It's amazing (sarcasm alert) that Tanny's sacks have relented now that he's running out of the pocket more often. Getting sacked twice a game is an extremely acceptable total, IMO, especially when we pass as often as we do. Sometimes you're just gonna have to eat one now and then. That's where we are now. I totally agree that cutting the option on McKinnie was dumb..BUT.. that might've been McKinnie's choice too. He's played well enough in the last few games to seek a bigger contract than 2.7 million. However, if Miami keeps improving in the next few weeks, he might look at the 2014 squad and give us a 'home-town discount' cuz he likes our chances of competing for the Superbowl next year. Plus, I think he wants to live in this city after he's done so I think he'll really lean towards spending his remaining seasons here.
Miami might just wanna get a more athletic guy there, though, anyway.
It's so easy for O-linemen to get hurt. On any play they can get rolled up on by even their own RBs. It's tough to feel good about dumping big $$ on any of them. There's a very good reason why NFL players will never get 'guaranteed' contracts, and why players really get paid (with signing bonuses) as much for what they've done than what they will do.
The more that I think of it, if it was Miami's choice to lock him into that 2.7 for next year, then it was idiotic to let McKinnie hit the open market. He's worth about 5-6 easy based on his performance over the last few weeks. How many LTs have played better over the last 5 weeks? Not many. Brandon Albert just got hurt and COULD BE done for the year and will have his market value extremely slashed, IMO compared to if he had finished 2013 unscathed. McKinnie could very likely be =/> than Albert in 2014.
The more important thing to learn from this season is this. KC's other tackle, taken in the top 4, Fisher, has struggled this season. The idea of drafting any rookie offensive lineman and thinking they're gonna just 'plug&play' next season is idiotic. If even the early-1st round guys have struggled this season, then what would a guy we'd take at 15 or 16 (or lower if we make the playoffs) do? Struggle big-time and mandate the need for veterans anyway? Offensive lineman is not a 'plug&play' position anymore. There's rare exceptions, but most guys struggle in year one now. We need 5 guys ready to play next September. Ready To Play. Unless we're gonna dump our whole salary cap cushion on O-Linemen, we're in trouble and it looks 1-1 or worse that our starting 5 next September will be better than this September. 50-50.
How about our boy Clabo? When was the last time we complained about him or had reason to? I don't know what he figured out but if it was a mental thing, then it really sheds light on how hard it is to learn and understand our offense even for linemen. Do we still think of him as a guy that needs to be jettisoned? He was solid last year, he struggled early this year but he hasn't struggled in weeks so now it looks like a decent signing. Maybe we've just gotten better at protecting him with TEs or our backs helping him out? I don't know. Maybe it's Tanny having more presence, or maybe we haven't faced any guys like Mario Williams since Mario Williams. I sure hope Sherman doesn't leave Clabo on an island against Williams in week 17.
