Let's discuss the offensive line and free agency

[Rufus T Firefly]

Eric Winston | T Previous Team: Houston Exp: 6 years

Analysis: Winston is going to visit the Dolphins, Chiefs and Rams, a league source told NFL Network's Jason La Canfora. Winston was a surprise cut by the Texans on Monday. La Canfora reported Friday that the Redskins also are interested.

http://www.nfl.com/freeagency

HTTR

Good news, thanks. Loved the multi-quote, btw.

[SkinsTillIDie]

With our picks 3, 4, 4, 5 - I'd expect us to add a couple offensive line prospects. As fans, we're so caught up in the big names, the free agents, the players who have clearly shown to produce on the NFL level or clearly promise to be an immediate upgrade (i.e. 1st or 2nd round pick).

But we've got such a young offense -- RGIII (22), Hankerson (23), Garcon (25), Morgan (25), Davis (24), Williams (23), Helu (24) -- I think the best bet will be to continue to build the offensive line through the draft.

Some of the best lines in the league were built mostly on mid-to-low round picks. Shanahan's already proven able to get some respectable play from discarded linemen (Maurice Hurt, 7th round pick; Willie Smith, undrafted; Tyler Polumbus, mid-season pickup off the street). I'd like to see what he can develop with better prospects that have time to learn and gel with an actual offseason of training.

Houston's offensive line last year wasn't the best in the league over night. They had to go through growing pains in years before that... Let's continue to add young players to the group and believe that in time, we'll form a solid, consistent group.

More than anything, the offensive line sees strongest success via chemistry and cohesion. One could argue its the area of the team that is least benefited from the big-name free agent signing that so many fans clamor for

[Stophovr6]

Funny how no one takes JLC's word for anything around here unless it's something the fans want. I think it's a bad sign Winston isn't scheduled to visit' AND that he wants a big contract.

[haraldjun]

Eric Winston and Geoff Schwartz

[Oldskool]

Winston is looking to be paid and probably be the highest paid RT in the game. As much as I'd love to have the guy and think he'd be perfect for this team, I can't see the Skins paying him a ton of cash when they are at about ~$9.5m above the cap and still have other needs in FA. There is also the need to squirrel away cash for the rookies as well.

[Stophovr6]

Winston to KC. We were never in this race despite what the media says. This is a lot like last year when we passed on almost every touted oline fa.

[SkinsTillIDie]

Winston signs with the Chiefs.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/03/17/eric-winston-is-the-chiefs-new-right-tackle/

[RWJ]

Looks like Bell now.

[dcthug]

Skins seem to be skimping on O line.

Take note NFC East QB Killas and pro bowl NTs.

I may be in the minority but I don't think our line was that bad last year. I mean we gave up 10/11 sacks in one game and more than half of those were because the QB held the ball like he was wearing a red practice jersey. Take that one game away and I would bet the skins are in the top 15 of o'lines last year. I think the team can addreess depth with 1 free agent move and within the draft.

[DogofWar1]

It looks like Oline FAs, at least in terms of starters, are down to Bell and Rachel. If instead we're looking for backups (some of which we already have on the roster), I have no idea where we would look.

All I know is that if this is the year to build offense, and we've addressed WR in FA, then you can probably bet that 3+ of our picks in the 3rd and later will be Olinemen. It'll be fun to see who we pick.

[redskindan07]

Perhaps some OL help will get released

[wildbill1952]

I may be in the minority but I don't think our line was that bad last year. I mean we gave up 10/11 sacks in one game and more than half of those were because the QB held the ball like he was wearing a red practice jersey. Take that one game away and I would bet the skins are in the top 15 of o'lines last year. I think the team can addreess depth with 1 free agent move and within the draft.

Are you talking about the sacks and QB hits and that sort of stuff? Yep, the sacks (41) and QB hits (103) made the Skins the third best at allowing their QB to get hit. Take away the 11 sacks from the Buffalo game and they move up to just the 6th best at letting their QB get hit. So, if letting your QB get pummeled is a good thing, then the Skins are deifinitely among the top 15 Olines. With Trent Williams responsible for only 6 of that total, that means the rest of the Skins offensive line was only responsible for 143 sacks and QB hits. That works out to the QB being hit one out of every 4 throws. So just adding 1 depth guy in FA or the draft ought to shore up that little statistical anomaly quite nicely. We won't even go into being 25th in rushing yards.

Welcome to the Fedex turf, Mr. Griffin!

Source: http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?seasonType=REG&offensiveStatisticCategory=OFFENSIVE_LINE&d-447263-n=1&d-447263-o=2&d-447263-p=1&d-447263-s=PASSING_QBHIT&tabSeq=2&season=2011&role=TM&Submit=Go&archive=false&conference=null&defensiveStatisticCategory=null&qualified=true

[Hitman21ST]

Are you talking about the sacks and QB hits and that sort of stuff? Yep, the sacks (41) and QB hits (103) made the Skins the third best at allowing their QB to get hit. Take away the 11 sacks from the Buffalo game and they move up to just the 6th best at letting their QB get hit. So, if letting your QB get pummeled is a good thing, then the Skins are deifinitely among the top 15 Olines. With Trent Williams responsible for only 6 of that total, that means the rest of the Skins offensive line was only responsible for 143 sacks and QB hits. That works out to the QB being hit one out of every 4 throws. So just adding 1 depth guy in FA or the draft ought to shore up that little statistical anomaly quite nicely. We won't even go into being 25th in rushing yards.

Welcome to the Fedex turf, Mr. Griffin!

Source: http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?seasonType=REG&offensiveStatisticCategory=OFFENSIVE_LINE&d-447263-n=1&d-447263-o=2&d-447263-p=1&d-447263-s=PASSING_QBHIT&tabSeq=2&season=2011&role=TM&Submit=Go&archive=false&conference=null&defensiveStatisticCategory=null&qualified=true

Of course, if you count just sacks, our 41 is 12th in the league. If you take out the 11 sack game and instead go with the average of two sacks a game, that drops down to only 32 sacks, which would be tied for 22nd. QB hits is more on the QB than on the line, considering that Rex and Beck are notorious for holding onto the ball way too long.

Perhaps our rank of 25 in rushing yards has something to do with us ranking 25th in rushing attempts, too? Our line wasn't too bad.

[RWJ]

Other options other than Bell that might be of interest to the Skins are OT Anthony Collins, OT Adam Goldberg.

[wildbill1952]

Some of the best lines in the league were built mostly on mid-to-low round picks. Shanahan's already proven able to get some respectable play from discarded linemen (Maurice Hurt, 7th round pick; Willie Smith, undrafted; Tyler Polumbus, mid-season pickup off the street). I'd like to see what he can develop with better prospects that have time to learn and gel with an actual offseason of training.

Houston's offensive line last year wasn't the best in the league over night. They had to go through growing pains in years before that... Let's continue to add young players to the group and believe that in time, we'll form a solid, consistent group.

More than anything, the offensive line sees strongest success via chemistry and cohesion. One could argue its the area of the team that is least benefited from the big-name free agent signing that so many fans clamor for

There's two ways to look at playing the 7th round picks and the undrafted free agents, the castoffs from the other teams. One is to think that they're playing because the coaches "coached them up" or "they spent some addiitonal time in the weight room" or they got "more game-time experience". One alternative theory is that these misfit toys are playing because the OLine we had was just bad.

The stats, whether you choose to ignore them or not, still show a poor offensive line. 25th in rushing yards with 3 very good backs. 3rd in QB hits behind only St. Louis and Seattle. When you look at the one talented OLineman the Skins have in Trent Williams, you see the difference in protection. Trent Williams, against the quality rushers opposing teams have to put up against him, allowed 6 QB hits + QB sacks. The 4 other members of the OLine? 143. Blame the stat as much as you want on the QB, but the fact remains - talented offensive linemen let their QB get hit less often than less talented Olinemen.

Spending time gelling is good. Yes, other teams get Oline in later rounds that turn out good. But a policy of only seeking the unwanted castoffs of the draft and other teams has only shown one form of consistency - and that is poor line play on a very consistent basis.

[tml6157]

Bell has serious talent no doubt about that. He can be a legit LT In the league if he could stay healthy. I hope we sign Bell cheap, draft Potter and roll with Bell, Potter and Smith as our T's to go with Trent.

[RWJ]

Bell has serious talent no doubt about that. He can be a legit LT In the league if he could stay healthy. I hope we sign Bell cheap, draft Potter and roll with Bell, Potter and Smith as our T's to go with Trent.

Exluding his past injuries, Bell is probably the best available talent now after Winston signed.

[The Robert Griffin Experience]

I suppose you would have tried to replace the OLs of the Texans, Saints and Bills when they were god-awful due to lack of experience. After all, Chris Myers was a late round castoff from the Broncos! Mike Brisiel was an UDFA who was awful his first few years! Eric Winston was a mid-rounder who sat for his first 2 or so years! They had absolutely no chance of getting better! Also Duane Brown used to be absolutely awful.

Also, Torain is not a good back by any means, and Helu and Royster didn't play that much until the last month and a half.

I'm not saying that our OL situation is rosy, but it's not the disaster it was in 2009 either.

[Missouri_Skins_Fan]

If it makes you guys feel any better.

Any scrap heat we put together on O-line can't be much worse, than what RG3 was rolling with @Baylor.

Imagine if our O-line gives RG3 more time, than he ever had at Baylor?

Now that my friends...is scary.

Sure, we can't have turnstiles & think we're going to protect RG3 or Rex.

But having a QB than can escape & anticipate using his legs to buy time, will be huge not only for the offense & Offensive Line. But by extending what would normally be, failed 3rd down opportunities...give our offense more 1st down conversions, Time of possession & more breathers for the Defense.

[Commander -JB-]

I'm glad the Skins arent panicking & overpaying free agents like in past years. With a 3rd & two 4th rounders, there is a good possibility Shanahan can find one, maybe two OL prospects..

[SkinsHokieFan]

Not making a real run at Winston is disappointing. Shoring up the tackle spots for the next 4 years would have been a very nice luxury.

[RWJ]

Not making a real run at Winston is disappointing. Shoring up the tackle spots for the next 4 years would have been a very nice luxury.

I agree. Bell MIGHT be a nice consilation prize though.

[DogofWar1]

I'm not saying that our OL situation is rosy, but it's not the disaster it was in 2009 either.

This is very true. 2009 just looked...bad. Trent's going into his 3rd year, and should be able to really anchor that left half of the line, and our younger depth guys proved very capable in a pinch.

Others have mentioned that the biggest weak point right now is Brown at RT. I'd like to see him replaced sooner rather than later, but if it's Bell I'd be worried about going from one RT who's struggled with injuries to another. I'd like to see them both on the roster honestly, with Bell starting and Brown as backup. Then, after the draft and perhaps after the first set of camps we can cut whoever we feel isn't performing up to snuff.

I think we're still in a long term bind though. If Bell gets signed and can stay healthy then our tackles should be fine, but the interior of the line is still C level. That's not to say we can't get a good effort out of the line as a whole, but ideally we'd want to upgrade everywhere but LT, and that's even if Bell signs, in order to have insurance against his injuries.

Considering no draft in the past 10 years has really had any focus on the line outside of maybe one or two players (and then it was either a first rounder and late rounder or ALL late rounders), it will be interesting to see what our FO can do this draft if they take 3-4 linemen, especially due to the fact we finally have a competent group of people upstairs.

[Leonard Washington]

Not making a real run at Winston is disappointing. Shoring up the tackle spots for the next 4 years would have been a very nice luxury.

I agree. He seemed to be the type of guy you "overpay" to acquire. RT has been a weak point since Jansen started to decline.

[COWBOY-KILLA-]

We've been unlucky as hell the past few years with injuries on the OLine. LG and RT are still really suspect at this point and I'm ok with filling it with FA + draft. But it definitely has to get done cause it's still a problem, imo.