Offensive Line and Depth

[T.O.Killa]

Heyer is an upgrade over Jansen.
Dockery is an upgrade over Kendall
Rienhart is a much better player that has shown he can start for Thomas
Thomas is much healthier, than he has been in a while.
Mike Williams still has a ways to go, but I think he will be a great back up for us.
Montgomery looks like a big improvement over Giesinger.
ED Williams looks like he would be a better option this year then Rienhart was last year.
Batiste looks like they just got very confused, I would rather have Fabini, or Brigdes.

All, in all, I think we are much improved.

[JoeRedskin]

Originally Posted by T.O.Killa

Heyer is an upgrade over Jansen.
Dockery is an upgrade over Kendall
Rienhart is a much better player that has shown he can start for Thomas
Thomas is much healthier, than he has been in a while.
Mike Williams still has a ways to go, but I think he will be a great back up for us.
Montgomery looks like a big improvement over Giesinger.
ED Williams looks like he would be a better option this year then Rienhart was last year.
Batiste looks like they just got very confused, I would rather have Fabini, or Brigdes.

All, in all, I think we are much improved.

Is Heyer an improvement over Jansen in his prime? Maybe, the jury is out on that one. As for Rhinehart, Thomas in his prime was a damn good guard - maybe Rhinehart will be as good as Thomas and that would be fine. Montgomery seems to me to be about the same as Rabach - maybe. Again, Kendall was a damn good guard for us, Dockery may be as good but I don't think he is an upgrade except that he is younger.

Obviously, these guys are upgrades over the players on the wrong side of 30, but are they as good as the guys they are replacing when those guys were playing well? At his best Jansen was borderline pro-bowl, same for Thomas - I just don't see that in the future of either Heyer, Rhinehart or Dockery. As for the back up depth, I see your point. I think this year's backup's are an upgrade over last year's, but, really, is that saying very much?

[T.O.Killa]

Originally Posted by JoeRedskin

Is Heyer an improvement over Jansen in his prime? Maybe, the jury is out on that one. As for Rhinehart, Thomas in his prime was a damn good guard - maybe Rhinehart will be as good as Thomas and that would be fine. Montgomery seems to me to be about the same as Rabach - maybe. Again, Kendall was a damn good guard for us, Dockery may be as good but I don't think he is an upgrade except that he is younger.

Obviously, these guys are upgrades over the players on the wrong side of 30, but are they as good as the guys they are replacing when those guys were playing well? At his best Jansen was borderline pro-bowl, same for Thomas - I just don't see that in the future of either Heyer, Rhinehart or Dockery. As for the back up depth, I see your point. I think this year's backup's are an upgrade over last year's, but, really, is that saying very much?

I was strictly speaking of last year. Jansen was a beast before he tore his Achilles tendon.

[The Goat]

Originally Posted by T.O.Killa

Heyer is an upgrade over Jansen.
Dockery is an upgrade over Kendall
Rienhart is a much better player that has shown he can start for Thomas
Thomas is much healthier, than he has been in a while.
Mike Williams still has a ways to go, but I think he will be a great back up for us.
Montgomery looks like a big improvement over Giesinger.
ED Williams looks like he would be a better option this year then Rienhart was last year.
Batiste looks like they just got very confused, I would rather have Fabini, or Brigdes.

All, in all, I think we are much improved.

All good points but only the first two really translate into improvement this season, and that assumes Heyer stays healthy for a season (something he hasn't done) and becomes a more effective run-blocker. But yeah clearly Dock is an upgrade over Kendall.

I just keep coming back to the thought only RG is a position we can afford to substitute at this point, and even then a healthy Thomas is superior to the kid Rinehart. Injury anywhere else on the line really puts us in a tough, tough position and I can't help hating it.

The other oline issue that bothers me now is how much cap room we "blew" cutting Jansen. I mean at this point Jansen is better than Williams. So start Heyer as Zorn wishes and keep JJ as a backup (Williams to practice squad?), then at least we've got the cap room to do something if there's a major injury. Today we've got almost no wiggle room...ugh