Time to Build an Offensive Line

[Pocket$ $traight]

Originally Posted by MonkFan4Life

Isn't Mawae pretty old ?

Yes but as bad as this line is, a strong band-aid may be necessary in a couple of spots.

I don't want them spending more money on Rabach. I think he had a decent year last year but I am tired of that jackass nose tackle in Dallas living in our backfield.

[redsk1]

It's going to take a couple/few years to have a good oline again. I know what I wouldn't do. I wouldn't start Heyer in any NFL game. Do whatever it takes, but no Heyer.

I'd try to find at least 2 olineman that have the capability to start in the NFL. We might get a FA to fill another hole.

[Pocket$ $traight]

Originally Posted by redsk1

It's going to take a couple/few years to have a good oline again. I know what I wouldn't do. I wouldn't start Heyer in any NFL game. Do whatever it takes, but no Heyer.

I'd try to find at least 2 olineman that have the capability to start in the NFL. We might get a FA to fill another hole.

Personally, I want Heyer off the team. I would rather have Levi at RT than Heyer. He just isn't good enough to be a starting tackle in the league.

[tryfuhl]

Also in for a "2nd tier" tackle selection in Charles Brown or similar

Guys to consider but not be only option at their spots (aka if we can't get a younger starter): Mawae and Pitts .. doesn't get us much younger, but it puts someone there competent until our younger guys/draft picks/future picks can start

[Monkeydad]

Originally Posted by The Goat

Nice thread idea!

LT: I draft the very best prospect w/ our 1st pick...probably Okung

RT: I draft the very best prospect w/ our 2nd pick.

LG: Dockery stays

RG: I let Rinehart and the Williams fight it out to see who adjusts best the zone blocking scheme. The other two are kept for backups.

C: I do everything I can to replace Rabach in FA and the earlier the better. Rabach seems to get more mistake prone every year and w/o excellent guards sandwiching him, i.e. Dock and Thomas in their prime, Rabach almost guarantees a very porous interior. He sucks donkey balls in reality and I highly doubt he'd start anywhere else in the league. Shanny/Allen can find a better Center.

The hope w/ this strategy is to find bookend tackles for the next decade and enough talent in between to give our offense a chance to win immediately.

Perfect plan, especially sending Rabach packing.

[SBXVII]

http://www.thewarpath.net/redskins-l...discussed.html

Just kidding. LOL.

This is a good thread especially since this is a position in need of a drastic upgrade.

[SBXVII]

Originally Posted by Pocket$ $traight

Personally, I want Heyer off the team. I would rather have Levi at RT than Heyer. He just isn't good enough to be a starting tackle in the league.

I was enamored with Heyer when he was picked up and lately have soured on him. But since we have him could he be used as a Guard? He is not LT material and he's hardly RT material. I'm guessing cause of his lateral movement. I could be way off but could he be retained as a Guard? Maybe there is more lateral movement and I just don't know it but I just wonder if he would be a decent Guard. Could he pull and be a good run blocking Guard?

If I'm wrong then I'm wrong. I just looked at all our OL and thought all last yr that each one might have been a decent Guard but sucked at either LT or RT. Moving Levi to RT might solve that issue.

[MTK]

I wouldn't mind keeping Heyer around as a backup. Not sure he's cut out for guard.

[SBXVII]

Originally Posted by The Goat

Nice thread idea!

LT: I draft the very best prospect w/ our 1st pick...probably Okung

RT: I draft the very best prospect w/ our 2nd pick.

LG: Dockery stays

RG: I let Rinehart and the Williams fight it out to see who adjusts best the zone blocking scheme. The other two are kept for backups.

C: I do everything I can to replace Rabach in FA and the earlier the better. Rabach seems to get more mistake prone every year and w/o excellent guards sandwiching him, i.e. Dock and Thomas in their prime, Rabach almost guarantees a very porous interior. He sucks donkey balls in reality and I highly doubt he'd start anywhere else in the league. Shanny/Allen can find a better Center.

The hope w/ this strategy is to find bookend tackles for the next decade and enough talent in between to give our offense a chance to win immediately.

This isn't a bad plan but I'm hedging my bet that QB is picked up at #1. So if that is what Shanahan wants and gets how do we resolve the OL issue and who do we draft? Last yr was pretty much a defensive yr. This yr should be a more offensive yr, but changing defensive scheme's is an issue.

QB- Bradford/Clausen.
RB- We could probably hold off until next yr. Portis, Ganther, Alridge.
WR- Set unless MS wants someone who won't take draft picks. T.O.
TE- Set.
OL- FA, Draft.

CB- I think set unless a decent FA come available.
SS- Set.
FA- FA, Draft.
LB- I'd pick one more up.
DE- Set. Orakpo, Jarmin, Carter, AH?.
DL/NT- FA, Draft.

[30gut]

Originally Posted by Pocket$ $traight

Personally, I want Heyer off the team. I would rather have Levi at RT than Heyer. He just isn't good enough to be a starting tackle in the league.

Originally Posted by SBXVII

I was enamored with Heyer when he was picked up and lately have soured on him. But since we have him could he be used as a Guard? He is not LT material and he's hardly RT material. I'm guessing cause of his lateral movement. I could be way off but could he be retained as a Guard? Maybe there is more lateral movement and I just don't know it but I just wonder if he would be a decent Guard. Could he pull and be a good run blocking Guard?

If I'm wrong then I'm wrong. I just looked at all our OL and thought all last yr that each one might have been a decent Guard but sucked at either LT or RT. Moving Levi to RT might solve that issue.

I think a lot of people forget that Heyer played most of the season with a knee injury and often couldn't practice during the week.

Also, Heyer played 924 snaps gave up 8 sacks and 11 QB hits
Jones played 527 snaps gave up 6 sacks and 14 QB hits

Its hard to claim that Jones was better when his performance doesn't indicate this especially when you consider that Heyer was playing hurt most of the season.

Ailing Heyer hanging 'tough' for Redskins - Washington Times

In his first full season as a starting tackle for the Washington Redskins, Stephon Heyer has struggled to open holes in the run game and in pass protection.

But there's no disputing the former Maryland standout's toughness. Heyer has been playing with an ailing left knee for two months, and he crumpled to the field with an injured right knee during the third quarter Sunday night against Dallas.

"I don't know how he got up," offensive line coach Joe Bugel said. "I had [backup Will Robinson] ready to go, and he said, 'No. I'm playing.' "

Heyer didn't miss a snap even though the going-nowhere Redskins were trailing the Cowboys 17-0.

"Stephon's a tough kid," said left guard Derrick Dockery, who knows something about that attribute after starting 108 consecutive games. "He's playing pretty much injured the whole year. Even with the tough year we're having, I never wonder if he's going to play. I know Stephon. He's going to be out there. I'm real proud of him."

So is quarterback Jason Campbell, who was shaken up on the same play that Heyer injured his right patellar tendon against Dallas.

"Sometimes [Stephon] misses practice all week so he's able to play," Campbell said. "I commend him for his effort. He understands there's not a lot of depth. If he can't play, it puts us in a lot of trouble."

When it appeared Heyer might not be able to play two weeks ago, the Redskins were planning to start the untested Robinson against Justin Tuck, the New York Giants' standout pass-rusher. But Heyer sucked it up and started as usual.

"Each year, Stephon has gotten tougher and tougher," Bugel said. "He understands there's a lot of pain in the National Football League. You never wake up and feel good during the season."

Heyer, whose 18 consecutive starts rank sixth on the Redskins, has lined up next to four right guards and will make it five Sunday at San Diego if Paul Fanaika or Will Montgomery replaces the injured Mike Williams. Heyer also started three games at left tackle in place of the injured Chris Samuels.

"It's football, there's no guarantee that you're going to stay healthy," Heyer said. "You just gotta keep going. No one really cares if you're hurt. You just gotta keep playing even when there's nothing to play for except personal pride. Finishing, that's what I'm about."

The offense hasn't finished well the past two games, scoring just 12 points since Bruce Allen was named general manager Dec. 17. So Heyer, whose contract is expiring, knows Sunday could be his final game with Washington.

"It's an interview process," he said. "Every game is important. You gotta show that you can play."

Heyer blew out his left knee during two-a-days before what should have been his senior year at Maryland. He returned the next year and surprisingly made the Redskins in 2007. He missed time with a sprained shoulder last season - losing his job to right tackle predecessor Jon Jansen in the process - and hurt the knee again late in training camp this summer when Samuels rolled him up from behind. Heyer missed a couple of practices but was in the lineup for the opener. And he has been there every week.

Ever a realist, Heyer knows he hasn't had a stellar first full campaign.

"I think it's about average play," he said. "I've had my games here and there where I've played pretty well and had my games where I didn't play so well."

Bugel said Heyer has improved as he came to accept "hard coaching." Dockery has liked what he has seen from the 6-foot-6, 330-pound Georgian.

"Stephon has a lot of heart, and he has played pretty well on that knee," Dockery said. "He has the size. He has all the tools to be a really good tackle if he puts it all together."

[over the mountain]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

I wouldn't mind keeping Heyer around as a backup. Not sure he's cut out for guard.

id think heyer is too tall to play guard. i couldnt see a qb getting a good look down the field with a 6'5 (?) heyer standing there in the middle.

every time i see him on our sideline he stands out as the tallest skins player.

30gut - your right, i forgot he was injured all year. good find

[MTK]

Dockery is also 6'6 so I don't think height alone is the issue. Heyer's build is that of a classic tackle. Long arms and a lanky type of build (at least when compared to your typical guard). Power isn't his game either.

[SFREDSKIN]

If the skins decide to draft a QB with the 4th pick, then I would say sign Stephen Neal from the Pats (he's 33 but can play for 1 or 2 years) the other guy I would target is Hochenstein from the Broncos who also played for the Pats. Keep Rabach as an experienced backup along with Mike Williams, Rinehart.

[over the mountain]

dang dock is 6'6? i didnt go to a game this year so i didnt get a good look at our guys in person. years past heyer was always noticably the tallest.

well i thought you wanted guards to not be so tall since they block in the middle part of the pocket. i figured a tall guard would maybe diminish some of the qbs view of the field. i thought tackles could be taller b/c they work on the outside and need longer arms to keep pass rushers from getting into the inside leverage of a tackle.

guess i was wrong about that guard thing. gallery seems like a tall mofo too and i dont remember any complaints about his height when he moved to guard.

[Ruhskins]

Just as I suspected (by reading these posts), just about every FA offensive lineman that we could get (UFAs) are over the age of 30. While a number of them could play very well and would be huge upgrades over our current players, I think by filling all of the holes in the line with 30+ year old lineman, you're at risk of having injured starters.

I just feel that we've been gambling on patching up the line with older players for a while now. And the downside of this year is that we aren't able to pick up a marquee lineman in his mid to late 20s (i.e. Marcus McNeill) because RFA rules due to the uncapped season, without giving up draft picks.

It seems like everyone wants to get young at every position except the line (see the Jamal Lewis and Chester Taylor threads).