Can we solve the o-line problem this year?

[Looking For Number Four]

Here is the list of free agents (with CBA addressed):

http://www.footballsfuture.com/2010/fa/ol.html

Here is NFL.com's version, only those in 6th season are available:

http://www.nfl.com/freeagency#players-tab-set-1:players-grid-container-position/players-list-links-position:pos-ol

Just found the best Free Agent listing:

http://pit.scout.com/a.z?s=68&p=9&c=12&nid=83&lnid=83&yr=2010

Here is the draft through round 5:

http://www.drafttek.com/round52010.asp

Here is Excel spreadsheet, not the most accurate I don't believe, but does include a couple of ARZ (Gandy, Bridges) and Kyle's HOU guys:

https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0BwbXfxuxWKjsM2ZlNjIyYWQtYzQyMy00NTcyLTlkZWEtMGIyZjA4MGJmZGFi&hl=en

Could we realistically get away with not drafting Okung and contend THIS season?

Here are a few factors that could impact the answer to this question:

1) Shanahan seems to be quite apt at making non-1st round lineman into studs that turn running back duds into stars... (Reuben Droughns)

2) If we pass Kindle, Best, Spikes in the 2nd there should be some value there. If we pass McKnight, Hardesty, and Scott in the 4th and 5th there is value there as well.

3) Free Agency does have a few gems: Amano (Guard for 2006 yard Chris Johnson), Clifton (past his prime but still can hold his own), Brisel and Pitts helped Kyle make Matt Schaub #1 passer in NFL, Kaczur started 62 games at Tackle for NE, Bridges and Gandy got ARZ to playoffs....

Can this whole ordeal be solved in one season? Can it be done with drafting a RB, LB, and/or QB? Should we take Bradford and best available, mix in some o-line during the draft and free agency, keep Campbell and let Bradford/Claussen get groomed for one year, and focus on 2011?

[NewRegime]

Yes. The OL can be significantly better than this year, but not necessarily for the long term. There will be older vets available that can start right away mixed with one or two draft picks.

But the starting line we see this coming year will be significantly different in the next year or two.

[Grimm]

I don't think the problem can be solved in one offseason, but we can take steps in the right direction.

[Redskinzfan30]

We can fix some of the O-Line this offseason even if we take a QB round 1. We won't be able to fix it all the way though. We can still get a LT in round 2 and then you have a 4th round pick for a RT or RG. I'd be fine if we let Lictensteiger start next year as a C. He has experience in Shanny's system and he's good a the ZBS.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

As regards the draft, it's nigh on impossible to answer this to any great degree until we know exactly how many picks we have going in, which I'd hope would be an increase on what we presently have through the trade route. And that pretty much goes for all the other holes that need filling on this team.

I fully expect us to have a new front 4, maybe 5 if we move out Dockery, through free agency and the draft, but what's the big thing about us "contending" in year one of the re-build?

Sure, it would be great, and in many ways wouldn't surprise me under Shanahan, but would it seriously trouble anyone if we didn't come anywhere near that, so long as the long term building blocks were steadily being put in place?

Hail.

*Edit* Yes btw now I see the poll, it can and I expect will be done by drafting a combination of Bradford and linemen, so long as the Rams don't get any ideas on him, and it wouldn't surprise me at all if he steps up quickly in the pre-seson to him start day one and grow with eveyone else.

[skins_4_life]

look guys I dont think any of us have a clue what we got on the o-line right now because as we all have heard there was no discipline in the locker room. not showing up to meeting, playing around at practice, everyone doing there own thing, I mean the list goes on and on. So until these boys get turned into men we wont know what weve got. Who knows we might have most of the pieces in place already.

[Looking For Number Four]

Yes. The OL can be significantly better than this year, but not necessarily for the long term. There will be older vets available that can start right away mixed with one or two draft picks.

But the starting line we see this coming year will be significantly different in the next year or two.

It really is a terrible year for lineman in free agency and not so much at other positions. Here are the top 11 unrestricted (even w/o CBA):

Peppers (DE), Dansby (OLB), Wilfork (DT), Hampton (DT), Rackers (K), Daunta Robinson (CB), Gary Brackett (MLB), Vanden Bosch (DE), Antonio Bryant (WR), Bobbie Williams (G), Mawe ©

Minus an 39 year old center, injury prone WR, there is Bobby Williams who would be a great signing but weight might not fit blocking scheme, and Rackers who I REALLLLY hope we sign. The rest is all defense, although Vaden Bosch really excels beside Haynesworth and Robinson would be the missing link at CB. Peppers will cost too much and I don't think there is any chance Dansby, Hampton, or Wilfork leave their respective teams. Brackett still has several years left and would be a great addition if we were to swtich to 3-4, giving us two MLB with experience and HUGE football IQ.

[Redskinzfan30]

It really is a terrible year for lineman in free agency and not so much at other positions. Here are the top 11 unrestricted (even w/o CBA):

Peppers (DE), Dansby (OLB), Wilfork (DT), Hampton (DT), Rackers (K), Daunta Robinson (CB), Gary Brackett (MLB), Vanden Bosch (DE), Antonio Bryant (WR), Bobbie Williams (G), Mawe ©

Minus an 39 year old center, injury prone WR, there is Bobby Williams who would be a great signing but weight might not fit blocking scheme, and Rackers who I REALLLLY hope we sign. The rest is all defense, although Vaden Bosch really excels beside Haynesworth and Robinson would be the missing link at CB. Peppers will cost too much and I don't think there is any chance Dansby, Hampton, or Wilfork leave their respective teams. Brackett still has several years left and would be a great addition if we were to swtich to 3-4, giving us two MLB with experience and HUGE football IQ.

This is a bit OT but why would you want to sign Rackers when we have Gano?

[Wild West]

Absolutely we can and we don't need to take one in the 1st.

Some ideas:

Ben Hamilton UFA at Guard

Chester Pitts UFA at Guard

Chris Kuper RFA (Denver) at Guard

Tackles in round 2 and 4 (there are quite a few good ones available this year)

[Wild West]

I don't think there is any chance Dansby, Hampton, or Wilfork leave their respective teams.

This is off-topic but Dansby has been tagged twice and cannot be tagged again. He will be a free agent.

I read somewhere here that the Steelers were looking at nosetackles at the East-West shrine game so they may be prepping for Hampton (who is 32 and they may not want to give him a long-term deal at that age) to leave.

The Patriots are likely to tag Wilfork but they did just draft Ron Brace last year in round 2.

[ntotoro]

Solve? No.

Go a long way toward repairing? Yes.

Even if we take a QB.

[Looking For Number Four]

This is a bit OT but why would you want to sign Rackers when we have Gano?

:hysterical: Are you being sarcastic?

If not, then please review kickers in the playoffs this year. FGs can win and lose these game, Rackers will make these kickers long before Gano, IMO.

[Redskinzfan30]

:hysterical: Are you being sarcastic?

If not, then please review kickers in the playoffs this year. FGs can win and lose these game, Rackers will make these kickers long before Gano, IMO.

Gano has barely gotten a chance and in his limited action he's looked very good. Plus he's young which is good. He actually gets up touchbacks on kickoffs. And didn't Rackers miss a couple FG's in the playoffs?

[Looking For Number Four]

Absolutely we can and we don't need to take one in the 1st.

Some ideas:

Ben Hamilton UFA at Guard

Chester Pitts UFA at Guard

Chris Kuper RFA (Denver) at Guard

Tackles in round 2 and 4 (there are quite a few good ones available this year)

Thanks for the response, like the plan, agree that this would do wonders for progressing in the right direction...

[jflow78]

I don't think we can fix it in one year.

Even in the best case scenario, say we get an entire starting OL, through a combo of FAs and rookies and by some miracle Shanahan thinks one of our current starters is worth keeping, they are still going to take half a season to gel, and that's assuming none of them have a rookie learning curve.

I think a more likely scenario is that we get at least half a starting line, one from FA and a couple rookies, and keep one current guy starting (probably Doc or someone at RT, maybe resign Levi Jones, have him begin the season at LT until a rookie is ready to take over there).

I just don't think it's possible to fix years of neglect in one offseason, though I hope I'm completely wrong.

EDIT: The one thing that gives us a chance is that Shanahan does like smaller linemen, which are generally available in later rounds, that might be a big

difference maker.

[Looking For Number Four]

Gano has barely gotten a chance and in his limited action he's looked very good. Plus he's young which is good. He actually gets up touchbacks on kickoffs. And didn't Rackers miss a couple FG's in the playoffs?

I like Gano, but would prefer to have a vet who is only 31, we could probably keep both...

[Redskinzfan30]

I like Gano, but would prefer to have a vet who is only 31, we could probably keep both...

I wouldn't want to keep two kickers on the roster. I'd much rather that spot be for an O-Lineman in case we have injuries.

[Looking For Number Four]

As regards the draft, it's nigh on impossible to answer this to any great degree until we know exactly how many picks we have going in, which I'd hope would be an increase on what we presently have through the trade route. And that pretty much goes for all the other holes that need filling on this team.

I fully expect us to have a new front 4, maybe 5 if we move out Dockery, through free agency and the draft, but what's the big thing about us "contending" in year one of the re-build?

Sure, it would be great, and in many ways wouldn't surprise me under Shanahan, but would it seriously trouble anyone if we didn't come anywhere near that, so long as the long term building blocks were steadily being put in place?

Hail.

*Edit* Yes btw now I see the poll, it can and I expect will be done by drafting a combination of Bradford and linemen, so long as the Rams don't get any ideas on him, and it wouldn't surprise me at all if he steps up quickly in the pre-seson to him start day one and grow with eveyone else.

I agree with your edit and would not mind a two year plan what-so-ever. With the defense pretty solid and most of the WR/TE/RB situation stable, we should get the o-line solid and stable in two or less years...

[Enter Apotheosis]

The oline problems can be solved this offseason but its going to depend on a number of things falling into place. Most of which are beyond our control.

If not, then please review kickers in the playoffs this year. FGs can win and lose these game, Rackers will make these kickers long before Gano, IMO.

Rackers actually has problems when it comes to making the big kick. He seems to lose a few games for the Cardinals every season despite being solid most of the time.

[Looking For Number Four]

I wouldn't want to keep two kickers on the roster. I'd much rather that spot be for an O-Lineman in case we have injuries.

A lot of team carry two, especially if one is a touchback wizard. Could we really trust someone with as little experience as Gano in the playoffs? Maybe, but if we were to get the boot because of not having a vet I would be really perturbed.

[Renegade7]

Depends on what you mean by fix. We could definetly find 4-5 new starters that are better then the revolving door we had this year and put a productive offense on the field in 2010. But getting a young, up-and-coming, talented o-line with quality depth will take years. Taking o-line first in the draft is a great start in the right direction if we want a dominant line long term.

[Skins-Canes-Mounties]

LT - Glaring need

LG - OK for medium term

C - OK for short term

RG - Need

RT - Glaring Need

We need 2 starting tackles. Maybe Jones can start one of those positions next year if he is back, but he is prone to injury. Heyer is solid as a 3rd or 4th tackle.

A center should be drafted late to work into the starting role.

A starting RG must emerge. Rhinehart has had his troubles this offseason, and he has been inconsistent and has very few snaps under his belt. Williams is a big body, but who knows if he can stay healthy or if he will continue to regain form. It wouldn't hurt to take another Guard in this draft.

So those are 3 holes that must be filled now (one of which might be on the team already), and another that will need to be filled in the short term. You can't pick up that many starters in 1 offseason. This is a 2 year project. Draft OL early and often.

[JaimeDeCurry]

A lot of team carry two, especially if one is a touchback wizard. Could we really trust someone with as little experience as Gano in the playoffs? Maybe, but if we were to get the boot because of not having a vet I would be really perturbed.

So you want to get rid of a young, talented kicker who performed very well for us in his limited duty for an older vet who actually missed a game-winning field goal in the playoffs...because he'd be better in the playoffs?

Do I have that logic right?

And also, are you going for the record for most threads started in your first six weeks on ES?

[Braxford]

The Oline can be better but will not be solved in one year and probably not even two. But I do hope the OLine will be upgraded from a giant hole to at leas porous.

[texasthunder]

Yes, I think its possible, especially concidering Shanahan believes in lineman.

We already picked up a lineman from Pittsburgh.

Levi Jones may show some improvement in the ZBS.

And the coaching staff may find a gem in later rounds

There is a young player on the Texans reserve squad that might make a good guard, or atleast a backup. His name is Mike Brisiel.

***: Young, versatile linemen with limited experience…spent time in NFL Europe with the Hamburg Sea Devils…seen action in four career games, starting all, filling in for injured linemen during the 2007 season.

He also started 16 games for the Texans in 2008