Addressing the LT position in FAgency

[Stinger226]

As of today , Russel Okung is available for hire.

 

the top available LTs available in Free agency is Street Address : Andrew Whitworth, , Kelvin Beachum, Riley Reiff, Ryan Clady,

Russel is 29, I personally like Beachum better at 27 but we have a chance to upgrade in FAgency not with a star but better than what we got.

[jason]

As of today , Russel Okung is available for hire.

 

the top available LTs available in Free agency is Street Address : Andrew Whitworth, , Kelvin Beachum, Riley Reiff, Ryan Clady,

Russel is 29, I personally like Beachum better at 27 but we have a chance to upgrade in FAgency not with a star but better than what we got.

 

I'd love to see two of those guys.

[Pixote]

In the past Fox/Pace did not think we needed an upgrade at LOT

 

I certainly do, it is obvious you feel we do, I think the majority of the posters on the forum agree....

 

It will be interesting to see if they change their tune with the excess cap money and good FA OTs available

 

I personally would like to see ROT upgraded as well.

 

 

[bradjock]

In the past Fox/Pace did not think we needed an upgrade at LOT

 

I certainly do, it is obvious you feel we do, I think the majority of the posters on the forum agree....

 

It will be interesting to see if they change their tune with the excess cap money and good FA OTs available

 

I personally would like to see ROT upgraded as well.

 

I'd like to see Kyle Long moved to LT. With Josh Sitton and Whitehair, the other two interior positions are in good shape. It's far easier to find a good RG than a LT.

[ASHKUM BEAR]

I'd like to see Kyle Long moved to LT. With Josh Sitton and Whitehair, the other two interior positions are in good shape. It's far easier to find a good RG than a LT.

I figured he would eventually develop into a LT after we drafted him high but moving him off a position he locks down may backfire. I really don't see it this season since he may not even have his strength back after having 2-3 surgeries. He has alot on his plate already.

[jason]

I'd like to see Kyle Long moved to LT. With Josh Sitton and Whitehair, the other two interior positions are in good shape. It's far easier to find a good RG than a LT.

 

That's a horrible decision.

 

He played like Tarzan at RG, Jane at RT. Why take him away from what he dominates?

[50england50]

I think we need to play the 5 best players across the line on the field and at the start of camp and if it doesn't work out we reshuffle on the fly. I don't see anyone in free agency I would be interested in and we got burned on Massie last year.

I would play Long, Sinton, Grasu, Kush, Whitehair for the following reasons. If Long is able to play there at a level at is a significant improvement on Leno Jnr that seriously upgrades the oline and that would be his floor with his ceiling being he is a stud. If Whitehair can play centre at the level he did last year without ever playing the position then expectations could be that he could be a good to very good player at right tackle. I still think Grasu needs to be given the chance to be a serviceable centre because we can't afford to miss on drafts picks from 1st to 4th round to catch up with the teams in the north. I liked how Kush performed and my only issue with Sinton is possibly conditioning i.e. I would assume with a better diet is body fat could come down which would mean he could be stronger and quicker. My only scenario in this failing is that Long is rehabbing from surgery and if he isn't 100% by the start of training camp he may need to play right guard and we play the following Leno Jnr, Sinton, Grasu if performing or Whitehair, Long and Massie or Whitehair with draft picks providing competition and hopefully we hit on a gem.

I have read good reviews on the new oline coach and it seems he had a big say in how Miami's oline was reshuffled last year and was markedly improved and I would assume he used the same approach i.e. what best 5 players can I put together. Also we won't be adding a stranger into the mix so other than switching positions the continuity could be good.

This approach would also mean draft picks could be used elsewhere unless a tackle fell in the draft and Pace couldn't pass on him. It would be good to target other positions in free agency because we have greater needs and these need to be addressed unless we are going to have another year like 2015 and 2016.

[Stinger226]

I think we need to play the 5 best players across the line on the field and at the start of camp and if it doesn't work out we reshuffle on the fly. I don't see anyone in free agency I would be interested in and we got burned on Massie last year.

I would play Long, Sinton, Grasu, Kush, Whitehair for the following reasons. If Long is able to play there at a level at is a significant improvement on Leno Jnr that seriously upgrades the oline and that would be his floor with his ceiling being he is a stud. If Whitehair can play centre at the level he did last year without ever playing the position then expectations could be that he could be a good to very good player at right tackle. I still think Grasu needs to be given the chance to be a serviceable centre because we can't afford to miss on drafts picks from 1st to 4th round to catch up with the teams in the north. I liked how Kush performed and my only issue with Sinton is possibly conditioning i.e. I would assume with a better diet is body fat could come down which would mean he could be stronger and quicker. My only scenario in this failing is that Long is rehabbing from surgery and if he isn't 100% by the start of training camp he may need to play right guard and we play the following Leno Jnr, Sinton, Grasu if performing or Whitehair, Long and Massie or Whitehair with draft picks providing competition and hopefully we hit on a gem.

I have read good reviews on the new oline coach and it seems he had a big say in how Miami's oline was reshuffled last year and was markedly improved and I would assume he used the same approach i.e. what best 5 players can I put together. Also we won't be adding a stranger into the mix so other than switching positions the continuity could be good.

This approach would also mean draft picks could be used elsewhere unless a tackle fell in the draft and Pace couldn't pass on him. It would be good to target other positions in free agency because we have greater needs and these need to be addressed unless we are going to have another year like 2015 and 2016.

Here is a review of the top LTs in this years draft. I would say bolles would be a top choice if we could get him in the second.

 

http://www.fanragsports.com/nfl/concern-ou...le-draft-class/

[ASHKUM BEAR]

Here is a review of the top LTs in this years draft. I would say bolles would be a top choice if we could get him in the second.

 

http://www.fanragsports.com/nfl/concern-ou...le-draft-class/

The combine will answer some questions on Bolles in regard to leg strength, which is currently his red mark. He also doesn't have much history besides last season. If he checks out, he is first round material. If he still needs work, maybe trade down some in the second for him. I think at 36, we can still get a first round graded talent. Drafting an OT that can eventually play at a high level should be on the Bears board. Leno is on his final year and Massie took a long time to get it together, it is time to add a young bookend.

[bradjock]

That's a horrible decision.

 

He played like Tarzan at RG, Jane at RT. Why take him away from what he dominates?

 

He may not be dominant but he's easily our best LT option. There's not a great LT available in free agency and none worthy of the #3 overall pick.

 

Long was a pro-bowl alternate at RT.

[Mongo3451]

He may not be dominant but he's easily our best LT option. There's not a great LT available in free agency and none worthy of the #3 overall pick.

 

Long was a pro-bowl alternate at RT.

I tend to agree with Jason on Long, but a little analysis could change me. If I knew the improvement at LT would improve greater than the loss of greatness at RG, I would consider it.

 

Looking at available talent, Whitehair could fill the RG role without anyone saying we need help at that position. But, how much of a drop would he be? Now we have an open C position. Grasu was drafted in the 3rd to be that guy. Is he healthy and strong enough to be the guy we need him to be? Does he fit what Fox the needs within the blocking philosophy, since he wasn't drafted for the current system? After that, what is his drop off from Whitehair?

 

Lastly, and where Jason and I may disagree, is continuity. Since this unit has been together for a couple of years, will it change their growth curve in continuity if positions are switched? If they can retain some of their cohesion, there's little doubt there is more physical talent on the field. It could possibly give Jason a superior talent pool while giving the continuity I like, but there are sooo many questions that he and I have no answers for.(player desire, real health, ability and adaptability)

[Stinger226]

I tend to agree with Jason on Long, but a little analysis could change me. If I knew the improvement at LT would improve greater than the loss of greatness at RG, I would consider it.

 

Looking at available talent, Whitehair could fill the RG role without anyone saying we need help at that position. But, how much of a drop would he be? Now we have an open C position. Grasu was drafted in the 3rd to be that guy. Is he healthy and strong enough to be the guy we need him to be? Does he fit what Fox the needs within the blocking philosophy, since he wasn't drafted for the current system? After that, what is his drop off from Whitehair?

 

Lastly, and where Jason and I may disagree, is continuity. Since this unit has been together for a couple of years, will it change their growth curve in continuity if positions are switched? If they can retain some of their cohesion, there's little doubt there is more physical talent on the field. It could possibly give Jason a superior talent pool while giving the continuity I like, but there are sooo many questions that he and I have no answers for.(player desire, real health, ability and adaptability)

I think it is to be considered to move Long if we do not upgrade the position at LT. He may be less of a player at LT than an all pro guard but if Grasu is a competent center, it puts our best 5 on the field which would be a good thing.

[AZ54]

I think it is to be considered to move Long if we do not upgrade the position at LT. He may be less of a player at LT than an all pro guard but if Grasu is a competent center, it puts our best 5 on the field which would be a good thing.

 

Given the lengthy rehab work he has to do this offseason just to get his physical skills back this is not the ideal time to move him to LT.

[jason]

He may not be dominant but he's easily our best LT option. There's not a great LT available in free agency and none worthy of the #3 overall pick.

 

Long was a pro-bowl alternate at RT.

 

First, that pro-bowl nod was name recognition only. We all were talking about how he wasn't very good at RT that year.

 

As for the rest, we're not speaking the same language. Is he the best LT option? Possibly. But that speaks to the weakness of the tackles, not the strength of Long. Removing him from the OG spot not only takes away the strength of the OL, but it reeks of the former staffs who at one point used a hodge-podge of OL players that were never at their original position. That never works. And ask any offensive lineman; moving positions is much more difficult than the average person knows.

 

If that move had been made, for good, after his rookie season, then sure. But now that we've seen him at RT, and seen the obvious drop off, and now that he's done a bunch of rehab just to get back to where he was physically, it's not worth it.

 

If anyone should be moved, it should be Whitehair. He played LT at KSU, and had the fastest 3-cone drill among linemen. If he can jump into the Center position as a rookie who never really played it, and do as well as he did, then he'd probably be a lot better at LT in the NFL than all the pundits predicted.

[Stinger226]

First, that pro-bowl nod was name recognition only. We all were talking about how he wasn't very good at RT that year.

 

As for the rest, we're not speaking the same language. Is he the best LT option? Possibly. But that speaks to the weakness of the tackles, not the strength of Long. Removing him from the OG spot not only takes away the strength of the OL, but it reeks of the former staffs who at one point used a hodge-podge of OL players that were never at their original position. That never works. And ask any offensive lineman; moving positions is much more difficult than the average person knows.

 

If that move had been made, for good, after his rookie season, then sure. But now that we've seen him at RT, and seen the obvious drop off, and now that he's done a bunch of rehab just to get back to where he was physically, it's not worth it.

 

If anyone should be moved, it should be Whitehair. He played LT at KSU, and had the fastest 3-cone drill among linemen. If he can jump into the Center position as a rookie who never really played it, and do as well as he did, then he'd probably be a lot better at LT in the NFL than all the pundits predicted.

I think if we dont address the LT position in the offseason and Grasu comes back that may be an option but probably wont happen.