Simple cross-training him so he can be ready in an emergency. Good to see Jesse Davis stepping up into that leadership role.
Obviously, he loves the value of the team having confidence in him across all 5 OL positions. There is an additional leadership quality at center because they trust you to make the calls and handle the ball, so I'm sure he enjoys that as well. But at the end of the day, I think they've got him in the right spot. He profiles as a run blocking OT or a mauling OG. Given that we drafted two mauling OG's and we lack OT's, I'll be surprised if he doesn't start at one of the OT spots.
He's more of a RT/RG by nature and talent, but given the dearth of pass protectors on this OL, I'd say he's probably the only starting OT we have. If we build this OL around Fitz, it probably means Jesse Davis plays LT, because Austin Jackson isn't ready yet, and I think starting OT is too big of a jump for the small-school prospect Hunt. But just on basic profile, Austin Jackson is best suited for LT and Jesse Davis is best suited for RT. Given that Tua is left handed, they could easily swap that, but it might be something best done in 2021 because if Jackson starts he will have a rough rookie season and a steep learning curve.
Kindley profiles specifically as a power pig RG. Hunt profiles as a RG/RT, but the dramatic step up in competition and the shift from run blocking to elite pass protection probably means he cannot effectively be an OT in 2020, so he really also projects as a RG candidate in 2020. Austin Jackson projects as a pass protecting OT--exactly what we need--but he's still a year away from being ready, IMHO. Big decision will likely be which side they play Jackson on in 2020, because if they ask him to switch sides for 2021, it just makes it that much harder for the kid. Davis can play both, and I feel like Hunt is going to struggle with pass pro technique regardless of side.
To me, there seems to be a bit of a dichotomy forming on this board. IMHO, the majority of people seem to be vastly overrating the newcomers (all 3 rookie OL plus the 2 FA's) and setting unreal expectations for them--especially the rookies. And on the flip side, those same people seem to be completely dismissing and under-rating our returning OL players. I get that hope springs eternal, and I've been critical of our OL for many years ... but Jesse Davis is the only solid OT we have on this team, and it seems people do not realize this. People are expecting Laremey Tunsil as a 2nd year pro and Jake Long as a rookie from the late 1st round pick Austin Jackson and mid-round pick Robert Hunt ... and that's just not going to happen. Tunsil and Long were potential HoF guys with talent at the very top of round 1 and ready when they came out. Had Tunsil's video not surface, he could have also been a #1 overall pick. Our rookies this year are not ready.
Jesse Davis is a solid OT, and that carries a lot of value in the NFL, and he's certainly our best OL on this team by virtue of being our only OT. People projecting Jackson and Hunt as our starting OT's are not being realistic. That would get our QB's killed. I definitely see Fitz running for his life again this year simply because we have 2 OL weak spots--and that is assuming the 3 veterans are all healthy and playing well (Jesse Davis at OT, Ereck Flowers at LG, and Ted Karras at OC/RG). Given Covid-19 on top of regular injuries ... all three rookies will play. I'm worried how our bad OL will leave Tua vulnerable if/when we play him.
