MHS831

Remember, the last sure thing LT who was drafted by the Lions in 2021 --Sewell-- was moved to RT and struggled for the Lions first six games. Since then, he has been the second highest rated OT in the NFL, with an 86.6 rating. BC has averaged about 70 and is still in his first six games--and he was obviously a third rounder. BC is a better athlete than Sewell, based on combine numbers. So you say, "Sit him and bring in a rookie to play LT!" before he has had the chance to learn the position? Furthermore, he has been playing beside a LG for 2 games who is very poor week after week. If BC has another solid outing vs. TB, I say any decision to move him inside is premature. Spending nearly all of our draft capital on LT when we might just have a good one on the roster ignores other needs. To me, trade back and grab Tyler Linderbaum--now you have a solid C, serviceable LT, good RT, and all you need in free agency is a guard or two.

About Brady: A lot of first round, starting left tackles in the NFL struggled their first year. BC has been at G for most of this season because Rhule sees a T-Rex when he looks at him. Brady has excellent athleticism (check out his pro-day/combine) and has shown promise. He is so scrutinized, he can't even have a bad day--and he was playing beside Jordan, who might be one of the dumbest olinemen I have ever seen (excluding Silatolu), based on his head movement (confusion), his lack of certainty in his movement, and his blown assignments on stunts. That puts the LT on a bigger island-and BC has done well. I have not seen enough of BC to crown him the LT, but when he plays T, the bookends are not the problem--the Saints attacked A and B gap all day. They know us better than we know us.

special teams are important. Good signing.

About drafting Tyler Lindebaum at #6--a 289 lb center (yes, he is a beast). I can't get on board with drafting a center in the top 10. The first rounder is all the draft capital we have--it has to work for us. There seems to be a dropoff around the 16th pick--trade back to the middle of the round and take the best OL available. Lindebaum, Cross, that T/G from NC State--one will be there. The only OL I want at #6 is Neal. The others? I am trading back and getting one later in the round in addition to a second rounder.

Better schools, perhaps.

There are stars on the jerseys. Commanders, Presidents, Generals---something like that. I am going with Commanders.

The good news? Rhule admitted that we need to "invest" in the OL. In college, a bad line is not as "catastrophic" as they are in the NFL. I still think Rhule is gone by Tuesday of next week. Just a hunch.

Baker needs to stick to commercials and let the big boys play QB.

He is a beast.

You have to think of it this way: What can we get in free agency? What can we NOT get in free agency?

Luvu played well in his absence, but I think a lot of this will be his decision--why would he want to stay?

If they think BC can play LT--and there are no signs that is the case--they will go after guards in free agency. If so, the Panthers-picking around #6, will have no choice but to take a QB. Personally, I would like to know what BC can do as a LG and then draft the LT--but there are no answers (right now) at QB. Do the Panthers bring in another pricey free agent (Bridgewater, Darnold, Newton) who can't play or do they gamble on a rookie? I think you build the line, but Darnold is done, Newton is probably gone, and we have nothing on the pine.

I think a lot has to do with Christensen's game vs. Tampa Bay. If he has another solid outing, they will probably pencil him in as the 2022 starter. Elflein will be on year 2 of the 3 year deal (thanks Fitterer) and he has been serviceable as the C and would be better with better guards beside him. If BC plays well Sunday, we could be in the free agent market for a pair of guards. If we do not address QB in free agency (and I do not see us doing so based on Bridgewater, Newton, Darnold), you HAVE to take a QB with the sixth overall pick. Nobody is going to throw 2022 away in order to wait a year to draft a QB. They will look for answers now. If Pickett is there, with his experience and success in 2021, they might have to take him. Yes, you'd prefer Neal, Cross, or Linderbaum, but BC played well enough to cause them to decide QB is the biggest need and try to address it.

You are right that he has not been talking to the media like a man who has been given Tepper's blessing---

Right? I think he is done.

If Rhule was indeed secure about his job and the future in Carolina, wouldn't he have played Brown, BC, Nixon, Haskins, etc. more once we were eliminated? I would if I were a coach worried about the inexperience of my team's youth.

There are a few things wrong with Rhule's comment. 1) He should play Brown---REGARDLESS (How many sacks and missed blocks from #67 passes your limit, Rhule?) 2) If he has been trying all options on the OL to fix it and considering various schemes, etc., why would he have to ask the coach?

If Neal is there, I am all in. I am looking into Cross right now--if he is legit, we are very fortunate. Once we get 2 bookend OTs, the rest (Christensen, Brown, etc. and some free agent OL would solidify the OL. I would not mind seeing Mariota brought in on a 1-year prove it deal.

We can win and it may not change our pick/

oh yeah? Watch Rhule's feet. I will be here all week. Try the veal. Sharing this on another thread--better here.

It seems that the Panthers are likely to be picking at #6, with the slight possibility that there is potential fluctuation that could have them ranging from about 5 to 8--but #6 seems rather probable. More likely if we lose, very possible if we win. The draft trade value chart has the #6 pick at 1600 points. Some say take the BPA, others say trade down and add a second rounder. For your information, the #13 pick (1150) should also have the #45 pick (450). What would you do?

So if LA loses, Tampa Loses, Dallas wins---then Tampa would be in a 3-way situation and the head-to-head would be invalid. TY-

TAMPA BAY MOTIVATION FOR WINNING SUNDAY: I think we should include the motivation for Tampa Bay to play its starters to assure that some team with a SOS like the Seahawks do not mathematically push the Panthers to #7 in the draft. This is the way I see it, based on tie-breaking rules: A Rams win vs. SF would lock up the #2 seed for LA because they beat Tampa Bay during the regular season. The Rams-Niners and Bucs-Panthers play at 4:25. A Dallas win and Bucs loss would not impact the Bucs' standing because they beat Dallas week 1. So the Dallas game is not a factor for Tampa Bay. If Arizona wins vs. Seattle, the Rams lose to San Francisco, and Tampa Loses to the mighty Panthers, the Cardinals would earn the #2 seed, based on a their record within the conference. The Bucs would get the #3 seed, Rams would get #5. So a Tampa Bay win and Rams' loss is their only chance at the #2 seed, and if they lose, they are no worse than the #3 seed. I imagine there will be some scoreboard watching, but I expect to see at least a half with the Tampa Bay starters. The Rams are playing the Niners, who need this win to make the playoffs if New Orleans beats Atlanta. A 49ers loss to the Rams and a New Orleans defeat of Atlanta, however, would knock the 49ers out of the postseason; with both teams at 9-8, New Orleans would own the conference-record tiebreaker. So the Niners control their own destiny vs. a team that has locked up a playoff birth and #2 seed with a win. Look for the Niners to give LA a game.

I get that--there is not enough there to crown him, but most of the problems we are having are coming from A and B gap.