Can our OL compete?

[Oldskool]

I'm starting to think the Elway - McNabb comparisons are more apt than I realized...but McNabb arguably has had a better career to date than Elway had when Shanahan got there.

Not just Elway but look at the resurrection job he did with Jake Plummer.

[NewCliche21]

I don't think Okung will fall to us. I see the Lions taking him.

Then we have two of the following: Suh, McCoy, Clausen, and Berry.

Someone wants one of them bad enough to trade up for him.

[The Robert Griffin Experience]

If Hicks is at RT then BMW is at RG, a scary thought for a ZBS scheme.

If Hicks plays RG, then Heyer would be at RT, and that boy is a broken turnstile.

I would expect Rinehart or Lichtensteiger to start at RG; I thin Rinehart still has the chance to be a nice player, and he's a GREAT ZBS fit.

[Oldskool]

I don't think Okung will fall to us. I see the Lions taking him.

Then we have two of the following: Suh, McCoy, Clausen, and Berry.

Someone wants one of them bad enough to trade up for him.

The beat writer for the Lions has said today he expects the Lions to take Suh since the deal to get one of NO's DL's fell through.

[dfbovey]

If Hicks is at RT then BMW is at RG, a scary thought for a ZBS scheme.

If Hicks plays RG, then Heyer would be at RT, and that boy is a broken turnstile.

I'll take the scenario that doesn't include Heyer starting.

I think Williams can be a very good guard regardless of scheme depending on his conditioning. He probably should have been moved to guard (like Leonard Davis was) a long time ago. And It's very possible you'll see a big jump in capability compared to what you saw on the field last year. He shouldn't have been on the field starting games last year. Needed another offseason to get his body right.

[wilsonian]

The beat writer for the Lions has said today he expects the Lions to take Suh since the deal to get one of NO's DL's fell through.

Yep, just saw that. Thanks for the update. I'm hoping we can get Okung.

[wvtbred]

The beat writer for the Lions has said today he expects the Lions to take Suh since the deal to get one of NO's DL's fell through.

Yeah no one else uses smoke screens :doh:

[dfbovey]

Yeah no one else uses smoke screens :doh:

Them posturing as if they might have taken Okung could have been a smoke screen.

[Oldskool]

Yeah no one else uses smoke screens :doh:

The fact that they haven't upgraded their DL at all this year coupled with their beat writer basically saying its a done deal isn't much of a smoke screen.

[wvtbred]

The fact that they haven't upgraded their DL at all this year coupled with their beat writer basically saying its a done deal isn't much of a smoke screen.

Whatever, they will take Okung and I am glad. This draft is deepest at oline incl LT's so don't get stuck on just one.

[dfbovey]

Whatever, they will take Okung and I am glad. This draft is deepest at oline incl LT's so don't get stuck on just one.

It is a deep tackle crop. But Okung is clearly the best out of them all. If they have to take a player at #4, I'd prefer Okung. And the moves the Lions have made seem to indicate it falling into place.

[lou4gehrig]

Elway was sacked 46 times the year before Shanahan arrived. Denver's first pick that year was in round 4. A tackle. That was the only tackle taken that draft by Denver. That season, Elway was sacked 22 times. The first time he had been sacked less than 30 times since 1988.

I don't know how Mike did it exactly, but I know we'll at the very least field a line competent enough to keep McNabb off the turf for the most part.

Btw, Elways attempts actually increased from 492 to 542 from 94 to 95.

I thought having "big names" and high draft picks were the only way to have a successful O-line?

So you're telling me coaching, scheme, technique and chemistry are also important? And you're telling me the Shanahan's know how to coach this?

Hmm... interesting.

[wvtbred]

It is a deep tackle crop. But Okung is clearly the best out of them all. If they have to take a player at #4, I'd prefer Okung. And the moves the Lions have made seem to indicate it falling into place.

The last move they made was not for a tackle. I still say they have targeted Okung the whole way.

[Oldskool]

Whatever, they will take Okung and I am glad. This draft is deepest at oline incl LT's so don't get stuck on just one.

Oh lets not forget

Rob Sims-G- Lions Apr. 5 - 12:53 pm et

Lions acquired OG Rob Sims from the Seahawks in exchange for a fifth-round draft choice.

Sims, 26, will likely move into the Lions' starting lineup immediately at left guard. Though somewhat injury prone, Sims has racked up 31 starts over the last three seasons and is a low-risk acquisition because he's only under contract through 2010 at a mere $1.176 million. 2009 LGs Manuel Ramirez and Daniel Loper may now be left fighting for one roster spot in Detroit.

Source: Adam Schefter on Twitter

Related: Daniel Loper, Manuel Ramirez, Bears, Seahawks

And your assertion that LT is deep in this draft is absolutely incorrect.

But hey, you know what you know.. right?

[dfbovey]

The last move they made was not for a tackle. I still say they have targeted Okung the whole way.

You think, or you hope?

[ZkinsFan]

get okung and the cowgirls recently released adams...could be useful

[Ryman of the North]

the eagles got by with two mediocre to terrible tackles (somehow, someway jason peters made the pro bowl despite getting abused week in and week out) with mcnabb getting better.

Heyer sucks but Shanahan has turned water into wine with the OL before, and he will presumably have the highest pick at LT he's ever had (the last time he added a top 15 pick at LT, well, if you want to look at a truly dominant line, that 2007 Broncos line was SCARY. I can't get over it - 11 sacks while throwing 600+ passes, that is incomprehensible, and then having a top 10 rushing attack with practice squad guys? Unreal.)

Keep in mind that the pre Shanahan Broncos routinely let Elway get murdered - 35-45 sacks every year, book it. That never happened again in Shanahan's tenure, they halved the sack totals and got a yard more per carry with pretty much the same line as last year. I'd definitely say that if we add Okung/Davis/Bulaga, we'll have a better line talent-wise than those Broncos.

Also keep in mind that McNabb's offensive lines have generally *SUCKED* - we considered Thomas and Runyan good players, but as pass blockers, they routinely let McNabb get killed (28 sacks in 6 games his rookie year WOW, then 45 and 39 in full seasons, then 43 in 2003, then 44 in 2007 - he's never taken less than 30 sacks in a full season, and only once had a sack percentage over 6%).

I'm starting to think the Elway - McNabb comparisons are more apt than I realized...but McNabb arguably has had a better career to date than Elway had when Shanahan got there.

Shannahan was not the Oline coach Gibbs was, and hes not here.

Comparing Mcrapp with elway is stupid, Elway was a top 5 qb when shannahan showed up Mcnab is maybe a top 15.

btw part fo the reason his sacked numbers were so high in Philly may have been because the run pass ratio was sometimes over 60% pass.

[wvtbred]

You think, or you hope?

I know the last move was G not T and think/believe they are going Okung.

[Chachie]

Draft this man:

Yes, of course we draft this man.

Solid but no longer feared.

Worse every season.

Improved play from this man:

How much improved is improved enough?

a healthy and improving:

Really?... Really?... Rrrrreally.

Not trying to be a downer but you watched the games last season, right?

[Oldskool]

I know the last move was G not T and think/believe they are going Okung.

Jeff Backus-T- Lions Apr. 5 - 1:00 pm et

Jeff Backus appears likely to stay at left tackle in Detroit after the Lions acquired Rob Sims from the Seahawks on Monday.

Some will call keeping Backus on Matt Stafford's blind side a foolish move by Lions G.M. Martin Mayhew, but the 32-year-old has made an incredible 144 straight starts, so at least he's durable. Backus, though, let up eight sacks last season. Mayhew may focus on a left tackle to groom for the future in the second round. Vladimir Ducasse and Rodger Saffold are possible targets.

Related: Matthew Stafford, Ndamukong Suh, Russell Okung

[Chachie]

Comparing Mcrapp with elway is stupid, Elway was a top 5 qb when shannahan showed up Mcnab is maybe a top 15.

Come on, Ryman. Name 15 current starters better than McNabb. I have 5-8 in mind.

Brees.

P. Manning.

Favre.

Brady.

Roethlisrapist.

Maybe E. Manning, maybe Romo sits to pee, maybe Rivers but I put McNabb on the same level as these 3 and he's much older.

[dfbovey]

I know the last move was G not T and think/believe they are going Okung.

So you're absolutely sold that they have no interest in the player widely considered to be the best in the draft? A player that would help their very sub par run defense?

The reasoning behind taking Okung was to move their current LT to guard. Now, they've traded for a guard.

The signs don't point to Okung going #2 at the moment. Especially not with both the local beat reporter and Mort reporting the same thing. I hope they're right.

[wvtbred]

So you're absolutely sold that they have no interest in the player widely considered to be the best in the draft? A player that would help their very sub par run defense?

The reasoning behind taking Okung was to move their current LT to guard. Now, they've traded for a guard.

The signs don't point to Okung going #2 at the moment. Especially not with both the local beat reporter and Mort reporting the same thing. I hope they're right.

Just saying what I think. They spent what 70 million on Stafford last year? Wouldn't you want the second most important player on offense when you have a chance at #2?

[dfbovey]

Just saying what I think. They spent what 70 million on Stafford last year? Wouldn't you want the second most important player on offense when you have a chance at #2?

I think they'll take Suh in the first and Saffold in the 2nd.

The #2 pick in the draft isn't the only place where they can address the need for youth at LT. And if they can get the best player in the draft in Suh and still address LT with quality. I think they'll do it.

They still COULD take Okung, but the moves they've made have freed them up to take the best player available with the #2 pick IMO.

[darrelgreenie]

Elway was sacked 46 times the year before Shanahan arrived. Denver's first pick that year was in round 4. A tackle. That was the only tackle taken that draft by Denver. That season, Elway was sacked 22 times. The first time he had been sacked less than 30 times since 1988.

I don't know how Mike did it exactly, but I know we'll at the very least field a line competent enough to keep McNabb off the turf for the most part.

Btw, Elways attempts actually increased from 492 to 542 from 94 to 95.

Good post.

Great food for thought.

I just want to be able to run the ball and that's one thing that Shanahan and coach Bobby Turner can do.

I'm cautiously optimistic that our OL will improve through an infusion of a rookie stud + and a group of hungry OL that will be excited to execute a scheme known for producing 1,000 yard backs.