Fixing The Offensive Line Should Be Top Priority

[J. David Wannyheimer]

Sanchez blows, but that doesn't mean that the Jets made a stupid decision. They needed a quarterback so they went and got one. Great QBs don't get traded or hit free agency. They're just too valuable. You gotta get lucky (injured Brees breaking out during his contract year with Rivers on the bench behind him, Kurt Warner coming from a freaking grocery store, etc.) or draft one.

Atlanta needed a QB, they took Matt Ryan. We needed a QB and we took Jake Long. Which team made out better?

 

[flynryan15]

well garner is gonna play now cause i wouldn't be surprised if carey was done for the year...they were grabbing that lower leg an awful lot and he looked like he was in a ton of pain...6 weeks left already out of the playoff hunt wouldn't surprise me if it was even just a high ankle sprain or something that he could come back with in 4 weeks or so but we shelve him

Not so fast they sure didn't do that with Long last year! When coaching for your job player health is not a priority.

 

[nyashfan]

I think Long vs Ryan is a wash. The major problem was that the next two picks were Merling and Henne. So far this year, Moore's QB rating is 87.8, Matt Ryan is 85.5 Not saying that statistics are everything, but a 4 year starter drafted #3 should be way better than a career backup. Wake me up when Matt Ryan wins a playoff game.

Sanchez blows, but that doesn't mean that the Jets made a stupid decision. They needed a quarterback so they went and got one. Great QBs don't get traded or hit free agency. They're just too valuable. You gotta get lucky (injured Brees breaking out during his contract year with Rivers on the bench behind him, Kurt Warner coming from a freaking grocery store, etc.) or draft one.

Atlanta needed a QB, they took Matt Ryan. We needed a QB and we took Jake Long. Which team made out better?

 

[hoops]

not sure the nate solder 1st round pick at #17 is one you want to reference in your argument however...i mean he's pretty much now a 3rd te/olineman on short yardage and power run overload sets...me personally i'd want more than that from a top 20 pick even in year one

 

[nyashfan]

I agree that he isn't that good. Another poster made the point that good teams don't invest high draft picks on offensive lineman. My only point was that Belicheck has, with either 1st or 2nd rounders. Conversely, has Bill Belicheck ever drafted a high pick on a QB? Can't think of one. Bledsoe was a Parcells pick. And in Cleveland they already had Kosar and Testaverde. Belicheck always drafts for value; he would never trade several current/future draft picks to draft a QB. He found talent with Brady and Cassel.

not sure the nate solder 1st round pick at #17 is one you want to reference in your argument however...i mean he's pretty much now a 3rd te/olineman on short yardage and power run overload sets...me personally i'd want more than that from a top 20 pick even in year one

 

[aquabob]

I agree that he isn't that good. Another poster made the point that good teams don't invest high draft picks on offensive lineman. My only point was that Belicheck has, with either 1st or 2nd rounders. Conversely, has Bill Belicheck ever drafted a high pick on a QB? Can't think of one. Bledsoe was a Parcells pick. And in Cleveland they already had Kosar and Testaverde. Belicheck always drafts for value; he would never trade several current/future draft picks to draft a QB. He found talent with Brady and Cassel.

He also PASSED on Tom Brady 5 times before picking him up in the 6th. They got lucky. Simple as that. If not for that stroke of luck, Belicheck would not be deemed the God he is by ESPN and the national sports media.

Throughout the history of the NFL, most great QBs are found in the first round. We have been able to find talent in the draft as of lately (under this regime). The problem isn't finding the talent per say, it's been our overall strategy. Drafting linemen in the first round and getting skill players in the second and later is a FAILED strategy. It has left our offensive line full of weaknesses (as we can't spend every first round pick on the unit) and extremely expensive. It has also created a huge whole in our skill players. Instead, we should be getting skill players in the first, and drafting offensive linement in the second and third rounds. We'd have less weaknesses in the unit, spend less on the unit, and have a BETTER unit, not to mention MUCH BETTER skill players.

 

[nyashfan]

I have no problem with drafting OL in the 2nd or 3rd rounds. Conversely, THIS REGIME has only used two
1st or 2nd round picks on the OL. A lot of posts have exaggerated that the OL will be composed of five 1st round draft picks.
What does Columbo's or Carey's draft status have to do with this regime? Nothing. They won't even be here next year. Yet other organizations like the Jets and 49ers have recently used 2 1st round picks on OL in the same draft.

A lot of people wished the Dolphins had drafted Mark Ingram in the 1st round. How would that have worked out? My only point was that Moore was put in a lot of poor down and distance situations because of negative plays in the running game, both on the 1st and goal from the 3 and on the last possession. Sure Moore missed a few throws; every QB does. But there's no reason why the model for the Dolphins can't follow the model for the 49ers. If we had their OL and running game, I think the results would be similar.

He also PASSED on Tom Brady 5 times before picking him up in the 6th. They got lucky. Simple as that. If not for that stroke of luck, Belicheck would not be deemed the God he is by ESPN and the national sports media.

Throughout the history of the NFL, most great QBs are found in the first round. We have been able to find talent in the draft as of lately (under this regime). The problem isn't finding the talent per say, it's been our overall strategy. Drafting linemen in the first round and getting skill players in the second and later is a FAILED strategy. It has left our offensive line full of weaknesses (as we can't spend every first round pick on the unit) and extremely expensive. It has also created a huge whole in our skill players. Instead, we should be getting skill players in the first, and drafting offensive linement in the second and third rounds. We'd have less weaknesses in the unit, spend less on the unit, and have a BETTER unit, not to mention MUCH BETTER skill players.

 

[johngarryvo]

how many years does it take an Oline guru to 'fix' an Oline? so far 4. anyone believe we're close? anyone? Bueller?

 

[2413fanphins]

I have no problem with drafting OL in the 2nd or 3rd rounds. Conversely, THIS REGIME has only used two
1st or 2nd round picks on the OL. A lot of posts have exaggerated that the OL will be composed of five 1st round draft picks.
What does Columbo's or Carey's draft status have to do with this regime? Nothing. They won't even be here next year. Yet other organizations like the Jets and 49ers have recently used 2 1st round picks on OL in the same draft.

A lot of people wished the Dolphins had drafted Mark Ingram in the 1st round. How would that have worked out? My only point was that Moore was put in a lot of poor down and distance situations because of negative plays in the running game, both on the 1st and goal from the 3 and on the last possession. Sure Moore missed a few throws; every QB does. But there's no reason why the model for the Dolphins can't follow the model for the 49ers. If we had their OL and running game, I think the results would be similar.

i get your point, and to an extent I agree. but that 9ers OLINE was getting manhandled by baltimore last night. The 49ers don't play a ton of stiff competition. If we had a chance to win 8 games and wrap up the division by week 12 I wouldn't mind following the 9ers blueprint. Fact of the matter is we play the jets, and the patriots twice a year, not the seahawks and rams... ya know??? I think we need to draft qb, or attain a franchise qb in some way shape or form. I address the OL, with proven free agents. I can't go through another year of drafting OL in the 1st or 2nd round. I need playmakers there for a change this time around. I don't see any reason we can't trade for a qb, or get lucky and draft barkley or somebody and sign an established OG in free agency. than my only other MAJOR concern is sean smith. I have several concerns, most of them mild past those three points.

 

[2413fanphins]

to the mark ingram point, my only argument would be that I think he is better than daniel thomas. and would have come at the expense of one pick. where as DT, cost us multiple picks. especially when we just traded for reggie bush, and didnt' try hard enough to retain either RW or RB... and save picks..