CBSSports - O-line Problems article.

[Vooskin]

To put it in perspective Vabeachskin, the steelers had a worse offensiveline then we did last year and ignored their oline even more. My bet is they still go farther then us. It call comes down to the QB.

[VaBeachRedskin]

To put it in perspective Vabeachskin, the steelers had a worse offensiveline then we did last year and ignored their oline even more. My bet is they still go farther then us. It call comes down to the QB.

Didn't the Steelers have a first year OL coach last season? And didn't they draft a G this draft?

[GroundNPound]

I love our O-line, but the reality is that they are past their prime years. Lets break down the 30+ players.

Samuels - Aging. Had a couple of surgeries. Still very solid, but losing burst he once had.

Rabach - Still rock solid. Center isn't quite as physically demanding as the other line slots, so Rabach has more of a "life expectancy".

Thomas - Still solid, no longer dominant. Comming off two years with injury issues. Played through pain last year, but it showed in the line play.

Jansen - Has had injury issues for the lat 3 years. Still solid run blocker, but is medeocre at best in pass protection.

All three of these players are in fact aging. If they weren't affected by injury as often as they are, then they would be solid.

As for the rest...

Dockery is the only lineman we have in his prime.

Despite what many say, Heyer is more solid backup material. I have seen him have issues with pass protection time and time again... and that's supposed to be his strength.

I understand the article's argument was that we didn't draft any linemen in '08, but Reinhart didn't crack the starting lineup once... even w/ Kendall's knees failing, and Thomas having major neck issues.

The rest of our roster consists of UDFAs, Practice sqaud cuts, and journeyman lineman. The most hope we have for our line at this time is a former first round pick who hasn't played in 2 years.

The fact is, we can break just about any article and argue over it, sentence by sentence. It doesn't change the fact that in the heart of his argument, Mr. Limardi is right.

Our wall is aging. Even though the mortar holds, it is all but sand. There is little to prevent a single rock from slipping.

Once one rock falls...

[Skins PR]

Dockery and Samuels were probably the best left side of any OL his last two seasons in DC

Seattle runs away with that title.

[The Full Monty]

Seattle runs away with that title.

Agreed, the cominbation of Hutchinson and Jones was pretty freakish. Now Minnesota has that title with McKinnie and Hutchinson.

[Mercuryrising]

Dockery was an overpaid player to begin with for the Bills, but that doesn't take away from the fact he was a very good player in our system. He was easily one of our best run blocking linemen, he's our biggest starter, and he's replacing a 36 year old Pete Kendall. So in my mind, this is easily an upgrade on the offensive line.

2 seasons ago everyone was saying Kendall was an upgrade over a slow moving Dockery, who could not get out and pull in open space and would often be seen just standing around until the play rolled up his back legs.... My how things change.

[darrelgreenie]

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/11707935

Diner News: Biggest problem for Redskins is O-Line

May 4, 2009

By Michael Lombardi

National Football Post

The FO isn't worried about the offensive line because they already blame JC for the team's scoring woes so why improve the line?

If the O-line falls apart again this season and JC can't overcome bad pass-pro then everyone will blame Jason and he'll end up playing elsewhere behind a better line.

[DieselPwr44]

Vinny: Joe Bugel, make bricks without straw.

Everybody keeps pointing at the UDFA Oline acquistions and saying Buges, coach 'em up.

Well,there's only so much the man can do with inferior talent. Bubba and others will say: Joe Jacoby was a UDFA!! See Buges can do it!!

That was so 1981 and really, the only thing the front office apologists hang their hat on in regards to our neglect of talent on the Oline.

You take a flier on those guys,hoping/praying you find a gem. IMO, it's not a sound strategy to build your line out of UDFAs.

Buges must think sometimes that it'd sure be nice to get a second round or heck, even a first round talent in here to work with instead of reclaimation projects or long range developmental nobodies who may never make it.

[bubba9497]

2 seasons ago everyone was saying Kendall was an upgrade over a slow moving Dockery, who could not get out and pull in open space and would often be seen just standing around until the play rolled up his back legs.... My how things change.

no one said anything similar to that, in fact many were upset over losing Dockery. Though happy to sign Kendall no one considered him an upgrade.

[bubba9497]

Seattle runs away with that title.

not since Hutchins went to the Vikings

05-06 KC Joyner had Samuels rated the best overall OL, Dockery was rated #6

[bubba9497]

BTW, Buges clarified Rhinehart spent most of the last season on the scout team, but showed improvement toward the end of the season when he got to work with the starters.

too early to right him off just yet

[DieselPwr44]

no one said anything similar to that, in fact many were upset over losing Dockery.

You mean the guy known as Mr. False start his whole tenure here until he upped his play in a contract year??

Plus, I bet the next time he successfully pulls without falling down,will be one of the very few times he accomplishes that in his career.

Dockery's play wasn't all sunshine and lollipops while he was here.

[GoCommiesGo]

The gist of the article is correct.

You look at the O-Line and you see a group of guys who were very good two years ago.

Samuels - Still a stud but has been slowed by injuries the last two years, 32 in 2 months

Dockery - Only offseason addition, played below average for the Bills the last two years, 29 September

Rabach - Good Center gets beat by power, 32 late September

Thomas - Major injuries 2 of the last 3 years and last year had a injury that could have ended his career, 33

Heyer - A player who flashes ability but still is to upright, capable back-up but not someone I want starting 16 games for my favorite team, 25

What happenes is you're depending on 2-3 people to start and finish a season that have had major injury issues for the last several years with little to no depth behind them.

Rinehart couldn't get activated for one game last year, Jansen is a shell of his former self and is a 1-2 game back-up at best. After those two guys you've got a 400+lb former first round pick who hasn't played in two years and a group of journeymen.

All it takes is to have Thomas go down as he has the last three years to start having some majore shuffling along the line. Good forbid if Samuels gets hurt you've got Heyer playing LT and Jansen at RT for a extended period of time.

All the Dockery signing did was rotate out Kendall for Dock, which was a good move. But we still have no depth along the line, and it's not like we've shown the ability to grow our own depth since Bugel got here.

[NewCliche21]

GoSkinsGo nailed it.

I don't see where all of the optimism is coming from. Six of our games are against defensive fronts that are pretty formidable. The other ten I haven't really looked at, but I'm guessing they're not slouches for the most part.

The offensive line was our biggest need. CENTER was a huge need. We didn't address our needs. I don't know why people expect different results this year.

[cjrugger]

So when we sign new players, we get bashed for it

when we don't bring in new players, we get bashed for it

I LOVE THE OFFSEASON!

[oldirtyku]

Horrible? That's not even a possibility unless we have injuries. Worst case scenario is that we are the same as we were at the end of last year, which is highly unlikely.

When you have 1 of the oldest lines in the league injuries will happen more frequently.

[maskedsuperstar]

Horrible? That's not even a possibility unless we have injuries. Worst case scenario is that we are the same as we were at the end of last year, which is highly unlikely.

Thank you! It wasn't that the OL forgot how to block. There were some injuries along the line. I guess fans and media know more than Joe Bugel.:doh:

[maskedsuperstar]

GoSkinsGo nailed it.

I don't see where all of the optimism is coming from. Six of our games are against defensive fronts that are pretty formidable. The other ten I haven't really looked at, but I'm guessing they're not slouches for the most part.

The offensive line was our biggest need. CENTER was a huge need. We didn't address our needs. I don't know why people expect different results this year.

Do you actually think a rookie center would start? So, that would be a wasted pick. The Skins went out and got a UDFA that plays the position. Why did the OL play so well in the first half of the season? It wasn't until teams figured out the offense and put heat on Campbell. There were some blocking assignments missed. That can be corrected.

[MartinC]

What development?...lol He got replaced by a worn down Jansen. Speaks volumes in my opinion. Then again, you think Jason Campbell is the answer at QB.

Heyer was replaced through injury and then when he was fit the line was playing well - at least in the run game. Then Samuels went down Heyer had to step in at LT and Jansen worse down. Add the injury to Thomas, Kendal not being able to practice and Rabach being, well Rabach and it all got ugly.

We have to hope that Samuels and Thomas can come back healthy - if they can we have a chance to do some things. If either go down or have to play hurt then it could be dicey back in the pocket for JC and there will be fewer holes for CP.

Have to agree though that O'line is the glaring area of concern along with QB.

[skeenzfan]

Jansen replaced him due to INJURY, and Heyer replaced Samuels after he was injured

Heyer is listed #1 on the RT depth chart

maybe you should know what's going on before making snarky comments, you wouldn't come off looking so silly

Then how come he couldn't claim his job back after he was healthy? This mancrush on Heyer has got to stop. He is a backup at best and constantly needs help when playing. There is no way he blocks the anyone of the DE's in the NFC East one on one.

[Dark Acre]

I love our O-line, but the reality is that they are past their prime years. Lets break down the 30+ players.

Samuels [ ]

Rabach - [ ]

Thomas - [ ]

Jansen - [ ]

All three of these players are in fact aging.

----------

Three? That's four. Is this some sort of Wunderlic?

As for the rest...

I pretty much agree with it. Part of our problem is trading future picks like Halloween candy. What you're left with is: guys who can't play and guys who can't play what they're paid.

[skeenzfan]

Dockery was an overpaid player to begin with for the Bills, but that doesn't take away from the fact he was a very good player in our system. He was easily one of our best run blocking linemen, he's our biggest starter, and he's replacing a 36 year old Pete Kendall. So in my mind, this is easily an upgrade on the offensive line.

Heyer has shown alot of promise up to this point, and he actually took the job of RT away from Jansen. Only reason Jansen got it back was that Heyer got hurt, and Jansen's play had improved enough for them to leave him in the starting lineup. There's no reason to believe that Heyer shouldn't improve after working out and studying in his second offseason with us. Whether he will be the answer remains to be seen, but there's no reason to give up on him yet. The same goes for Rinehart. He was a linemen from a D2 school that everyone knew would need developing. If Thomas or Dockery goes down at all this year, I actually expect that we'll end up seeing Rinehart step in because like Heyer, he's had at least one offseason of training and conditioning to improve himself.

Just because Dockery is younger than Kendall doesn't necessarily make him better. I think Kendall was easily the most consistent of our linemen last year. He wasn't an all pro but he wasn't the problem either. At best Dock is on par with Kendall IMO.

[laxpck]

I see most of our OL problem last year as being the combination of changing Offensive systems (yet again) and injury....maybye I am just a glass half full kind of guy.

The only guy on our line who I think needs to be upgraded in terms of talent is Rabach. We can make a great run with the others in place.

[TheTotalPackage]

Heyer was replaced through injury and then when he was fit the line was playing well - at least in the run game. Then Samuels went down Heyer had to step in at LT and Jansen worse down. Add the injury to Thomas, Kendal not being able to practice and Rabach being, well Rabach and it all got ugly.

We have to hope that Samuels and Thomas can come back healthy - if they can we have a chance to do some things. If either go down or have to play hurt then it could be dicey back in the pocket for JC and there will be fewer holes for CP.

Have to agree though that O'line is the glaring area of concern along with QB.

heyer is not that good in run blocking. he's better at pass protection than jansen is, who is the better run blocker.

[Prosperity]

Our O line will be our offense's biggest weakness, does anyone really disagree with that? There have been major injuries in our line before, so I think expecting few injuries this year doesn't make sense. Heyer is the ONLY young developmental player on the line, everyone else (except maybe Dockery) is on the way out. Samuels can't be counted on for much longer. Jansen's starting days are clearly over. Thomas has had too many injuries to rely on. Rabach, don't know much about him. But clearly, our line can be much better than it is now, and going into this season it will be our biggest problem.