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The Offensive Line

PhinfanBo1

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Right now, this is what I think is going to happen. First of all, Jamie Nails is the key to all of this. He IS one of the top five lineman on this football team, and I think by the end of training camp we will be looking at him as the 2nd best guy, behind Todd Wade. If Nails keeps it up, he is going to start at LG; Mark Dixon or no Mark Dixon. Nails is playing great, and he fits what Norv Turner wants to do here as well as anybody. Wannstedt compares him to Nate Newton, and Tony Wise just keeps praising him. What I think they will do with Dixon is try him out at Left Tackle. Not necessarily as a starter, just toss him into the mix and see if he can beat out Brent Smith and Marcus Spriggs. If he can, great, we'll have a great starter at that left tackle spot, and two good backups. If not, then Dixon can backup the tackle, and the left guard spots.

As far as the rest of the line goes, Todd Perry is not the lineman Leon Searcy is. Searcy is healthy, confident and he is coming on strong. Searcy and Nails are perfect for this type of offense, and they should do a great job. Having Perry, or maybe Perry and Dixon (if he doesn't hold down the Left Tackle spot) as backups would be great for this football team. Center, we all know about with Ruddy who is playing pretty good football, and Mckinney behind him.

All in all, things are starting to come together very nicely up front. Like I said, unless Smith or Spriggs comes on strong in the practices against Tampa Bay, and then the game, expect Dixon to slide over and be given a shot at that spot. He wouldn't be handed the starting job.

I want to know what you guys think is going to happen up front...
 
We'll have to wait and see a few pre season games before we go out and annoint any starters on the line. It is a very tough battle for playing time, and one that is good for the organization.

No matter what happens(excluding injuries, naturally), we should have some pretty damn good dept here on both lines.
 
Spriggs, Nails, Ruddy, Searcy, Wade:

Spriggs will bounce back because he wants it bad, not as bad as Nails who will supplant Dixon at the guard spot. Ruddy will be made better by the benching of Dixon, and Searcy will put the splinters into Perry! Wade will remain dominant on the right side! O.K. any questions? Good!! (kids putting hands down)
 
And you're basing the fact that spriggs "wants it bad", moreso than Brent Smith, on...

OK then.

Outside shot? Richmond Webb gets released from the Bengals and the Phins sign him to a one year vet's minimum contract and he plays the year at LT and the line returns to its 2000 form.
 
Nails has been our C. Chambers of camp on the OL..so far he's playing like someone who should start..This is very interesting for the coaches I'm sure as Dixon as been tauted as our best OL in years pass...but time is moving and things change. Right now Dixon, Smith and Spriggs are all returning and recovering from injuries from last season and are in no way our best lineman right now..Right now our best 5 seem to be Nails, Wade, Ruddy, Todd, and Searcy..Obviously this presents a problem since there is no LT in that group...Searcy maybe able to pull it off, since he's the only one to have experience at that position. So I see why the coaches are hesitating to name a starter or starters..They're hoping that one of the 3 injured players can come back soon and make a case on the starting LT position.. That will help with the rest of the line calls in terms of who will be the starters.
 
Originally posted by ckparrothead
And you're basing the fact that spriggs "wants it bad", moreso than Brent Smith, on...

OK then.

Outside shot? Richmond Webb gets released from the Bengals and the Phins sign him to a one year vet's minimum contract and he plays the year at LT and the line returns to its 2000 form.

Not so fast on him starting immediately. This is a whole different offense and o-line coach since he's been here. If/when he will ever be released won't happen for at least two preseason games which will be another two weeks. Then he would have to learn the playbook, terminology, blocking schemes. He will miss most of the Fins training camp and will take him half the season to get up to speed with the rest of the lineman. It will be nice to re-sign him because I know we can depend on him to hold the LT spot down.
 
Originally posted by PHINFAN4LIFE
Spriggs, Nails, Ruddy, Searcy, Wade:

Spriggs will bounce back because he wants it bad, not as bad as Nails who will supplant Dixon at the guard spot. Ruddy will be made better by the benching of Dixon, and Searcy will put the splinters into Perry! Wade will remain dominant on the right side! O.K. any questions? Good!! (kids putting hands down)
How will benching Dixon help Ruddy? Do you mean to say that Nails would make Ruddy play better or relieve him of more pressure?
 
Whatever Wanny does, it will be within the next two weeks. Could we actually have some serious competition for jobs, especially on the OL? I agree that it does seem like we have as much seemingly "quality depth" on the OL, as we have had in a long, long, time.

He has already come out and said, that any changes will be made within the first two pre-season games. After that, he will go with what he has.
 
i think we will have a much better ol this year no matter who is starting...i want nails and searcy to win jobs and move dixon to tackle...smith ad spriggs are not ready yet... i hope we draft a left tackle with our 1st pick in next years draft...
 
Wanny has to avoid wearing these guys into the ground during camp. Especially Brent Smith, Dixon, and Chester. Keep them fresh and healthy like RW. Smith and Dixon will be fine on the left side for Ricky if they remain healthy. I think Ruddy is going to come back with a vengence during the first half of the year. My only concern is Todd Perry at this point he has just never shown the talent that the other OLmen (Smith, Dixon, Ruddy, and Wade) have shown at some points in their career. It makes no sense to play Searcy in the Runs and Perry in passes.
 
Originally posted by ckparrothead
And you're basing the fact that spriggs "wants it bad", moreso than Brent Smith, on...

OK then.

Outside shot? Richmond Webb gets released from the Bengals and the Phins sign him to a one year vet's minimum contract and he plays the year at LT and the line returns to its 2000 form.

On the fact that thats what I want to transpire...............Now then!

Benching Dixon will help Ruddy mentally! Knowing no ones above the AX! Having a mental picture of McKinney in the starting line-up would work wonders for his drive. Dont get me wrong, Ruddy is competent, but sometimes a little fire goes a long way!
 
I actually think starting the strongest guys now...Spriggs, Nails, Ruddy. (Todd\Searcy), Wade..will aid the recovery of Dixon and Smith and down the line when we need them..they will be ready..but if they injuried and weak right now I see no reason to rush them into the lineup, if we have the luxury of having competent starters now. Let them get their strenght back..I know this maybe risky for them if spriggs and nails play strong and don't get injured..but Brent and Mark do us no good if they're only 80% and Spriggs is 95% and Nails 100%..sitting on the bench.
 
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