Do You Agree With The Neglect of the Offensive Line from This Draft???

[PNW_PantherMan]

22 minutes ago, CRA said:

what about the 3rd best C for a RB

Its a good question.  And by my count it looks like the 2nd best C vs the best RB.  Zach Frazier was the 2nd C taken, and he was available when we picked Brooks.

Personally, I'd probably go with the C, but I don't hate the choice to go with the top RB.  I'm not a huge fan of going RB that early, but we need talented skill players on offense really bad.

I would have liked to see a C taken later in the draft to complement this choice.

[mrcompletely11]

47 minutes ago, CRA said:

what about the 3rd best C for a RB

Thats a good question.  We have to assume he will not be 100% until later in the year at best and we are not winning anything this season.  So maybe the 2nd best center this season and then simply draft the top rb next year as the roster is getting built out.   All I know is corbett has been hurt 2x now and we are asking him to play a position in the nfl he never has.  And I guess backing him up is another player thats been hurt 2x thats never played the position in the nfl.  I dont know man that seems like a massive red flag on the line for a qb that doesnt like pressure

[SetfreexX]

Go watch the Corbett interview from voluntary OTAs.

He was the starter for LAR at Center until an injury the SB year. 

We are fine at starting center atm, and we have two guys that were starters as a Tackle, and interior depth (Yosh, and BC), Zavala in year 2 stands to improve, Cade Mays in year 3 as well, but they're both suites as depth pieces currently.

They also signing two of the better guards in the NFL (Hunt) / free agency (Lewis). 

The OL received a lot of attention, and with an offensive shift to what suits them as a run first unit, we HAD to upgrade the weapons to keep defenses honest vs the pass. 

And for those that like to root for UDFAs,we brought in Raym from Oklahoma who is a Center.

[CRA]

24 minutes ago, SetfreexX said:

Go watch the Corbett interview from voluntary OTAs.

He was the starter for LAR at Center until an injury the SB year. 

We are fine at starting center atm, and we have two guys that were starters as a Tackle, and interior depth (Yosh, and BC), Zavala in year 2 stands to improve, Cade Mays in year 3 as well, but they're both suites as depth pieces currently.

They also signing two of the better guards in the NFL (Hunt) / free agency (Lewis). 

The OL received a lot of attention, and with an offensive shift to what suits them as a run first unit, we HAD to upgrade the weapons to keep defenses honest vs the pass. 

And for those that like to root for UDFAs,we brought in Raym from Oklahoma who is a Center.

but didn't that mean, they were planning on moving him to C....but he never has actually played C in a NFL game. 

[frankw]

The Corbett hype and assumptions being made by many here give me an uneasy feeling all too reminiscent of years past.

Anyone remember that line "the answer is already on the roster?"

How'd that work out for us?

We've had some awful center play since Kalil retired. I'm not sold on hopes and dreams about Corbett.

But this is the gamble we've made.

Regardless I will accept no excuses for poor QB play this season with the overall investments that have been made. We need to see improvement and trips to the end zone. Make it work.

Edited April 30 by frankw

[Waldo]

'We need to overpay OGs to protect the QB after spending all that on a QB'

also the same people

'Using a recently injured convert OGs at C is fine because we always have an UDFA C'

Sure sure makes total sense. 

 

[grimesgoat]

26 minutes ago, CRA said:

but didn't that mean, they were planning on moving him to C....but he never has actually played C in a NFL game. 

neither has anyone we could have drafted.

[CRA]

3 minutes ago, grimesgoat said:

neither has anyone we could have drafted.

they would have at least had a collegiate career playing C.  Corbett doesn't even have that. 

but I don't really care about them not drafting a C.  I want them to bring in a cut vet C.  It's pointless to of spent all that money at G and not have an actual C.  Silly gamble.  If the C play is bad the entire middle of the OL is going to be a mess.  Again. 

 

[strato]

21 minutes ago, frankw said:

The Corbett hype and assumptions being made by many here give me an uneasy feeling all too reminiscent of years past.

Anyone remember that line "the answer is already on the roster?"

How'd that work out for us?

We've had some awful center play since Kalil retired. I'm not sold on hopes and dreams about Corbett.

But this is the gamble we've made.

Regardless I will accept no excuses for poor QB play this season with the overall investments that have been made. We need to see improvement and trips to the end zone. Make it work.

It does remind me of Gettleman logic.

[MHS831]

We have a former starter now serving as a backup for the middle three positions, and probably the third string T on both sides (BC).  We are still developing Zavala and I hope Mays shows some growth.  Zavala started at times in 2023, as did Mays.  We added two guards that flipped us from abysmal to elite at G.  We added a swing T that could start on many teams.  The idea is to work Ekwonu hard on his mechanics.  

With the two stud guards beside him, Corbett can call blocking schemes (he is smart, working beside the C for some time) to offset stunts and blitzes he sees presnap.  Your point?  Based on what we know, it makes no sense--based on what they know, it seems to make perfect sense.  I mean, you have 2 guards that started in the NFL for extended periods transitioning to center.  It is not like you are moving a rookie G to center--and the TB Bucs will do that with Barton, the T they drafted from Duke.

Maybe this is NOT the ideal situation, but they feel good enough about it not to address it in the draft.  Since OL was a priority, it makes no sense to draft a RB when you don't have a center.  It means to me that RB was a bigger need than C--because Frazier was on the board at 46 (He was picked by the Steelers at 51). 

So back to the OL--Ekwonu will improve under the new coaching--Campen sucked footballs (literally--he really kissed footballs), the guards went from terrible to elite, the C is manned by 2 former starters, and Moton anchors the right side.  Depth?  BC can play any position, but probably will be left to backup G and C.  Nijman is an average OT by NFL standards (61 PFF) and he is a swing T.  Behind them, Mays and Zavala are young and could use some development--I see why they are not adding a player, but the C they picked up in UDFA is likely to be signed to the PS and he could compete when ready.

[grimesgoat]

1 minute ago, CRA said:

they would have at least had a collegiate career playing C.  Corbett doesn't even have that. 

but I don't really care about them not drafting a C.  I want them to bring in a cut vet C.  It's pointless to of spent all that money at G and not have an actual C.  Silly gamble.  If the C play is bad the entire middle of the OL is going to be a mess.  Again. 

 

Corbett is an above average lineman and apparently really smart.  He has the second highest cap hit on the team and cutting him would be even more expensive.  I'd rather the guy play center than sit on his ass on the bench while we trot out some 5th rounder.

We have a lot to fix and it wasn't going to happen in one season.  I believe we are markedly better than last year but very thin/raw.  If everyone stays healthy, this could be an interesting year - maybe 5-6 wins and some close competitive losses.

 

[MHS831]

This former college OL played center and when asked if C was difficult to learn, he said this:

At the college and pro levels, left tackle is probably the hardest position to play. You are protecting the quarterback’s blind side, and I would argue that NFL edge rushers are the best complete athletes in the world; I can’t think of any other group of people with the size, strength, speed, and overall athleticism. You have to keep them off the quarterback. That’s really hard to do.

Center does have to snap the ball, and that means your hands are not available for a second. It also makes it harder to move laterally at the start. You are probably going to be moving straight ahead or a neutral step to start.

But that means you don’t get asked to do the things other linemen are asked to do. You pretty much don’t pull, trap, or cover the back side. You are more likely to get help in the form of a double team, especially if the other team has a really good nose tackle. You have to be a very good blocker, of course, and you have to have quick feet and strong legs. Otherwise, I don’t think it’s as demanding physically as the other line positions.

The hardest thing about center isn’t physical, though - it’s mental. You are responsible for identifying the defensive line formation and adjustments and calling out blocking schemes and/or scheme changes. You also have to communicate with the quarterback to identify and share any changes in snap count, protection, or play call. It all has to be done instantly - without the defense knowing.

[OldhamA]

11 hours ago, SmokinwithWilly said:

Still think we should have gone center over RB. The weakest position on the line is the shortest route to the QB. We could survive without a new RB. We wont survive if we still dont know if BY is a franchise QB. All offseason was excuse after excuse about the oline not giving enough time and now we’re banking on a guy with 2 major lower body injuries in 2 years, a guy that’s never played center coming off injury, and a c/g that made Michael Jordan look competent. Add in the back up plan is 4 FA centers or a cast off that couldn’t make a roster. What could possibly go wrong? Being certain BY is our franchise QB is more important than a 1 contract RB?. 

If Young doesn't shine with the resources they've invested in the offence this season he never will.

$1gazillion on OGs, 1st round WR, traded for a WR, 4th round TE, 2nd round RB - like, damn, how many excuses does this guy have left?

[lightsout]

It's exponentially more likely that you fix your OL in free agency than it is that you fix your offensive weapons. Is it possible? Certainly. But look at last season. We added a lot of weapons in FA and Thielen was the only one who produced.