HB Blades or Stephon Heyer?

[freddyg12]

I think Blades is better overall, but I think he's really out of position at OLB w/a tight end in front of him. His position is MLB & I think they really need to start getting him some reps there. I know it's a hard position to rotate since LF is an every down guy that calls the signals & knows the system. But long-term they need to see if Blades can take over at MLB. That would mean getting a decent OLB in the draft or free agency for this year at least.

Unless Heyer & Jansen make dramatic improvements prior to camp, I think (& hope) a decent rookie can come in and win that job.

[GTripp0012]

Blades right now is what we one day hope Heyer can be. Heyer's pass blocking fundamentals are top notch, but he can't yet seem to consistently translate that into production on a play by play basis yet. He's got some running plays down pat and looks to be a mauler-type at tackle, but everything I love about his pass blocking fundamentals goes out the window with run blocking. He screws up his footwork, his hand placement, and his balance while run blocking. He can't even find guys in traffic. He seems to have a low football IQ.

So while I really hope we can see something from Heyer this year that shows huge leaps forward in improvement, I don't know how we can answer Heyer. He seems like he'd be best off as a project left tackle, but unless the draft changes things, he's being looked at right now as an immediate-fit RT, which he cannot be just yet.

Blades at OLB isn't ideal and he'll likely be used improperly by Blache, but I mean he's so far ahead of where Heyer is, that if we're looking it it as a "who plays tomorrow" kind of thing, Blades wins easily. Unfortunately, the answer is never that simple. Playing Blades a bit out of position because he's the best option would not be a legit reason for not drafting a linebacker in the first three rounds. We need to try to address both these needs.

Consequently, the proper answer to this question is some mix of "H.B. Blades", and "neither".

Good thread.

[Ruhskins]

Great discussion everyone. I am hoping one of these two guys steps it up big next season. I think Heyer needs to step up more than Blades, given that he was given the starting spot last year (at the beginning of the season). Otherwise, he will lose that opportunity.

While I am still convinced we need 1st round talent in the o-line, if the top 4 tackles are gone, I wouldn't mind taking one of the LBs. I'm sure they could start right away.

[GTripp0012]

Blades and Fletcher should be a nickel LB tandem as of right now. That's more than enough snaps for Blades in his third year.

[The Goat]

I don't get the proposition...who would be better as a starter because we're limited to one 1st day pick at this point? I mean that seems irrelavent because it would be irresponsible IMHO to enter the season w/ Samuels, JJ and Heyer as our only roster tackles. Samuels coming off major injury, JJ injury prone and old, Heyer surprisingly injury prone for his age and still very raw. IMO we need another starter caliber OT from draft or FA (as guys like Levi Jones are cut after draft day). Per the Blades situation...he's not starting. If we don't get a starter in the draft Marcus will be brought back, or maybe a different vet, for a reasonable contract.

...so i guess the answer is neither

[Ruhskins]

Originally Posted by the goat

i don't get the proposition...who would be better as a starter because we're limited to one 1st day pick at this point? I mean that seems irrelavent because it would be irresponsible imho to enter the season w/ samuels, jj and heyer as our only roster tackles. Samuels coming off major injury, jj injury prone and old, heyer surprisingly injury prone for his age and still very raw. Imo we need another starter caliber ot from draft or fa (as guys like levi jones are cut after draft day). Per the blades situation...he's not starting. If we don't get a starter in the draft marcus will be brought back, or maybe a different vet, for a reasonable contract.

...so i guess the answer is neither

lol.

[warriorzpath]

I think that the defensive coaches, in general, are more capable of coaching up players than the offensive side of the ball. Historically (recent history) with this team, developing defensive players has been the strength of the coaching staff, while a weakness appears to be developing the offensive players.

With this thinking, I would prefer picking up an offensive player that has already matured enough to be able to play at a high level rather than relying on developing Heyer. That would mean picking up a proven free agent (which the redskins still may do) or pick one of the top 4 OTs in draft. I would think the lesser of the 2 evils is going into the season with a weakness at LB rather than OT because -

1. The defense is the stronger of the 2 units.
2. The defense is better at developing players.
3. The strength of a offensive line is measured by it's weakest link IMO.

[skinsfan69]

Blades hands down. I'm not a big fan of Heyer as a starter but he's a nice back up.

[Gmanc711]

Well, I think that Right Tackle is def. more of a need and I'm more comfortable with Blades at LB than I am with Jansen at this point at RT... I'm more comfortable with Heyer than Jansen I think.... Either way, I want to use #13 on a tackle and I think we'll end up resigning M.Washington to a 1 year deal anyways.

[The Goat]

Originally Posted by warriorzpath

I think that the defensive coaches, in general, are more capable of coaching up players than the offensive side of the ball. Historically (recent history) with this team, developing defensive players has been the strength of the coaching staff, while a weakness appears to be developing the offensive players.

With this thinking, I would prefer picking up an offensive player that has already matured enough to be able to play at a high level rather than relying on developing Heyer. That would mean picking up a proven free agent (which the redskins still may do) or pick one of the top 4 OTs in draft. I would think the lesser of the 2 evils is going into the season with a weakness at LB rather than OT because -

1. The defense is the stronger of the 2 units.
2. The defense is better at developing players.
3. The strength of a offensive line is measured by it's weakest link IMO.

Nice post...I agree w/ your points basically across the board. Offensively we've got a line coach in Buges who just flat out prefers vets to younger guys...he says so himself. I don't think it's a matter of Buges not wanting to develop a younger player as much as a trust factor. Hixon is a different story. He's never developed a player in the NFL...not one. And you could make the argument the veterans he gets tend to decline under his tutelage - Moss had a phenom season when he was newly signed (sort of picking up where left off) but hasn't been anything great since and Thrash had better seasons w/ the Eagles before working under Hixon. Basically, I don't think any of Hixon's players have ever improved...that's actually hard to fathom IMO but I believe it's really true.

...all that said any offensive rookie may carry a higher "risk" outside of QB and RB, which aren't really needs for us. Maybe it's wise to draft defense and spend our offensive dollars in FA. Levi Jones over Micheal Oher...? Draft Rey or Matthew...?

[mrreddman]

I would be more comfortable with Blades at MLB but not so much on the outside. He's just too damn small to play full time there. That said Id go with Heyer over Blades and Jansen.
At least it's a spot he has started before AND has the needed size for the position. However Id still take Oher, Smith, then Rey in that order at #13. No DE merits that spot other than Orakpo. He will be long gone and I think it is easier to fill a LB spot in the 3rd round and RT in the 1st as opposed to the other way around.

[53Fan]

Everyone is making good points. I would just like my SAM backer, who's going to be covering TE's and hopefully putting some pressure on the QB at times, to not be 5'10 and 245. Blades is a tackling machine and his size would not be much of a drawback in the middle (about the same size as Fletch) but, I don't see him possessing the coverage or pass rushing skills needed at the SAM position. Going by the original post, we're not getting another DE, and I don't see a whole lot of pressure on the QB coming from that side. Not as much as I'd like anyway. It would be hard to put much criticism of the RT play last year on Heyer since he really didn't play there that much. Remember that he beat out Jansen last year and only lost the starting job because of injury. If he beats out Jansen this year, I wouldn't be that uncomfortable with him starting. A lot of the time when he did play, he played out of position. If the rest of the line doesn't pick up it's level of play, I'm not sure if it matters who we put there. This has nothing to do with who, or what, I want out of the draft.

[Dblock804]

heyer can hold 5 long necks in his hand, and never touch the necks. dudeman is for real. And after 20 or so, beat some ass.

[celts32]

It's easy to be more comfortable with Heyer since he has already started. I would still take an OT though if one of the top ones is available. You usually need a pretty high pick to get an OT that can project to LT and some of the guys in this draft have that ability. I would rather roll the dice with Blades and have that as a need next year if Blades doesn't pan out. We also could get a LB in round 3 that could compete but we would never get a starting RT in round 3.

[Larry Michael is Satan]

I'm more OK with Blades starting on the outside to get through the season. Did he play there at all last year? Campbell needs a brickwall for an OLine to be a successful QB, and if he isn't successful this year, chances are we are starting over next season with someone else, and quite possibly another coach too. Build the offense.