The Official NFL O-line training camp thread (1 Viewer)

[chris1969]

Ill start with the Browns.

Thomas's Run blocking got better and better as the season wore on. With a 5.97 yard ALY it's hard to upgrade him, but in this case it is warranted. Tucker's minor injury in OLA's had Rex Hadnot in as his replacement (or maybe Hadnot was really the #1 guy) at RG. This shows he's first on the list on the many veteran back-up C/G's in Cleveland. At first I thought the Browns were looking to move a Guard over to tackle if the starter got hurt, but it's looking more and more like Tucker is going to be a utility lineman instead of the starting RG . Look for him to relieve Shaffer a lot more than Thomas. I believe that Hadnot is a better Center than Fraley, but the team was so enamored with Fraley's leadership they made him a captain last year. Fraley's job is safe. Shaffer switched sides last year and it was hard to get used to the footwork. His 1st 4 weeks were horrendous in pass blocking, but his last 4 were great. I would expect a big overall improvement for his pass blocking this year. The Browns line was one of the best last year, but I still see them getting better. Cohesion alone will make a big difference.

Currently The Depth Chart looks like this

LT Joe Thomas, Ryan Tucker, Nat Dorsey

LG Eric Steinbach, Ryan Tucker, Seth McKinney

C Hank Fraley, Lennie Friedman, Rex Hadnot

RG Rex Hadnot, Ryan Tucker, Seth McKinney

RT Kevin Shaffer, Ryan Tucker, Nat Dorsey

Guy on the bubble: Isaac Sowells - Sowells hasn't stayed healthy enough to show what he can do. Given the depth on this team, the team will move on without Sowells if he can't show a reason they should keep him in camp this year, even if he stays healthy in camp. They have more o-line practice squad types than they can fit on the practice squad this year and they aren't gonna carry a guy on the regular roster that they aren't confident about. I think Sowells will have to outperform McKinney to keep a job.

No name guy to watch: Eric Young - A Quadricep tendon injury kept him from being drafted, but he was the best lineman for Tennessee last year. He won't really make any waves this year, but may prove to be a steal by next season.

 

[lord_helmet]

 

[The Jacket]

Chiefs

LT B. Albert - dominant before injury, now out possibly for all of camp

LG B. Waters - reportedly regained his form, looking dominant

C R. Niswanger - unusually tall for a center (6'5"), has been beaten with leverage; will have to see how this plays out

RG A. Jones - heard nothing good or bad, will be decidedly average I suspect

RT D. McIntosh - a very solid pass protector but weak in the running game

Backups: I think the Chiefs are hoping that rookie RT Barry Richardson develops his pass-blocking skills sooner rather than later because he's already a more advanced run-blocker than McIntosh. The backup LT who may see pre-season action with the first unit is Herb Taylor, a prospect the Chiefs have been developing for a while. I imagine he'll get Croyle killed and LJ frustrated.

 

[Anthony Borbely]

The Lions are projected to start Backus, Mulitelo, Raiola, Peterman, and Cherilus.

At Friday's practice, they had a number of penalties for moving before the snap. Other than that, they looked pretty solid. They were better in pass blocking than run blocking.

 

[newteech]

great thread idea ----

all homers please chime in

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Link

We did some nice posting over here too, check it out.

 

[chris1969]

Great stuff so far.

 

[Buffaloes]

Broncos

LT-Ryan Clady has been dominant thus far in camp, excelling in pass protection.

LG-Ben Hamilton was a steady vet until his concussion problem a year ago.

C-Tom Nalen already having knee issues. Casey Wiegman has been practicing in his place in camp.

RG-Montrae Holland showed up 10 lbs. over weight...has not practiced and won't until his weight gets down. I think Chris Kuper has been in his place. Kuper is a steady guy who can start and succeed if necessary.

RT-Ryan Harris has been getting the reps. Haven't really heard anything good or bad. I think he had some back problems last year?

TE-Dan Graham is one of the best blocking TEs in the league

I think it will be an improvement over last year's OL

 

[MCguidance]

NY JETS

There is a healthy mix of youth and age here. Huge improvement over last year, both in the run blocking and pass blocking department. The depth behind the starters is a bit of a concern for the Jets, but is a moot point if injuries are avoided. Invariably, the depth will be tested, however, so they may look to add a veteran as soon as possible.

LT - D. Ferguson - good his rookie year, took a step back with some inconsistency last year. Some attribute that to the departure of Kendall, but we may not know since he has one of the best to his right in Faneca. Reportedly, he has added some bulk, something that has eroded on Brick as the season wore on. He did win several off-season Jets strength competitions, so the skills are there to excel.

LG - Faneca - new addition - Not much to say here, other than the aquisition of Faneca is perhaps one of the biggest and best of the offseason for any team. He has lost a step over the past 5 years, but he is still among the elite guards in the league. He will undoubtedly command the respect of teammates and provide Thomas Jones and Leon Washington some room to run on the left side of the line.

C - Mangold - some think he was a better pick than Brick. He was a bit inconsistent last year, but has the potential to become a Pro-Bowl center.

RG - Moore - Actually the most tenured Jet on the O-line.

RT - Woody - new addition - needs to stay healthy for depth to be a non-issue.

TE- Baker, Franks (new), Keller - Baker and Franks are the better blockers. Baker has the best hands, and Keller is the rookie who has been drawing praise from everyone that has seen him play - but he must improve his blocking a bit.

Key reserves - Turner, Montgomery, Oldenburg, ::ETA:: Wayne Hunter

Look for this unit to be MUCH improved over last year. They are easily in the upper half of the better lines in the league. Who will line up behind them - whether Clemens of Pennington - should feel much better about their chances this year. For this reason alone, if Clemens can improve, the Jets quarterback position may not be a black hole of fantasy misery. It's unusual that a transformation of this proportion is undertaken in one offseason, but there is no doubt that you can bump the predictions of every major starter on the Jets this year. How much is up to you.

 

[chris1969]

To make this even better, I'd like to prime it with some questions about each team. Homers chime in....

1) Giants - Seems this biggest issue on this line is depth. Do you see anything in camp to alleviate worries?

2) Patriots - See the question for the Giants.

3) Colts - Besides Mike Pollack, does any other back-up stand out in camp?

4) Saints - Who is winning the battle at Center and RT?

5) Jaguars - Any of the back-ups standing out in camp?

6) Bengals - What is Levi Jones attitude like? Is Anderson healthy?

7) Broncos - How is Clady's run blocking? Why did Kuper replace Holland and not Pears? Is Harris really the guy you want at RT?

8) Bills - Peters? Could this get nasty? How bad does the line look without him? Walker needed help in pass blocking at RT, how bad is it at LT?

9) Packers - Giacomini? Is he as good as I think he is? Barbre is ready to take somebody's job, is it LG or somewhere else?

10) Cowboys - I really think this line is over-rated, so rather than upset homers, I'll leave it up to you to tell me what you want about them.

11) Chargers - I think McNeill has a bad back, did anybody notice anything in camp? Does Hardwick look healthy? Does Goff look like he can play another year?

12) Buccaneers - Does Penn look like he can hold down the position if Petitgout goes down? Which of the young guys is showing the most improvement?

13) Eagles - Age seems to be the biggest concern on this line and they could be like the Bears were last year. Besides Jean-Gilles is anybody else standing out?

14) Jets - Any early reports on Faneca? Does Woody look like a change of scenery is helping him?

15) Cardinals - The best help you can give me about the o-line is to tell me who's starting at QB. The line should be shuffled depending on who it is.

16) Dolphins - Early impressions on Long? Morimo healthy? Smiley adapting? Any potential depth?

I'll ask about the rest of the lines later...

 

[Afro Samurai]

Saints coaches are raving about rookie Carl Nicks. I have a feeling he's going to win a starting job. Could fit in at left guard or right tackle.

There is a lot of depth here.

Jammal Brown

Jamar Nesbit

Jonathan Goodwin

Jahri Evans

Jon Stinchcomb

Jermon Bushrod

Matt Lehr

Zach Strief

Andy Alleman

Carl Nicks

Of these 10, only Alleman has not shown signs of being a quality starter (and it was pretty well-known he would be a project anyway).

I would say Brown and Evans are the only guys really entrenched at their positions. Left guard, center, right tackle should all be up for grabs. A couple of quality players will be left out and I wouldn't be surprised to see one of them traded to a team who could give him a better opportunity to play.

 

[The Man with the Plan]

ESPN says the lineman for the Jaguars Brad Meester is out at least 8 weeks with a biceps tear. That can't be good for Fred Taylor and MJD.

 

[JetBrew]

FWIW, Callahan was Nicks' coach at Nebraska and the Jets steered clear. At that point, they had already signed Woody but they also had no depth. Apparently Nicks had some OTF issues and I'm not sure what kind of part that played.

 

[SSOG]

7) Broncos - How is Clady's run blocking? Why did Kuper replace Holland and not Pears? Is Harris really the guy you want at RT?

Clady: according to all reports, Clady's been awesome. Definitely looking like a high first-round pick.Kuper: Holland is sitting out because he showed up overweight. Until he drops 10 pounds, he can't practice with the team (except for some reps as a scout-team DT)Harris: As long as Clady is as good as advertised, I don't care too much who is at RT, since Graham is the de-facto Right Tackle, anyway. Harris might remain the RT, or Kuper might steal the job when Holland comes back, or Pears might wow coaches are take it (looking like a longshot at this point). No matter what, I think RT will be the weakest player on the line. No matter what, I think a weakness at RT will be most easily masked.

 

[chris1969]

ESPN says the lineman for the Jaguars Brad Meester is out at least 8 weeks with a biceps tear. That can't be good for Fred Taylor and MJD.

He's the 1 guy that the Jags couldn't afford to lose. In the 5 weeks he was out last year the Jags gave up 17 sacks. They only gave up 16 the rest of the season. He makes the guards look better than they are in pass blocking.

 

[Biabreakable]

ESPN says the lineman for the Jaguars Brad Meester is out at least 8 weeks with a biceps tear. That can't be good for Fred Taylor and MJD.

He's the 1 guy that the Jags couldn't afford to lose. In the 5 weeks he was out last year the Jags gave up 17 sacks. They only gave up 16 the rest of the season. He makes the guards look better than they are in pass blocking.

This injury concerns me also for the running game. May lead to more outside running early on in the season which would favor MJD. Still this is a blow to the offense as a whole untill Meester gets back I think.Who will play in his place in the meantime?

 

[chris1969]

ESPN says the lineman for the Jaguars Brad Meester is out at least 8 weeks with a biceps tear. That can't be good for Fred Taylor and MJD.

He's the 1 guy that the Jags couldn't afford to lose. In the 5 weeks he was out last year the Jags gave up 17 sacks. They only gave up 16 the rest of the season. He makes the guards look better than they are in pass blocking.

This injury concerns me also for the running game. May lead to more outside running early on in the season which would favor MJD. Still this is a blow to the offense as a whole untill Meester gets back I think.Who will play in his place in the meantime?

I'm guessing Dennis Norman and that's a huge drop.

 

[chris1969]

Part 2 of my offensive line questions...

17) Texans - Brown vs Salaam, is either guy standing out this year and do you think think they may rotate?

18) Vikings - Which hurts the team more, McKinnie being suspended, Richardson being gone, or Birk playing not to get hurt this year, and what impact do you think each of those things will have in the running game? Do you think any of these things is a non-issue?

19) Seahawks - I think Jones has lost a step, but could still play a few more years at an elite level if he switched places with Locklear. And Locklear seems to be a better pass blocker than a run blocker, has anyone heard any hints of that scenario? I really like Solari as a line coach, do you see anybody surprising under his tutelage so far?

20) Panthers - This line has been shuffled more than a Patriot's injury report before the Super-Bowl, do you see any signs of cohesion here?

I'll save the rest of the teams for later...

Thanks to all that have submitted so far.

 

[chris1969]

Bumpety

 

[Al Toon's Mole]

NY JETS

There is a healthy mix of youth and age here. Huge improvement over last year, both in the run blocking and pass blocking department. The depth behind the starters is a bit of a concern for the Jets, but is a moot point if injuries are avoided. Invariably, the depth will be tested, however, so they may look to add a veteran as soon as possible.

LT - D. Ferguson - good his rookie year, took a step back with some inconsistency last year. Some attribute that to the departure of Kendall, but we may not know since he has one of the best to his right in Faneca. Reportedly, he has added some bulk, something that has eroded on Brick as the season wore on. He did win several off-season Jets strength competitions, so the skills are there to excel.

LG - Faneca - new addition - Not much to say here, other than the aquisition of Faneca is perhaps one of the biggest and best of the offseason for any team. He has lost a step over the past 5 years, but he is still among the elite guards in the league. He will undoubtedly command the respect of teammates and provide Thomas Jones and Leon Washington some room to run on the left side of the line.

C - Mangold - some think he was a better pick than Brick. He was a bit inconsistent last year, but has the potential to become a Pro-Bowl center.

RG - Moore - Actually the most tenured Jet on the O-line.

RT - Woody - new addition - needs to stay healthy for depth to be a non-issue.

TE- Baker, Franks (new), Keller - Baker and Franks are the better blockers. Baker has the best hands, and Keller is the rookie who has been drawing praise from everyone that has seen him play - but he must improve his blocking a bit.

Key reserves - Turner, Montgomery, Oldenburg, ::ETA:: Wayne Hunter

Look for this unit to be MUCH improved over last year. They are easily in the upper half of the better lines in the league. Who will line up behind them - whether Clemens of Pennington - should feel much better about their chances this year. For this reason alone, if Clemens can improve, the Jets quarterback position may not be a black hole of fantasy misery. It's unusual that a transformation of this proportion is undertaken in one offseason, but there is no doubt that you can bump the predictions of every major starter on the Jets this year. How much is up to you.

Also have to add a new O-Line coach in Callahan.

 

[chris1969]

I was pretty impressed with the Jet line in the first pre-season game.

 

[Afro Samurai]

After re-watching the Saints Thursday night game, I can see why the coaches like Nicks. He looks really good out there and definitely improves the interior run blocking over Nesbit.

Stinchcomb just looks worse and worse every time I see him. He was pretty good a couple years ago but now he just looks slow and soft. I don't see any way he retains his starting job.

Also, Jonathan Goodwin looked good. He was, sadly, the only guy in the starting five that did, though. I would say he's probably got the center job locked down.

 

[BigRed]

I can't speak for camp but since this seems to be general OL discussion: I know there are plenty of "caveats" (not the least of which is guys like Sorgi at QB) - but Colts OL in 2 games from what I've seen and/or heard is looking very poor. FWIW

 

[chris1969]

I agree, but I think Manning's ability to get rid of the ball is a major reason. It should be something to think about if he is slow to return.

 

[chris1969]

Ok, now I'm sure there is something wrong with the Colts line. Ignore my last statement.

 

[bocksheesh]

bump