T Daniel Loper

[IbleedBnG83]

Just read this on Rotoworld...

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/player_main.aspx?sport=NFL&id=3333

Free agent T Daniel Loper plans to test the market in search of a starting job.

Loper, a 2005 fifth-round pick, was Tennessee's swing tackle behind Michael Roos and David Stewart last year. The 6'6/320-pounder could be an affordable option to start at right tackle elsewhere next season.

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At 27, I think he would be a good option for the Redskisn to sign. He seems like a solid starter and could help build the line immediately at an affordable price. That will allow us to still draft a couple of OL and DT.

[That Redskins Fan]

i agree i say this is a good investment if the redskins do this

[Audible_Red40]

No offense, but why do you think he seems like a solid starter? He has started 1 game in his career, there are lots of guys out there like that. Could be a sleeper or a project, but aren't they all?

[IbleedBnG83]

No offense, but why do you think he seems like a solid starter? He has started 1 game in his career, there are lots of guys out there like that. Could be a sleeper or a project, but aren't they all?

Based on what previous coaches has said and how he has performed, he seems like someone could start. How many guys have started one game that coaches think could start regularly?

[kvarlo12000]

Ok I don't want to start a new thread because this is a topic (the O-line) beat to death. My solution to the Oline draft a Tackle at 13. Hopefully he starts right away, and if he does move Samuels to guard (he started to beat towards the middle and end of the season) plus I think he could be a road grader along with a young new OT on the left side of the Line. Sign a RT in free agency and Jansen will back up the new RT and Randy Thomas. I think this makes our line younger and very talented. Samuels and Jansen/Thomas at guard would be a very strong line. This only works if the new tackles can protect the edges.

[terpskins10]

Ok I don't want to start a new thread because this is a topic (the O-line) beat to death. My solution to the Oline draft a Tackle at 13. Hopefully he starts right away, and if he does move Samuels to guard (he started to beat towards the middle and end of the season) plus I think he could be a road grader along with a young new OT on the left side of the Line. Sign a RT in free agency and Jansen will back up the new RT and Randy Thomas. I think this makes our line younger and very talented. Samuels and Jansen/Thomas at guard would be a very strong line. This only works if the new tackles can protect the edges.

Why move a Pro Bowler at one of the game's most difficult positions away from his natural position?

A lot of teams would kill to have Samuels at LT, yet you want to move him to OG for an unproven rookie?

[[[ghost]]]

I personally don't want just a competent starter at RT.

I want an Elite RT- someone who'll give whoever the hell is the QB of this team all day to throw, and someone who paves the way to the right of the line the way Samuels does to the left.

Obviously, this will not all be accomplished by one of the Big 4 Tackles in this draft alone, especially since I think the right side of our line is our biggest problem. Nevertheless, if we just settle for someone Good Enough to play RT, than we'll be settling for Good Enough play from our offense in general.

[IbleedBnG83]

];6122248']I personally don't want just a competent starter at RT.

I want an Elite RT- someone who'll give whoever the hell is the QB of this team all day to throw' date=' and someone who paves the way to the right of the line the way Samuels does to the left.

Obviously, this will not all be accomplished by one of the Big 4 Tackles in this draft alone, especially since I think the right side of our line is our biggest problem. Nevertheless, if we just settle for someone Good Enough to play RT, than we'll be settling for Good Enough play from our offense in general.[/quote']

Obviously you want the best for your team. But with limited options and money, you have to make due with what you have. A good enough starter plays at least a few positions on both sides of the ball every year for all teams.

[kvarlo12000]

Why move a Pro Bowler at one of the game's most difficult positions away from his natural position?

A lot of teams would kill to have Samuels at LT, yet you want to move him to OG for an unproven rookie?

Because he has lost a step. If you can't see that then you need to get your eyes checked. He is a very good starter now but not elite. The whole line would be better off in m opinion.

I think he can return to an elite player at guard.

[method man]

Why not? This guy was behind the best pair of bookends in football so it was not exactly easy for him to get his shot. Plus, coming from Texas Tech, you know that pass protection is probably his strong point. We could probably get this guy pretty cheap too and have a four-way battle for RT (Loper vs. Heyer vs. Jansen vs. Rinehardt). Even if we sign Loper, that does not preclude us from drafting Oher or Monroe if they are there (as they are both guys who can also swing to guard where we also have a hole).

[JimmyConway]

Why not? This guy was behind the best pair of bookends in football so it was not exactly easy for him to get his shot. Plus, coming from Texas Tech, you know that pass protection is probably his strong point. We could probably get this guy pretty cheap too and have a four-way battle for RT (Loper vs. Heyer vs. Jansen vs. Rinehardt). Even if we sign Loper, that does not preclude us from drafting Oher or Monroe if they are there (as they are both guys who can also swing to guard where we also have a hole).

I agree with you m-e-t-h-o-d man for the most part. Loper could come in and start IF he had to. If we brought him in we'd just ask him to compete against the aforementioned T we already have. Loper is exactly the type of player we/should be looking for: cheap, experienced, productive, and relatively young. Don't be surprised if he ends up resigning with the Titans.

[terpskins10]

Because he has lost a step. If you can't see that then you need to get your eyes checked. He is a very good starter now but not elite. The whole line would be better off in m opinion.

I think he can return to an elite player at guard.

There's no reason to tell me to "get my eyes checked".

The fact is is that while Samuels might not be the guy he was 4 years ago, he's still in the upper echelon of players at his position in the NFL. A position that is among the hardest to find elite players in the game.

You don't replace that with someone who is unproven until he REALLY gives us a reason to. I'd be fine playing Smith, Oher, Monroe, etc at RT until Samuels is ready to hang it up, but I wouldn't move Samuels inside until we know that the new kid can actually play.

Who knows if Samuels would be a good guard anyway? He's never been a guy with elite strength and his calling card has been his athleticism and finesse. Those skills are much more conducive to playing outside than inside. It isn't Madden, where you move an OT inside and his rating automatically goes up by 5 points.

[kvarlo12000]

There's no reason to tell me to "get my eyes checked".

The fact is is that while Samuels might not be the guy he was 4 years ago, he's still in the upper echelon of players at his position in the NFL. A position that is among the hardest to find elite players in the game.

You don't replace that with someone who is unproven until he REALLY gives us a reason to. I'd be fine playing Smith, Oher, Monroe, etc at RT until Samuels is ready to hang it up, but I wouldn't move Samuels inside until we know that the new kid can actually play.

Who knows if Samuels would be a good guard anyway? He's never been a guy with elite strength and his calling card has been his athleticism and finesse. Those skills are much more conducive to playing outside than inside. It isn't Madden, where you move an OT inside and his rating automatically goes up by 5 points.

First off I have never really played Madden. And of course it would depend on the player that we draft. I agree with you that the new guy would have to prove himself, but Samuels and Jansen have been very good in run blocking in their careers. Samuels I believe is big and strong enough to handle the new position. I think we saw that when Samuels went up against the top LDE's this year he got beat too much to be considered elite anymore. I hate to say it but he is getting old. I don't want to let him go I think he has some good years ahead but he is not locking down that position like in the past.

[terpskins10]

First off I have never really played Madden. And of course it would depend on the player that we draft. I agree with you that the new guy would have to prove himself, but Samuels and Jansen have been very good in run blocking in their careers. Samuels I believe is big and strong enough to handle the new position. I think we saw that when Samuels went up against the top LDE's this year he got beat too much to be considered elite anymore. I hate to say it but he is getting old. I don't want to let him go I think he has some good years ahead but he is not locking down that position like in the past.

Not to be nitpicky, but Samuels never went up against LDEs, as he never lined up at right tackle.

Also, I still just don't see him being a good guard. He's as natural a tackle as they come and I think he plays there until he retires or becomes a backup.

[eljeasel]

First off I have never really played Madden. And of course it would depend on the player that we draft. I agree with you that the new guy would have to prove himself, but Samuels and Jansen have been very good in run blocking in their careers. Samuels I believe is big and strong enough to handle the new position. I think we saw that when Samuels went up against the top LDE's this year he got beat too much to be considered elite anymore. I hate to say it but he is getting old. I don't want to let him go I think he has some good years ahead but he is not locking down that position like in the past.

How much of that had to do with loose cartilidge in his knee? When he went down our pass pro improved. That doesnt mean he was playing poor early in the season before that cartlidge severely hindered his movement.

As long as his knee is cleaned up by that surgery (which i understand the surgery was a sucess) there isnt any reason why he couldnt play at that high level for another season.

[eljeasel]

I dont know much about this Loper guy, but if hes coming at a bargain rate, thats a good signing. Replaces a guy like Furbini

[jthor99]

I want defend Samuels here a second. Before his knee injury (and Biceps injury, which ended his season) he was playing at a high level at LT. Once he tweaked his knee I could tell that the speed rushes were simply just beating him because he just didn't have the lateral movement.

I've said all offseason that I personally would like to see this team go after Jordon Gross. I realize he is going to cost big $, but I personally believe it is $ well spent. The guy can immediatley step in and play RT, which will allow Heyer to develop further, and will also fill an immediate need.

We can STILL draft an OL with our picks, and also aquire depth at that position by doing so. I'm a firm believer in drafting OL later in the draft (3rd round on). Belicheck has proven that as long as you do your homework you can get quality starters out of mid to late round OL picks. Besides Light he hasn't ever drafted an OL in the first round. I realize we don't have Belicheck behind the wheel of our scouting department, but I'm confident that Vinny and Comp can.

[HBnotBlades]

I'm with terpskins10 here, I don't think moving samuels is the right choice. Remember that he was playing injured for most of the year also.

If we were to move him, I think it would make more sense to switch him to the RT position where he wouldn't be protecting Campbell's blind side. As said before, he doesn't really have the build to be a guard and his run blocking skills stem more from his ability to move so well for a big man than from his pure strength.

[LandryLaysWood]

Whoever thinks that moving Samuels to Guard next year helps our offensive line is absolutely insane. He's still one of the best Tackles in football. Come on.

[method man]

I agree with you m-e-t-h-o-d man for the most part. Loper could come in and start IF he had to. If we brought him in we'd just ask him to compete against the aforementioned T we already have. Loper is exactly the type of player we/should be looking for: cheap, experienced, productive, and relatively young. Don't be surprised if he ends up resigning with the Titans.

I think this guy will want to start so I don't see him going back to the Titans. This guy has gotten a lot of praise from his coaches and they don't want to lose him because he is also versatile, which would be a huge for us in case he is not a starter.

[terpskins10]

Besides Light he hasn't ever drafted an OL in the first round. I realize we don't have Belicheck behind the wheel of our scouting department, but I'm confident that Vinny and Comp can.

To further strengthen your point, Light was a second round pick. I agree that you don't need to draft first round OL to have a good line. It's all about chemistry. However, those first round guys are usually the most ready to step in.

I wouldn't be that upset if we went in a different direction with our 13th pick. If I had to pick between Oher, Andre Smith, and Aaron Curry, I'd go with Curry in a second. I don't see Jason Smith or Eugene Monroe lasting to 13, but if they did, I would probably go with them.

[jthor99]

To further strengthen your point, Light was a second round pick. I agree that you don't need to draft first round OL to have a good line. It's all about chemistry. However, those first round guys are usually the most ready to step in.

I wouldn't be that upset if we went in a different direction with our 13th pick. If I had to pick between Oher, Andre Smith, and Aaron Curry, I'd go with Curry in a second. I don't see Jason Smith or Eugene Monroe lasting to 13, but if they did, I would probably go with them.

Thanks for the correction I had ment to say 2nd pick in my OP.

That being said I want us to simply follow our draft board! Which is why I haven't hammered the FO about last years draft. I honestly believe Vinny and comp followed their board, which is what any good organization should do.

I fully expect them to use the same type of thinking come April. If "there" guy isn't there at 13 then get out of the pick. If they have a guy there who they really like then take him. Weather that be a CB, OL, DL, whomever.

My personally philsophy on how they should draft is a little different then some. Because I'd like to see us sign Jordon Gross FA wise, and still be able to draft depth using our picks (and hopefully our multiple picks), which would allow Heyer to swing from LT, or RT if need be. I believe he is more suited for RT, but in a pinch I believe he could play LT.

I'm a big fan of this kid from LG Tyronne Green Auburn. I watched him during the Senior Bowl practices and he reminds be a lot of Ben Grubbs.

[TheREALJBird]

Couldn't hurt.

[Thinking Skins]

I can't say I'm a fan of his. He's somebody interesting to bring in, but do we really know he's better than Heyer? We've already got one Heyer we don't need another. I say draft OL/DL in the first round (unless we trade down) and then just have that player we draft compete for a starting spot right out the gate. If its a RT, then let that rookie and Heyer compete for the starting spot.

But if we're gonna just sign another average player for youth, why not just stick with what we've got?

[method man]

Look. The worst-case scenario is that you have a very good backup OL who can play both tackle spots and guard spots. We currently lack good guard depth, in my opinion. He is most definitely worth a try to fill our hole at either LG or RT and can be had for an excellent value. In case he does not live up to expectations, we can probably hedge ourselves by making a lot of his bonus money a roster bonus for 2010 so if he does stink we can cut him. Again iBleed, another great find!

So far, my offseason wishlist is:

1) Angelo Crowell

2) Chris Johnson/Jabari Greer/Leigh Bodden

3) Daniel Loper

4) Tank Johnson

5) Mike Nugent

We can probably get all five of these guys for a combined $25 mil in bonus money (which is what Calvin Pace cost the Jets last sumer). With these 5 guys in fold, we will have a bit more freedom in the draft so that we can actually get the best value at #13. Heck, if Oher or one of the other Big 4 is there, GREAT! We will just have Loper compete for the starting LG spot. If Raji is there, GREAT! We can have him as the NT. And so on and so on.