Offensive Tackle: What to do?

[Jon Snow]

You do not replace Moton until you have to. He's been one the best and most reliable guys on the oline. You eat the cap hit because he's already gotten the money. 

[LinvilleGorge]

Hire a new OL coach and let him figure it out.

[Stingray3030]

3 hours ago, WUnderhill said:

I think we need to sign the best OL we can in free agency. Whether it be guard, center, or tackle. Preferably two. And we need to keep drafting OL on top of that.

Sadly the OLine FA pool is not great this year and the best ones are in their 30's already.

[Panther53521]

I really think, Bryce’s footwork and the depth of his drops, had made icky’s sets look worse than they were. It’s hard to play OL when you don’t know where the QB is.

[mrcompletely11]

56 minutes ago, Panther53521 said:

I really think, Bryce’s footwork and the depth of his drops, had made icky’s sets look worse than they were. It’s hard to play OL when you don’t know where the QB is.

100%

[grimesgoat]

2 hours ago, CRA said:

I got no issue with this in theory...

but I think Burns played himself out of that wish coming true.  You not only have to give up a first for him....but then have to pay him on top of that.  I think too many teams would rather just spend that 1st rounder on a DE themselves for the cheap contract and hopes of getting a more well rounded edge player. 

Respectively disagree.  Teams picking in the late 20's are not in development mode.  They will be looking for a professional someone that can put them over the hump - especially if they see their window beginning to close.  Burns paired with another stud like Hutchinson or Von Miller could be just the ticket.  Looking at Buffalo, Detroit, maybe Miami.

I'd be shocked if we can't get a late first and a 2025 second for a borderline pro-bowler Edge.

[Pejorative Miscreant]

5 hours 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.

Is Ickey a guard or tackle. After las season I would say kick him inside but as u say; there may have been mitigating circumstance and that could be a rush to judgement.   I’m not a full studier ike some folks but I saw guys being constantly out of position and looking lost. Getting beat is one thing but being totally clueless is another. 

[grimesgoat]

2 hours ago, MHS831 said:

Personally, I think you should draft an OL every year depending on the depth of the draft at the position.  However, when you trade away your picks, it becomes more about need.

https://themessenger.com/sports/2024-nfl-draft-strongest-weakest-position-groups

According to this source, this is a very good draft at QB, WR (9 in the top 50; 13 in the top 100), CB (no elite players, but a lot of depth--we could use one. 8 in the top 50 players; 13 in the top 100), OT (seven with top 50 grades but it drops off after that) and IOL (There are 8 solid players expected to go between picks 51 and 100). 

Terrible draft for TE, RB, Edge (good on day 1, depth is weak), S (depth) and DT (on days 2 and 3 you can find the penetrating 3 techniques, however.)

What this means: 

We will probably take a WR at #33 because the need and value will be there.  

We will probably take a CB (Horn oft injured, Jackson too.  Frankly, if teams threw on us more, our CBs would have been exposed)

I am guessing that we draft an interior offensive lineman based on our current situation.  (If Moton or Ekwonu is injured, BC would move from G to T.  So we need a G/C type more than at T type at this time, imo.)

At TE, we have Hurst, Tremble, and (from IR) RIcci, who flashed as an effective receiving TE in the past.  I do not see why Tremble is not our blocking TE, and he flashed this season as well.  We simply do not use the TEs effectively.  They can be used better to help with speed rushers and they can run more than curls and outs--they need to drag across the middle to keep the ILBs out of Bryce's face. The way the TEs were used pisses me off.  I don't want to talk about it).  Maybe we go after Noah Fant?  He would be a relatively cheap free agent with a connection to GM and coach here.  (I would guess under $8m?)

X(avier) marks the Spot:  A WR I really like the Xaviers.  Xavier Worthy for the play-action pass offense, although he is a bit slight.  He is an all-around WR who can give formation flexibility. Xavier Legette is large and fast--and he will be there on day 2.

YAC guy: (based on his history of open field running--think WR screens, reverses, etc.) is Western Kentucky's   Malachi Corley, a player who could be there around pick 101. 

Catch Radius (Mike Evans type) guy:  While not as good as Evans, Johnny Wilson is 6-7 and is projected to run under 4.5.  He could be there at pick 101.  Who needs an additional TE with Wilson on the field.

 

Tangent Finis

 

I like this very much.  It really fits our needs.  If we can pick up a late first for Burns, we can go

1. Xavier

2. CB

3. C/G

4. Corley or Wilson

If we can move back a little in the second and pick up extra late 3rd, we may be able to get both Corley and Wilson.  With our needs, we really need to take advantage of what the draft is offering.

[DaveThePanther2008]

23 hours ago, Panther53521 said:

I really think, Bryce’s footwork and the depth of his drops, had made icky’s sets look worse than they were. It’s hard to play OL when you don’t know where the QB is.

This very well might be the reason.  I can't accept that a line that was supposed to be a strength going into 2023 all of a sudden can't block anyone.  

The more I hear is Young was getting input from a thousand direction and got him all messed up.  Hopefully, Canales will get this straight and our line goes back to being a decent O-Line. 

[WhoKnows]

On 1/29/2024 at 12:25 PM, theinstrumental said:

They have not done that at all. Ekwonu, Moton, and BC were 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round picks, respectively. Corbett was a premium FA. Bozeman's the only relatively low-cost signing of the starting five, and we've grabbed Mays and Zavala in back-to-back day 3's.

Yes, they have done that. Moton was a draft pick from three GMs ago. Using a 2nd in 2017, a 3rd in 2021 and a 1st in 2022 is not drafting depth/more OL every year. Iky, Bozeman and Corbett were are because we had ignored OL, except a couple bad picks, from 2018 to 2021. We finally changed in 2022 a bit because our 2020-2021 OLs were so bad (2023 was as well).

The point is not to let it get so bad A) you need to replace 4 bad starters and B) when you can’t handle injuries. We should have drafted more OL from 2018-2021. Most of us draft followers were screaming to pick OL, especially in 2021 but we took CBs who don’t play, WRs that suck and long snappers.

[Basbear]

"Please improve and stay healthy"

[mickeye76]

I'd like to see what BC can do at LT. Remember it was our previous genius coaches that moved him to guard then proceeded to draft Icky (whose run blocking not pass blocking was his best trait ) to play LT.  Just a thought. What if we can trade Burns for a mid 1st or even at this point a 2nd and future pick. I see Minnesota as trade partners. 

They trade 42 and a future pick for Burns.  We go WR at 33. Then take a Powers- Johnson, Frazier or Van Pran at 42. Then turn around at 65 and take a guard.  Maybe a Mahogany, Kiran A, or Delmar Glaze. Just throwing prospects I like out there but we need to do a ridiculous amount of due diligence on improving the oline and WR room. 

LT - BC

LG- Rookie, Boze or Icky

OC - Rookie or Boze

RG - Rookie, Boze or Icky

RT - Moton 

Just move the pieces around till it fits. Boze can play guard. Want to try Icky at guard. BC might fit at tackle. Get a versatile rookie or two too. 

Later rounds we try and find diamonds in the rough at WR and RB.  This a deep class for both those skill positions. In FA we add another WR. Hope Mingo puts it all together this year.  WR room Mingo, 2nd round Rookie, Mid tier FA, AT, Smith-Marsette and a later round rookie to develop.  Fixing this offense is priority. I know "but Young sucks" maybe not,maybe just maybe we need to overhaul the scheme and personnel to fit him. 

[MHS831]

On 1/29/2024 at 3:55 PM, LinvilleGorge said:

Hire a new OL coach and let him figure it out.

Of course, that is going to happen, but it would not be a very good discussion board if we responded to all topics that way.  But the draft comes before he can figure that out--I guess he will watch hours of tapes, etc.  I think the point is, to quote a great ex-Panther and all-around American icon, "Sometimes the answer is on the roster."

[LinvilleGorge]

14 minutes ago, MHS831 said:

Of course, that is going to happen, but it would not be a very good discussion board if we responded to all topics that way.  But the draft comes before he can figure that out--I guess he will watch hours of tapes, etc.  I think the point is, to quote a great ex-Panther and all-around American icon, "Sometimes the answer is on the roster."

So much depends on the scheme. If we're not gonna allow Icky to be a mauler at LT then he can't play LT.