The truth about LJ Shelton

[cigar]

Dont be suprised if the move of LJ Shelton to RG is permanent. With McIntosh as perhaps one of the teams most underrated veterans, his ability to move and play LT allows Shelton to move inside. I suspect the Fins look to upgrade LT and LG in the future, but Shelton could remain a fixture for 3 reasons. - Strength, Size, and Salary
Heres some history on LJ Shelton.
Shelton came into the league as a #1 pick of the Cards in 1999. The next year, the cards had the #2 overall pick and drafted the best player available in Leonard Davis. The ensuing year, Coach Dave McGinnis benched Shelton for immaturity issues, not his play. When Shelton returned, he had lost his job to RT Anthony Clement, not Davis who was playing RG. Shelton was moved to RT in what seemed to be a punishment, and for a while could team up with Davis for a massive right side. The next few years, Shelton moved around the O-line playing LT, LG, and RT. Towards the end of his rookie contract, the Cards resigned Shelton, who had since regained his LT job. A sign that they liked him and he had proven versitile to play multiple positions and play well. During the following 2 years, expectations, contracts, and personnel pressures force the Cards to start Davis at LT to see if he could ever live up to the huge expectations he had coming out of college. With Shelton's contract to pricey to keep as a G, and his ability to play LT, made it such that the Cards let Shelton walk. This said, Shelton has played G and has done so well enough to merit and extension from Arizona. Although Shelton is far from a pro bowler at any position, he is suited to play G in this offense.

 

[cigar]

And I might add, Im sure this was taken into account when Saban went after Shelton. A theme of Saban is always to have versatility. This is just one of the benefits of that attribute.

 

[WPBtoRNOFinFan]

cigar, from what I have seen of your posts, I like! Good job!

 

[stupid idiot]

ya another good 1 are you gonna go through the whole team or just all the new people?

 

[jdang307]

ya another good 1 are you gonna go through the whole team or just all the new people?

Not all the new people. I wouldn't do one for Joey Or Daunte :wink:

 

[DolfanDaveInMI]

Shelton did look better at guard than at tackle, but if that's where he fits in our system, he won't be here next season without a substantial pay cut. Left tackles make $15 million over four years in today's NFL; right guards do not unless they're perennial All-Pros, which Shelton will never be.

 

[Rich]

That is the positive. Most of us were hoping he would pan out at Left Tackle.

Here's the negative:
1. Cleveland let him go last year, because they wanted to upgrade the position.
2. Many Cleveland players said, "The guy can't play".
3. Arizona, the team cited, has the worst o-line in the league this year.
4. Damion MacIntosh was targeted to be replaced with Shelton. Shelton is worse than him.
5. Pass-blocking: At Left Tackle, Shelton takes 2 large steps back, very quickly, allowing a Defensive End to take a 5-yard running start towards Shelton. The guy either barrels in to Shelton, or runs around him on the outside. This also left Jeno James in open space... allowing someone to run in between him and Shelton. This is a common pass-blocking technique used for immobile linemen. I didn't like it, when Richmond Webb used it, his final year here.
6. Run-blocking: MacIntosh blocked for 5.00 YPC last year (#6 in the league), Shelton blocked for 3.05 YPC. 29th in the league, worst on his team. In 2006, Shelton was ranked #30 after week 3, with 1.28 YPC... again, worst on the team. After week 6, runs left of the LT are ranked #27 with 2.41 YPC.

**************
Shelton is not mobile enough, or well-trained, to play Left-Tackle this year. At Right Guard, he has played Well for 2 straight weeks. He is signed thru 2009, and is probably not going anywhere.

 

[PhinsRock]

He will be there at RG for a while, based on what we paid him, but we certainly didn't pay him anything like $15 million as one poster put it for LT pay as typical.

 

[cigar]

This is true. But we dont pay Marty Booker 3.5 Mil to get injured, drop balls, and not live up to the Ogunleye trade either. Sometimes you have to deal with the hand you play.

 

[bert]

great 8 posts .i agree with all of you.great info -facts to back it up to.draft a beast lt.sign an all pro center,and let james and rex battle it out for the other guard spot next year.

 

[ItsOurTime32]

shelton's also big and slow, very slow, he won't have to move much at guard unless hes pulling which his weight should carry him with momentum a few feet to make a block

 

[Pocoloco]

keep him at right guard then. He seems to be doing well there. The guy likes Miami and seems willing to work hard. He's just not our left tackle, that's all.

 

[zonk4ever]

This is true. But we dont pay Marty Booker 3.5 Mil to get injured, drop balls, and not live up to the Ogunleye trade either. Sometimes you have to deal with the hand you play.

actually booker when healthy has been a "big play" receiver for us. that's how bad are receivers are. Credit to Linehan for making chicken salad out of it. The Shelton was made strictly out of desperation, but he hasn'r been horrible which is an upgrade for this bunch. Saban tried to do the same thing with the massive Stockar McDougle last year, it didn't work out.

 

[jlfin]

This is true. But we dont pay Marty Booker 3.5 Mil to get injured, drop balls, and not live up to the Ogunleye trade either. Sometimes you have to deal with the hand you play.

He has dropped very few balls. He shows up every week. I don't know what games you have been watching.
Ogun, BTW has missed a few games this year due to injury.
I personally don't understand this worship some of you have with Ogun. He is a good, NOT GREAT, DE. He is, and always will be a complimentary player.
His best year was when JT was at the peak of his career and routinely commanding double teams.
He now plays as a cog in a very good Bears D-line.

 

[DCFinFan]

He has dropped very few balls

You're right. The problem with Booker is he trips over his own feet more than he drops balls. I'd like to see him replaced next year with someone more athletic. He's nothing special IMO.