The ickey ekwonu question...

[micnificent28]

6 hours ago, Daddy_Uncle said:

I think OT jumps to top priority in the draft. That is a position that you must have great players at. Pass rushers can be found in every round. Also easier in free agency that OTs

Pass rushers absolutely can't be found in any round. That's the reason we don't have one.. out side QB pass rushers is the second most important position. 

[SmokinwithWilly]

6 minutes ago, micnificent28 said:

Pass rushers absolutely can't be found in any round. That's the reason we don't have one.. out side QB pass rushers is the second most important position. 

4th seems to be about the cut off point, and even those are rare. Tackles can sometimes hit in the later rounds of day 3, more so than an edge rusher will. 

[MHS831]

7 hours ago, woahfraze said:

Nijman wasn’t terrible. But I wouldn’t describe his play as good either. I think he’s still best suited as a swing tackle off the bench. And unfortunately Brady Christiansen cannot be relied on given h injuries as well  

We should resign Nijman, but we need to bring in someone else either in free agency or the draft to give us an alternative in the event he doesn’t perform. Free agent options are pretty bad unless there are some surprise cuts, so the draft is probably our better option. 

With our overall needs, would be nice to shore up the defense in Round 1, but if the value that’s there is in a LT, I think you have to seriously consider that. If Ickey returns and can still be effective, I think you can move him or the new LT over to RT since Moton will likely be retiring in the next couple years. 

Fortunately, the top 3 or 4 OTs in the draft are probably ready to start day 1.  I really like the depth at OT.  

As much as it hurts, there is WAY too much risk to invest in Ekwonu or pencil him in for 2027.  He will be diminished and any serious knee injury to a 330 lb man who uses those legs to fend off speed rushers.  If he comes back, he is likely a guard.  but the business side of this will be telling--about Morgan as much as the knee.

[MHS831]

6 hours ago, SmokinwithWilly said:

I had a serious knee injury that stretched ligaments and tendons but no tears miraculously. 30 years later it still isn't right and I'm a bigger guy. I've read about that surgery, damn, and I don't know how you intentionally keep that much weight on your body and trust that thing to hold up under the load of a full NFL season. It took years for me to trust mine and I still don't 100%, especially laterally. 

Yeah, people need to realize that a knee injury this serious to an NFL LT is more akin to a horse in the Old West breaking its leg than anything else.  It is sad.  IF he comes back, he is a guard in all likelihood.

Edited 1 hour ago by MHS831

[MHS831]

5 hours ago, LinvilleGorge said:

I'm not begging for us to take an OT at 19 but I don't think it should be off the board either. If the BPA at 19 is an OT, draft him. At the end of the day, our young LT just suffered a serious injury and there's no guarantee he effectively returns from it. Our RT will be 32 next year and there's a lit of whispering about him having chronic knee issues that may shorten his career. Nijman is a backup/stopgap caliber player who is also on the wrong side of 30. Christensen is a FA and will be trying to comeback from an Achilles injury which is one of the tougher common injuries to bounce back from.

Don't force it, but OT at 19 is imminently defensible. 

I think (with the growth of Scourton, (hopefully) Princely, and Jones II on the roster, Tackle just became our biggest need.  While I think Moton can play until he is 35 so I am not that worried about him, we have nothing behind him.  We need a starter.  At edge, we don't.  So I am all in on an OT.  If I am GM, I do not give Ekwonu a big contract.  He is too big a risk now.  It sounds cold, but he will make $17m this year as he rehabs.  If he comes back, we have 3 tackles, 2 with question marks.  We need a T.

[CPantherKing]

Here we go again with wasting 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round picks on offensive lineman.

2 free agents. 1 high football IQ leader in the 2nd or 3rd round for the interior. Two Day 3 starters.

Stop wasting draft capital or be left behind.

[if they enter free agency or the draft] Braden Smith in free agency or draft Carter Smith, Brian Parker II (leader), or Isaiah World. Take the one that slips. I know some are going to go after Carter Smith's arm length, but I'd rather have him with his fierce grip and control of lighter speed rushers than a top 10 pick LT waist bender on skates.

If Bryce stays and needs to rely on popping out of the pocket to win games, then you need a Carter Smith or Brian Parker who can redirect a pass rusher at the rusher's hips. The lack of control by Ekwonu and Moton on their pass rushers change of direction is what always frustrated Bryce stepping up in the pocket. They are leverage tackles for a pocket passer that ride the pass rusher out.  Carter and Parker can create passing lanes for a QB who wants to step up, pop pass, and escape.

Draft Carter Smith and Brian Parker if they fall. Then trade Moton and place Brian Parker at LT and Carter Smith at RT. Could it be possible to flip Moton for picks that get you both of these tackles with 2 picks? I know fans would hate even entertaining this, but if you want Bryce to win, he needs to rely on his limited but highly effective skills.

If you don't like these options, you may as well just stick with Yosh and Brady at LT. The pool and projections will shape up in the next 2 months, but I hope this front office stops making the classic mistakes of losing the draft capital battle that a dynasty must win.

Save the 1st and 2nd round picks for core defensive players.