i guess i'll look at this one question at a time...alternative wise i don't think clabo can man the left side he's a right tackle all the way to me so i would say that ones' out...the next option in camp is probably dallas thomas...but i doubt we'd go there unless martin just fell off the table in the preseason...as for outside sources i really haven't paid much attention to whats on the street at left tackle what veteran etc but if i saw a lot of bad tape from martin in the first few preseason games i would definitely consider other options...but...
i can only go on what i saw last year with martin being that i have no camp stuff to take a look at yet...and what i saw last year was most of his issues were a product of a lack of upper body and core strength...he needed to get stronger probably in an ideal scenario he would have gotten last year to work on his body etc but we didn't have that luxury...he didn't have a great body...he's not a terrific move athlete on the left side not a terrific athlete period really he doesn't have what i would call high end left tackle feet...but i do think he's serviceable...he overcommitted on his initial step at times last year and got off balance and opened up a wide variety of counter/redirect and power rush moves for the opposition at times...some of that probably was a function of less than ideal lateral agility and somewhat average feet but it seemed to always come back to me that he lacked strength and as a result was off balance a lot or trying to overcompensate...
i would expect that with this added weight he'd be a more effective straight ahead drive blocker and more effective in the run game period and not so susceptible to power rushes and more able to regather himself when he is off balance and anchor...i've only seen pics and some video but his body looks better to me more lean muscle despite the added weight gain looks like he's converted what last year i thought was a bit of a doughy look to lean muscle mass...i like his mindset he doesn't carry one snap in his head to the next and he's got a little bit of nastiness to him even though he's not a mauler by any means...with that added strength i would like to see more pop with his initial punch and able to get the oppositions player off balance and not so much letting the contact come to him and the player get into his pads...last year i thought he let the opposition dictate at times too much...
if olivier vernon is eating his lunch i'm a little concerned even if only 2 days into pads...i say that because while olivier vernon is a solid pass rush talent and i think more talented than he was probably given credit for last year from a get off and power stand point and a lateral agility aspect he's not an elite burst athlete he's more a power rusher...he doesn't bend and run the arc and beat you with burst around the corner much and there's plenty of guys on our schedule this year with serious pass rush tools on the edge...that said miami can always if they see some things they don't like and feel he needs help protect him as much as they can with rollng protections or chipping with a back etc to that side...i'm sure the preseason and early season showings will dictate if he can be trusted on an island or not...
me personally i am going to reserve judgement til i get to see some actual game tape in a week and a half and the next few preseason games before i decide if i feel like left tackle is gonna be an issue or alternatives need to be explored...
having a qb with solid backside pressure awareness like tannehill has will also help...
