Offensive Line Prospects

[Elephant]

This is an interesting year regarding offensive lineman coming out of college and it appears there are maybe three that are projected to be 1st round material.

Right now the consensus is the Russel Okung out of OSU is the top rated tackle. He is projected to go in the top 5 but does not command the same respect that tackles in the past have. There is Chris Marinelli from Stanford and after watching them run all over ND Saturday I am inclined to think he is an option if we traded down, which brings me to the point of this thread.

If we stay about where we are in the draft order at this point, it looks like Okung could be there for us, but he does not have that dominant presence in this draft class that someone like Chris Samuels did when he was drafted. With Levi coming in and the possibility of Samuels coming back, would you guys trade down in the hopes of acquiring a couple of quality lineman and hope that either Buges (or whomever is there) can develop these players or do we take Okung with that pick.

Personally, I would like to see us trade down and go after a few interior lineman and a RT in the first couple of rounds, taking a quality, proven, young LT in FA.

As far as the FA Market, I like Winston Justice who is just 24 years old and Marcus McNeil who is not a game stopper but definitely a quality player at tackle. What would we have to give up for Gaither if we attempted to draw him away from Baltimore?

I know there is much talk about how bad our line is, I am just curious too see the remedies others have for this ailment.

 

[The Burgundy Ghost]

With Levi coming in and the possibility of Samuels coming back, would you guys trade down in the hopes of acquiring a couple of quality lineman and hope that either Buges (or whomever is there) can develop these players or do we take Okung with that pick.

Personally, I would like to see us trade down and go after a few interior lineman and a RT in the first couple of rounds, taking a quality, proven, young LT in FA.

1st- If Samuels comes back, he's crazy. 1 hit and he could be crippled. Plus, Samuels hasn't made it through the past two seasons. I have a great deal of respect for Samuels, but his days are done. I actually wouldn't mind bringing back Levi Jones in 2010....as a back up. He looked good in the Denver game, since then not so much. That said, Jones is still the best healthy tackle we have on the team right now. He would be a much better back up.

If an elite LT is there (like Okung) then you pretty much have to take him.
Even though, I'd put money right now on the Skins taking a QB

2. We need about 4 new starting O-linemen (LT, C, RG, RT). You could argue 5 depending on what scheme the next Redskins team will run. So a trade down would be reasonable. I just can't see the Skins standing pat and letting one of the QBs in this draft get by. Plus, would a team be willing to trade down? Maybe. Maybe not. If Cerrato is still our GM, the trade would probably hurt us as we tend to get screwed in trades.

3. I think there will be 2-3 very good LTs in this draft if not more, Skins should address that position with either the 1st or 2nd round pick, but taking a LT is a much smarter, safer pick in the 1st round.

Fixing the O-line at this point is a 1-2 year address with many picks needing to go towards the O-line

 

[Elephant]

3. I think there will be 2-3 very good LTs in this draft if not more, Skins should address that position with either the 1st or 2nd round pick, but taking a LT is a much smarter, safer pick in the 1st round.

Fixing the O-line at this point is a 1-2 year address with many picks needing to go towards the O-line

Unfortunately, I see a QB as well unless there is a drastic change we all hope is in store, but I was curious to see what others thought of the potential O-line prospects.

I see 3 very good OT's on this year's draft list, Okung, Trent Williams, and Bruce Campbell, but Okung is the only top 10 prospect and it looks like we could draft in the mid top ten area. If that is the case, an 11-15 could net us Williams or Campbell and an extra 2nd round pick at least. The only problem is what you suggest, who wants to trade?

 

[Neophyte]

If Williams continues to do well at RG I would hope the Skins consider him to take over for Rabach next year at Center (although if Buges is still coaching the line I don't see Rabach leaving the lineup). That is what he played in college and is apparently his more natural position.

I had the feeling that Buges thought Rinehart had turned the corner in his fight to become a legit NFL G and would have been the starter the rest of the season. Wish that had happened so we would know for sure if he was the guy or not.

Depending on how those two guys are viewed by the coaches and management (assuming no major turnover since all we can really plan for is what we have, right?), the team might just be looking for Tackles and depth.

If that is the case, it all depends on what happens with the teams 1st round pick. If they decide to go QB then I think you look for the best RT available in the 2nd round and use Jones for a year. Remember, Jansen was a 2nd rounder. I would take another guy just like him if I could find him.

Heyer makes a serviceable backup at either position although he is better at RT obviously. Which ever guy does not start at Center, Williams or Rabach, becomes your backup interior lineman.

Then I would be picking up another lineman of whatever flavor is best in round 5 or so.

 

[Sarge]

I just want the best player available

 

[Hog Fever]

I just want the best player available

 

[Henry]

I just want the best player available

You a bad, bad man.

 

[Hog Fever]

It’s no secret how I feel about our offensive line play. We need an influx of talent and youth. There are two logical choices for us in the first round and we all know it; LT or QB. Anything other than that is going to be…….problematic.

Here’s my fear and some of you guys have already hinted around at it. If Vinny somehow manages to keep his job here I can see him looking at the O-line and thinking to himself in his ultimate wisdom something like this: “Hey self, I think our offensive line is close. We can go with Heyer at RT, Reinhardt at RG, I’ll re-sign Rabach at C, and I took care of LG last year when I brought Dockery back, which just leaves me needing a LT. I can find one of them in free agency. Problem solved. That way I won’t have to waste a draft pick on one and we can draft that QB that will put us over the top in the 1st and take that CB we need in the 2nd.”

I agree with Deadman here in thinking that we probably need 4 starters (maybe 5 over the next 2 years). I don’t think we can make all of that happen next off-season though because the economics just don’t work out. If we’d been smart we would draft at least one O-lineman a year for depth and development, and not just a throw away pick late in the 7th round either, I’m talking about someone who has a shot to make the team. Because we failed to bring in any lineman for depth except as an afterthought in the past several years we are in the position we’re in now. That can’t be allowed to happen again.

What would I do? I’d draft a LT in the first, look for a G/C in the 4th for the future. I’d look seriously to free agency to fill the RT slot. A RT will be cheaper than a free agent LT. We can keep Heyer for depth. Rabach will likely be gone but that will leave us with a lot of so-so older guys and a rookie to fill out RG and C. We should be able to made due till we can seriously address those spots next off-season if needed. If we have the guy we drafted in the 4th come on strong in training camp, great. I think the key idea here is to have young hungry guys in the wings when the opportunities arise.

 

[riggins44]

If 2010 is an uncapped year then due to rules there will be less FA's available.
Believe you have to be in league at least 6 years, plus some other rule changes.

I agree with the need for OL. My concern is who will be running the show? If cousin Vinny is in charge again then we will probably draft another WR or LB.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

Levi Jones has always been a solid OT, but staying on the field has been his problem. Of the OT free-agents, I'd like to see McNeil get a long look. His rookie year was a pretty dominant one, but since then his play has fallen off. Could Buges whip him back into top form? If the price is right, I wouldn't mind taking the gamble. And he's still a solid RT. So I'd like the team to retain Jones, sign McNeil, then draft a later-round OT prospect or two, and hope they pan out. Jason Fox from Miami, Ciron Black from LSU, and Tony Washington from Abiline Christian are all 2nd-5th round OTs that the Skins should take a strong look at.

Winston Justice gets a big fat pass from me - he has shown nothing in this league except he can't handle the premiere pass-rushers. Anyone remember the 6-sack night from Osi? At *least* 4 of those were Justice's fault. No thank you.

The rest of the FA class is pretty unremarkable, in my opinion. The top-prizes at OG, Jahri Evans and Logan Mankins, will get ridiculous contracts. Pats will probably let Mankins walk and just replace him in the draft, cause that's how they roll. Saints will probably lock up Evans, and I'm sure he wants to stay on a winner. At OG, I'd actually love to see the team trade back, collect a few more picks, and take Iupati in the later first-round, the OG from Idaho. He will be availble in the late first round, pick 20-25 I think is where he will go.

 

[The Burgundy Ghost]

Keep an eye out for two LTs that are slightly being talked about but I think their stock will rise as we get closer to the draft.

Bruce Campbell, Maryland. With the Terps in turmoil, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see this junior come out and try to be one of the top LTs in the draft. Some are very high on him. I watched the MD vs. FSU game and he looked decent especially in pass pro.

Jason Fox, Miami- NFL Draft Countdown has him as a rising talent based on his footwork and intelligence (when has a LT been making the line adjustments, I usually expect the C or the QB to do that)
http://www.draftcountdown.com/features/HotList/Hot-List.php
(see #6 on the list)

 

[Yusuf06]

It’s no secret how I feel about our offensive line play. We need an influx of talent and youth. There are two logical choices for us in the first round and we all know it; LT or QB. Anything other than that is going to be…….problematic.

Ruh roh Shaggy!

Here’s my fear and some of you guys have already hinted around at it. If Vinny somehow manages to keep his job here I can see him looking at the O-line and thinking to himself in his ultimate wisdom something like this: “Hey self, I think our offensive line is close. We can go with Heyer at RT, Reinhardt at RG, I’ll re-sign Rabach at C, and I took care of LG last year when I brought Dockery back, which just leaves LT. If I give Levi Jones a huge SB and a backloaded contract, that means we're good there. Yeah, that's the ticket! That way I won’t have to waste a draft pick on one and we can draft that QB that will put us over the top in the 1st and take that CB we need in the 2nd.”

"Excuse me Imperious Leader. A thousand pardons, but I have an absolutely brilliant plan....."

I took the liberty of making a few small corrections to your scenario.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

Jason Fox from Miami, Ciron Black from LSU, and Tony Washington from Abiline Christian are all 2nd-5th round OTs that the Skins should take a strong look at.

Jason Fox, Miami- NFL Draft Countdown has him as a rising talent based on his footwork and intelligence (when has a LT been making the line adjustments, I usually expect the C or the QB to do that)
http://www.draftcountdown.com/features/HotList/Hot-List.php
(see #6 on the list)

Great minds, eh...

 

[Hog Fever]

Ruh roh Shaggy!

I took the liberty of making a few small corrections to your scenario.

LOL. Man, i wouldn't put it past that bozo to think Levi Jones is the answer at LT. It makes me want to scream.