Does Darryl Williams have a legit shot at replacing Mike Remmers?

[iamhubby1]

1 hour ago, uscgamecocks said:

I personally wouldn't be shocked if we pick an LT prospect early in the draft this year and start him at RT by midseason, preparing to take Oher's spot next year.  I'm not sure dollar store Dave is going to be willing to resign Oher at market value if he has another good season.

 

I may get behind drafting our LT of the future this year. Just not sure I can get behind trying him at RT when we already have Remmers, and DWill over there. Most are thinking that DWill needs to win that job this year. Moving Remmers to depth. Throwing a projected LT rookie into the mix is counter-intuitive.

 

Pretty sure we can groom the LT to take over at some point. We are in the position to let him grow into the role. Oher can hold it down til the rook can handle the job. There really is no reason to rush the process.

 

28 minutes ago, MHS831 said:

 I agree.  Why did he not win the job last year?  The OL is about chemistry.  We were winning.  You don't screw with that. 

 

DWill was a rookie last year. And we were winning. There was no apparent reason to rush him into action. He saw the field a lot, in a bunch of situations. All that experience will help him adapt quicker this year. He knows what is expected of him. It's was up to him to work on his skills and come into camp and win the battle.

 

If DWill can win that RT spot. We are better. O-line has more depth. And our O-line is one step closer to being really really good.

 

Or at least that is the plan according to Hubby.

[aussiePanther]

Why do people think that starting a Left Tackles career at Right Tackle is a good idea?

Guys who are good on the left probably aren't good on the right and vice versa.

[iamhubby1]

1 hour ago, aussiePanther said:

Why do people think that starting a Left Tackles career at Right Tackle is a good idea?

Guys who are good on the left probably aren't good on the right and vice versa.

 

Cuz that's the way it's always been done. Expecially before FA started. You draft your LT of the future, throw him at RT to get up to NFL standards. Then when the need arises. You slide him over to LT. Just a way to get them playing time, without throwing him to the wolves.

 

Yea. Nowadays, kids play one position from High School thru College. So it is more difficult to switch back and forth. Gross did it and sort of struggled on the right. Which is another good reason to keep your LT of the future away from the right side. Let him learn and develop where he is supposed to be.

[uscgamecocks]

5 hours ago, iamhubby1 said:

 

I may get behind drafting our LT of the future this year. Just not sure I can get behind trying him at RT when we already have Remmers, and DWill over there. Most are thinking that DWill needs to win that job this year. Moving Remmers to depth. Throwing a projected LT rookie into the mix is counter-intuitive.

 

Pretty sure we can groom the LT to take over at some point. We are in the position to let him grow into the role. Oher can hold it down til the rook can handle the job. There really is no reason to rush the process.

 

 

DWill was a rookie last year. And we were winning. There was no apparent reason to rush him into action. He saw the field a lot, in a bunch of situations. All that experience will help him adapt quicker this year. He knows what is expected of him. It's was up to him to work on his skills and come into camp and win the battle.

 

If DWill can win that RT spot. We are better. O-line has more depth. And our O-line is one step closer to being really really good.

 

Or at least that is the plan according to Hubby.

So here's what I'm thinking:  The Panthers had a great - almost unstoppable - offense for most of last season.  I think the second ATL game and the Broncos game gave all of our upcoming opponents the blueprint on how to slow down our offense - speed rush the right edge, green dog if we go max protect.  

Vonn Miller wasn't even touched on his game-clinching sack fumble in the SB.  If the RT gets even a single hand on him it's first down on the Denver 40.

Not every team is going to have the personnel to execute that plan like the broncos, but that won't stop them from trying.  What I don't know is whether Remmers or Williams can train or adapt to be able to handle the outside speed rush this offseason.  It's very possible they can.  However, athletic testing does not suggest that either guy is even league-average when it comes to lateral agility for tackles.  So while I'm hopeful as a fan, I think it's very possible that neither player is going to be able to solo block Vic Beasley with consistency (let alone Vonn Miller).

So taking a step back - I think it's fair to say RT is one of the weakest points on a very good team that should challenge for the SB this year.  Oher will be a free agent next year and I can see Dave not wanting to resign him given other priorities (Star, KK, KB).  We've heard that the Panthers would have drafted Humphries last year if he had made it past the Cardinals.  If a first round talent at LT is there at pick #30, I think Dave might just take him unless there is an equally talented pass rusher (say, Lawson or Ogbah).

Now I'm not saying that guy should start at RT on day one of training camp.  But it would certainly give our coaches options if my fears are true that our current RTs aren't built to handle speed rushers.  The ideal scenario, however, would certainly be the one you laid out - we draft an LT of the future, let him learn for a year, and Williams/Remmers steps up this offseason and proves capable of handling speed rushes (and then becomes our long-term RT).

 

[The NFL Shield At Midfield]

4 hours ago, aussiePanther said:

Why do people think that starting a Left Tackles career at Right Tackle is a good idea?

Guys who are good on the left probably aren't good on the right and vice versa.

they do require different skill sets but starting out a rookie with LT-type potential at RT can be a way to get him used to NFL speed and refine his technique in a way that's inherently a little less risky than starting him out protecting the QB's blind side.

jordan gross was pretty much a career RT only playing spot duty at LT in the event of injury until 2008 when he became a fulltime LT.  that was his sixth season i believe.

[juliosantos]

If im not mistaken wasnt daryl splitting time with remmers at rt week 1? Until he got hurt

[SOJA]

Let it be known there are probably a handful of guys like 3ish that could have prevented Von Miller from getting to Cam that day and even at that- he still would have gotten there. 

Von is just that good 

[MHS831]

A word of caution...

I coached OL in high school back in the day. and I know a little about technique. I played in college (TE), and technique is something I had to work on to become, eventually, below average in the blocking game.  I can say that technique is the single most important thing for a T in the NFL based on my experience on lower levels. 

When I watched Williams, his technique was not that good.  I see potential, but balance was not there at times.  He would lunge for the rusher (too eager) instead of letting the rusher get to him. 

Pass protection is about angles in the NFL.  The better the athlete at T, the smaller the angle.  For example, the best RTs I see have a drop that is about 45 degrees--the initiate contact sooner and wider (out of the pocket), but the potential to be beaten is greater because the T is on an island and the DE/OLB has more opportunity to beat the T to either side and recover his path to the qb.  Byron Bell, for example, had a nearly 90 degree drop.  He knew where the qb would be and he protected his right earhole.  there was no initial contact until the pass rusher entered the guard area extended.  It was terrible,  Cam had no pocket, no room to step up or out.  He managed, but if BB had Jake as the qb, he would have surrendered 20 sacks.

Williams is somewhere in between Bell and a good RT--at least, he was last year.  Tackles tend to develop the most between years 1 and 3, so we will see where he is.  I like him, but he is not necessarily the answer.  I also like Remmers as a backup LT, RT, and third C.   He is more valuable to the team as a reserve because he could save a roster spot.