out a way to win a game when Brady is off his. Putting the best OL possible on the field and having fast, elusive RBs is the best way to do this. It's also the best way to make sure Brady isn't off his game too.

 

[bagwell368]

I'm a big Matt Light fan and fully appreciate his considerable contribution to all the great football we've been privileged to watch over the last ten years. But, from what I've seen of Solder so far, I'm going out on the limb to say that by the half-way point of this season Nate Solder will be a better LT than Matt Light is now or was in 2003 or 2004 for that matter.

What would be "crazy" is playing your present and future LT at RG, and it would not make sense to leave a heck of a football player like Light sitting on the bench especially when you have a hole as big as this team seems to have at RG. So, why not try playing Light at guard.

However, from memory, Light had trouble playing on the right side early in his career. This is not unusual. Many OLs, WRs, DEs, OLBs & CBs also play better on one side rather than the other. If you wonder why, you should watch basketball players play one-on-one sometime. Most right-handed players will instinctively make a move to their left when going to the basket even though it forces them to use their left hand to dribble or shoot or leave the ball more exposed to the defender. They just seem more comfortable moving in that direction. I have no idea why, but it's an observation.

So, my suggestion was moving Logan Mankins from LG to RG allowing Light to stay on the same side, at least, while making the move to guard . I've seen Mankins play RG in the Pro Bowl. Yes, I know it's the Pro Bowl, but he didn't look like a fish out of water, so, maybe, like Sebastion Vollmer, changing sides will not reduce his effectiveness. To me, the RG is just as important as the LG. When the QB is looking to his left to throw the ball, what's his blind side then?

People are right to wonder if this would be too much change or might weaken a position to strengthen another. But, if you were the Patriots, why would you not try it out in practice to see if you can get your 5 best lineman on the field?

Tedy Bruschi was right. If this team is going to win a Super Bowl, it has to figure out a way to win a game when Brady is off his. Putting the best OL possible on the field and having fast, elusive RBs is the best way to do this. It's also the best way to make sure Brady isn't off his game too.

I think some folks are going to jump your post, but I think there are a lot of fine ideas here. The only way however I see Light at RG is if mid way through the season the starting RG goes down, and Solder is the LT or seen as ready for it. I don't see Light or Solder at RG to start the season.

 

[ralmat55]

I'm expecting it will be jumped on as well. But, if you're of the opinion that Nate Solder should be at LT from the beginning of the season, it's not really that radical of an idea. I also wanted to make the point that the change of side to Light might be an even bigger impediment than the change of position.