Offensive Tackle: What to do?

[MHS831]

Personally, i think this offensive line will not be as bad this year, even if they do nothing.  However, there are some really interesting questions/points of discussion.  The purpose here is not to force my opinion, but to start a dialogue.   Assume that Bryce will be the QB (because this is the real world and it is unlikely that we move on from Bryce this early.  We hired a QB savant for a reason.)

Yet we have a situation.  Moton is solid but not spectacular, and he is slated to earn $29.75m in 2024 and again in 2025.  He is 30.  Something, in my opinion, needs to be done about this.  stay tuned.

Ekwonu has not been very good at LT for two seasons.  His coach is a foul-mouthed, football-kissing (with tongue, I heard), Tepper snitch whose players demonstrated little in the areas of growth, proper technique, preparation, and self-discipline (Penalties).  Is it fair to kick Icky inside now, or should we hire a coach who works on his technique?  He has the tools.  His lack of preparation led to false starts, holding penalties, and sacks.  He has upside, so do you kick him inside?

Christensen is a stud athlete, but those skills are not really utilized here.  Just a reminder from his pre-draft workouts:

• His 10-foot-4-inch broad jump was eye-popping, and a sign of the kind of explosive ability.

•  a 34-inch vertical leap
• a 4.89 second 40-yard dash. 

• To put those numbers into context, his 40 time would have been the second-fastest among offensive linemen at the 2020 Scouting Combine (behind only Buccaneers first-round pick Tristan Wirfs' 4.85). The broad jump mark would have been best among blockers; the vertical jump, third. 

• Christensen also had 30 repetitions of the 225-pound bench press (which would have been fifth-most at last year's Combine), and his times in the short-shuttle and three-cone drill would have been second best among offensive linemen.

Personally, I do not see him as a guard, and his numbers support this.  But how do you have this kind of athlete and get nothing from him?  That is what coaches do.  I realize that BC was injured this season, but he was kicked around and not provided a position as a rookie and he had Campen as his coach last year.  What a waste.

Here are my thoughts, and this is to suggest there will be some form of change.  This takes into account Moton's crippling cap figure, Ickey's rawness, and BC's misuse--all opinions that can be debated, but I think we might agree that this is common ground.

Some options that come to mind:

1. Switch BC and Ickey.  If you do that, you do the same thing to Ickey that you did to BC.  However, Ickey might be a stud G--I just wish he had been developed.  Most experts agree that Ekwonu has the size, strength, and skill set to be a strong LT for another decade.  BC's upside at LT is probably average.  Ickey's upside at G is probably elite.

2. Draft a LG and make BC a reserve swing OT.  

3.  Cut Moton (post June 1 saves around half the $$) and move BC to RT.   Draft a T with pick 33 or 65

4.  Waive Moton (not sure if anyone takes that contract)  Draft a T w/ pick 33 or 65

5.  Trade Moton (again, not sure about the cap if we do)  Draft a T w/ pick 33 or 65

6.  Restructure Moton, paying him until he is 35--not too old for an OL.

7.  Leave it the way it is.  BC was not developed as a LG, maybe he will be now. 

I think this needs to be decided before free agency and the draft. 

So if you look at the OL as it stands, you have an investment of nearly $57m for five offensive linemen.  That is nearly 1/4 of the entire cap ($240m) for 2024.  The OL has potential, but has (my opinion) not been developed since Campen arrived.

• LT: Ekwonu  ($7,500,000 salary cap figure for 2024)
• LG: Christensen  ($1,650,000 salary cap figure for 2024)
• C;  Bozeman  ($7,640,000 salary cap figure for 2024)
• RG: Corbett  ($10,100 salary cap figure for 2024)
• RT:  Moton  ($29,750,000 salary cap figure for 2024)

The depth?  I see only Cade Mays as a player with hope to become a dependable backup.

These are the kinds of posts I like during the off season.  It is long, thereby filtering out the crowd who want to bitch and moan without data or prethought. 

 

What say you, realistically?  Remember, we need 2 WRs, a TE, maybe a pass-catching RB, etc.  We do not have a first rounder and our cap space is limited if you think about Burns, Brown, etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[45catfan]

The main thing is staying healthy.  I think we keep things the way they are for one more season, at least most of the season.  The OL is about the only position group largely under contract (of multi-position units).  As people want to give Bryce a life line in 2024, I think the OL needs a redemption tour as well.  After the season if things don't go well, it will be time to blow it up.

[jamos14]

Just now, 45catfan said:

The main thing is staying healthy.  I think we keep things the way they are for one more season, at least most of the season.  The OL is about the only position group largely under contract (of multi-position units).  As people want to give Bryce a life line in 2024, I think the OL needs a redemption tour as well.  After the season if things don't go well, it will be time to blow it up.

I think health is a big part for sure.

Also, a more friendly scheme to our specific players.

 

But we still HAVE to bring a potential starter at guard or center. 

[UNCrules2187]

Moton's been a rock at RT and has been more than serviceable IMO. Not point in cutting him, even as a 6/1 release, that would open up $17.5m in cap space in a year where we already have $30m-plus in space and would have to spend a premium pick or money replacing him. Much more likely that we do a base salary restructure again which would open up ~$6.5m in additional space I believe.

Personally I would like to roll out the Icky/BC/Bozeman/Corbett/Moton OL again and see if a better scheme or coach can have them playing to their 2022 2nd half potential while investing a mid-round pick in quality T depth.

[MHS831]

2 minutes ago, 45catfan said:

The main thing is staying healthy.  I think we keep things the way they are for one more season, at least most of the season.  The OL is about the only position group largely under contract (of multi-position units).  As people want to give Bryce a life line in 2024, I think the OL needs a redemption tour as well.  After the season if things don't go well, it will be time to blow it up.

I agree--but Tepper wants a soccer field.  That being said (jokingly) we need 2 solid reserves who can play all 5 positions well.  I honestly think Mays showed a lot of improvement, but since he was not being coached well (opinion), I think he can develop.  I did not see much hope for the others (Jensen, Zavala).  They were terrible. 

[45catfan]

5 minutes ago, jamos14 said:

I think health is a big part for sure.

Also, a more friendly scheme to our specific players.

 

But we still HAVE to bring a potential starter at guard or center. 

I not against drafting maybe one OL or get a decently priced guy in FA.  We have 12 O-linmen under contract for next season; depth is not an issue. What we don't need to do break the bank on a dude in FA when we have gaping holes at other spots on the roster.

[jb2288]

either way I extend/restructure Moton and keep him here and happy. Dude has been nothing but solid for us for years of chaos and his play this year hasn't really shown any decline. Don't let good tackles go. I probably switch BC and Icky but trust the new coaching staff on whatever they decide to do there and wouldnt hate if they left Icky at LT as him developing into an actual good LT would be massive for us. I'd also overspend a bit for a decent FA swing tackle. 

[45catfan]

2 minutes ago, MHS831 said:

I agree--but Tepper wants a soccer field.  That being said (jokingly) we need 2 solid reserves who can play all 5 positions well.  I honestly think Mays showed a lot of improvement, but since he was not being coached well (opinion), I think he can develop.  I did not see much hope for the others (Jensen, Zavala).  They were terrible. 

Based on last year, I would agree, but everyone except Moton took a huge step backwards.  Even Taylor was not quite up to his standards.  I'm willing to say it something factored in here outside of virtually the entire OL forgot how to play the game.

[raleigh-panther]

Playoff teams invest heavily in both lines

the Panthers need to do the same

They have zero depth, two continually injured guards, an underperforming left tackle and an average right tackle and a one trick pony center and zero, and I mean zero, backups worth a damn

…and those coming off injury guards are a year older 

they need to go young 

I would not care if every single draft pick was oline 

17 games make that line  a necessity for an extremely small nfl qb that they spent a fortune on

over  the years, they haven’t drafted a WR or TE worth a damn, Steve Smith during the Siefert years was a long time ago, so get those in free agency 

[jamos14]

I like that Canales didn't shy away from shuffling OL in Tampa to make it work for them.

He moved Wirfs to LT ; both guards were new, and Jensen (C) didn't play either.  

And they were a real solid unit. 40 sacks given up.

[MHS831]

3 minutes ago, 45catfan said:

I not against drafting maybe one OL or get a decently priced guy in FA.  We have 12 O-linmen under contract for next season; depth is not an issue. What we don't need to do break the bank on a dude in FA when we have gaping holes at other spots on the roster.

I think we are often quick to start moving people in and out when the problem is scheme and coaching.  Our OL will heal, be better prepared, and the system will favor their skill sets. 

[OneBadCat]

I think they need to see how Christensen does at LT with Icky at G.  I would absolutely bring most if not all the starters back but sign some legit competition in FA.

[MHS831]

3 minutes ago, 45catfan said:

Based on last year, I would agree, but everyone except Moton took a huge step backwards.  Even Taylor was not quite up to his standards.  I'm willing to say it something factored in here outside of virtually the entire OL forgot how to play the game.

As a former coach on a much smaller level, I can say that I have seen growth and the light come on when the players finally "buy in" to what you are doing. I imagine these young guys looked to Campen and others for answers and they were not served.

[MHS831]

1 minute ago, OneBadCat said:

I think they need to see how Christensen does at LT with Icky at G.  I would absolutely bring most if not all the starters back but sign some legit competition in FA.

That is in the back of my mind as well.  However, Icky could be a stud for a long time at LT, and BC might be average.  Not sure-