OL Analysis???

[So Be]

For anyone who actually watched the individual play of our OL, I am curious as to what you think. Tuff to do with the injury to James and Albert being up and down. Also, there was trying to use Cameron as a blocker, and a whole lotta team sacks from guys unblocked on the blitz.

IYO, was Pounce a Pro Bowler? Albert worth keeping? Was James improved before the injury? Did Dallas improve in his first year as a full time starter? Did Turner show enough to think he will be a solid starter? Will Douglas fit in? Anyone want to keep Fox?

[Phintim Menace]

I think the whole OL should be on the hot seat. Pouncey being the best of the group. Albert is a good player but too fragile. How many missed time injuries this year, 5, 6? James is a promising starter, but he would have needed a solid entire season with a good guard next to him to know for sure, he had neither. Everyone else should be very worried IMO. I think we bring in a lot of OL this offseason, have open competition for every position and field the best 5 next year.

That said, no unit in football is more dependent on coordination and chemistry than an offensive line. The same 5 guys need to line up together on every practice and every play of every game. When they do, they become better as the season goes along, They also get synched with the running backs and QB. The holes are anticipated in the run game and the QBs clock in his head sharpens. But our line was not very good to start with, Albert missed all of camp and preseason and the whole thing went downhill from there.

That's the way I see it anyway.

[FTLDOLFAN]

This is how I would address the o-line. I would keep Albert for another year mainly because we have so many other needs we have to address. Lets just hope he can stay relatively healthy next year. We have Pouncey even though he is overpriced. We also have James. If all 3 of them are healthy we should be in good shape at their respective positions. I would look to sign a quality free agent OG, someone who should be able to come in and start right away. Then between Thomas Turner and Douglas hopefully one of them will emerge and claim the other starting OG position. Then in the draft I would look to draft an OT in the middle rounds. Someone who can be the primary backup OT so we can get rid of Fox who stinks.

[Phintim Menace]

Sounds like a pretty good plan to me. I would like to see those 3 we think are starting caliber at least pushed a little. How many snaps this year didn't have James or Albert on the field?

[So Be]

I think the whole OL should be on the hot seat. Pouncey being the best of the group. Albert is a good player but too fragile. How many missed time injuries this year, 5, 6? James is a promising starter, but he would have needed a solid entire season with a good guard next to him to know for sure, he had neither. Everyone else should be very worried IMO. I think we bring in a lot of OL this offseason, have open competition for every position and field the best 5 next year.

That said, no unit in football is more dependent on coordination and chemistry than an offensive line. The same 5 guys need to line up together on every practice and every play of every game. When they do, they become better as the season goes along, They also get synched with the running backs and QB. The holes are anticipated in the run game and the QBs clock in his head sharpens. But our line was not very good to start with, Albert missed all of camp and preseason and the whole thing went downhill from there.

That's the way I see it anyway.

Good post PM, would add the QG reading the blocks under pressure if and when he has the same guys in front of him. The revolving doors we have had on the OL makes it hard to accurately grade individual play, especially in a ZBS which does not count just beating the guy in front of you anywhere near as much as power blocking.

[So Be]

This is how I would address the o-line. I would keep Albert for another year mainly because we have so many other needs we have to address. Lets just hope he can stay relatively healthy next year. We have Pouncey even though he is overpriced. We also have James. If all 3 of them are healthy we should be in good shape at their respective positions. I would look to sign a quality free agent OG, someone who should be able to come in and start right away. Then between Thomas Turner and Douglas hopefully one of them will emerge and claim the other starting OG position. Then in the draft I would look to draft an OT in the middle rounds. Someone who can be the primary backup OT so we can get rid of Fox who stinks.

I was preaching all last off season that the biggest need on the OL was a swing OT to replace Fox. How the hell do you keep someone who was unable to replace Dallas at RT last year.?

Pouncey played well and is a lock. Next.

James has not proven anything but, has not really had the opportunity to show what he can do. Have to stay with him.

Albert is great when healthy, about 75% of the time. IMO, a LT who is 75% as good but plays 100% is better because of the continuity he gives the OL as a whole. A much better back up than Fox evens thins out but, I would still look to trade him next year if we can get a decent offer for the future.

Dallas has showed some improvement but, not as much as I was looking for. I still give him another year.

Turner has also showed improvement in he redshirt rookie year. Have to see more.

Add in Douglas, who flashed some talent as a rookie in very limited snaps. It would not surprise me to see the same three fighting for two jobs next year and the team not making and substantial moves at OG. this depends a lot on the new coaches.

[Idahomer]

I would move Billy Turner to LT and have him groomed for the position he played in college as Alberts back up. He can back up James if needed as well. I would move Douglas to left guard and let him compete with a mid to late round rookie and a decent veteran who has starting experience. I would bring in another one or two veteran FA's (both G, and T) and I'd draft at least 2 or 3 oline guys.

LT - Albert - Turner primary back up
LG - Douglas (if he wins the competition) - rookie/vet backup or Douglas as backup if he gets beat out
C - Pouncey - rookie center or vet center
RG - FA - rookie
LG - James - Turner/FA/Rookie as backup

Cut Dallas Thomas once and for all!