The All Things Offensive Line Thread

[Koala]

We have had "post Hogs syndrome" for 30 years IMO

Thats not a bad thing tho, its part of our identity as a fan base, and AP/DQ need to understand that.

Maybe Tomlin would be a better coach for understanding things like fan base identity. O line is as important to us as LB's are to the steelers. Its who we are, we want to able to run the ball, and not through some gadget crap either.

AP was a little slow in understanding/picking up this fact, but he seems to have figured it out, thats part of why he let KK go was he wanted a more traditional run offense. He's probably still taken aback by our obssession with the line, thats why he had that somewhat odd tweet/statement telling the fans to calm the F down. And I agree we are being a little bit chicken little, but at same time this is part of who we are.

 

[RedWolf]

Thats not a bad thing tho, its part of our identity as a fan base, and AP/DQ need to understand that.

Maybe Tomlin would be a better coach for understanding things like fan base identity. O line is as important to us as LB's are to the steelers. Its who we are, we want to able to run the ball, and not through some gadget crap either.

AP was a little slow in understanding/picking up this fact, but he seems to have figured it out, thats part of why he let KK go was he wanted a more traditional run offense. He's probably still taken aback by our obssession with the line, thats why he had that somewhat odd tweet/statement telling the fans to calm the F down. And I agree we are being a little bit chicken little, but at same time this is part of who we are.

IDK?

 

[NickyJ]

But again, I ask what could AP have really done about that? Its just unfortunate. And Chris Paul solidied his role as the best LG for this team last year, he was very solid in that role and Coleman actually couldnt beat him out there. Coleman was the depth guy, not Paul. And now we are using the depth guy.
Again the Tunsil was catastrophic, and would put most teams offensive lines in to the scrap heap. Hopefully we can cobble together a mediocre offensive line until Tunil comes back, and JD's talents can make up the difference like they did in 2024. We have a better defense hopefully, but yes it appear like JD and McLaurin are gonna have to carry the offense. Again, I cant fault AP for it cause he did the right moves to turn this into a good offenslive line unit, preseason peoplle that that the oline was the strength of the team.

But its best player got injured. You have to acknowledge that major fact!

Paul apparently did not solidify his role as the best LG. The team let him walk in free agency as soon as the season was over. They took him back after the entire league, including Washington, decided he wasn't worth enough to actively pursue.

Coleman lost his LG job to Paul and failed to unseat him for the rest of the season. They decided Coleman still didn't progress enough as an LG to prevent shifting him back to OT when Tunsill went down.

The team had 2 centers: One who started the entire season, and one who they believe can start. They cut their starting center, and the one they believe in sat out nearly all of training camp and all of the preseason. We have seen what a center like Nick Martin can do to an offense in 2022, and unfortunately Gulbin and Good-Jones have not looked any better. If Allegretti gets injured again, which looks likely considering how long he has been out so far this season, those backups are going to play, and it will be ugly without a massive step up by them.

Tunsill getting injured is unfortunate but has been adequately dealt with. The backup LG who the team couldn't care less about struggling all through preseason was foreseeable considering they couldn't care less about whether another team took him in free agency. The extreme risk of center being a debilitating weakness was a foreseeable weakness that AP created by cutting his own starting center and not adequately replacing him.

 

[method man]

Thats not the kind of intelligence thats required. Its more athletic/bodily intelligence. Hiking the ball smoothly, especially in a shotgun-heavy offense, is a skill. Now, calling out the protections is important too, and its the centers job cause he's the one that hikes the ball. That takes some intelligence I suppose but nothing that cant be taught. Thats not the issue for Chis Paul.

The bigger issue with slidng Chris Paul from LG to C, is the gaping hole you now have at LG. Which is by all means, a more important position than C. C is the least important position on the offensive line. Dont worry, we will be able to sign one of the scrap heap in the next coming days, hopefully.

If Paul can play center, if Allegretti were to go down, I’d rather have him in there than Gulbin. You can stick Wylie in at LG in that situation.

 

[method man]

Seth McLaughlin was waived by the Lions. He is a former Rimington trophy winner who also played for Saban and was a UDFA because he tore his Achilles as a senior.

Was on the Bengals PS last year and was in camp with the Lions.

Don’t fuck this up AP, you grinning buffoon