Ye Evolution of the OL has Begunst

[MHS831]

26 minutes ago, Khyber53 said:

I'd want to see him at LT before we talk about paying LT money. Moton is really good, the best we've got, but if there were plans to move him to LT from RT, they'd have really tried it last season for a few games. 

I think we'll see him offered $12-14 million which would put him in top three salaries for RTs in the NFL and they'll let him test the markets at left tackle. Sadly, that's going to mean he's going to walk. That might not be the worst thing to happen to us, though.

Right tackles are easier to come by than LTs, we all know that. We can, if we have to, replace him in the draft or develop one from the guys we've got on team at the moment. One of those modest LT prospects could be a solid RT for a whole lot less money. And while Moton looks great on our team, we'd have to be major homers to not recognize a bit of bias created by the fact that the other guys around him just haven't been all that good. Like Andrew Norwell a couple of years back, he looked like a beast bookended by a couple of Kalils, but he was just meh when he got the big bucks to go somewhere else. 

 

Probably just negotiating.  He signed the tag quickly, so he wanted to kick the can into this year for a long term contract--better money--not much of a downside for Moton--and maybe figured Marty would overpay to save his job as he has done in the past--we shall see.

[Black&BlueBubba]

I think day 1 line will be 

LT- Scott

LG- Brady C 

C- Paradis

RG- Miller 

RT- Moton.  
 

Man we really need Brady to work out at LT.  But after recent experiences I will hold my breath.   

[MHS831]

15 minutes ago, Black&BlueBubba said:

I think day 1 line will be 

LT- Scott

LG- Brady C 

C- Paradis

RG- Miller 

RT- Moton.  
 

Man we really need Brady to work out at LT.  But after recent experiences I will hold my breath.   

I have been watching Elflien in vidoes about Darnold and I like him.   I think LT is wide open--the rest is fairly set--but would it not be sweet to see Brown take RG?  I think they will start Irving and give the job to Christensen a few games into to season--but you are on to something about his LG potential.  He could be a stud there.

[AU-panther]

O-line philosophy:

If you find a good tackle pay him, just pay him.  In the meantime every other year or so draft a good tackle prospect in an early round.  This way you are only paying big money to one at a time.  

Your interior spots keep filled with mid to late round draft picks, or vets who are cap casualties.  Every year there seems to be some good, vet guards who get cut by their current teams.

Fact is you can't afford to pay all 5 spots.  

[Black&BlueBubba]

2 hours ago, MHS831 said:

I have been watching Elflien in vidoes about Darnold and I like him.   I think LT is wide open--the rest is fairly set--but would it not be sweet to see Brown take RG?  I think they will start Irving and give the job to Christensen a few games into to season--but you are on to something about his LG potential.  He could be a stud there.

I hope they see something in Elflien or Erving.  We really need them to come through.  I don’t want to walk out week one with all those rookies even though I am high on them.  

[BlitzMonster]

8 minutes ago, Black&BlueBubba said:

I hope they see something in Elflien or Erving.  We really need them to come through.  I don’t want to walk out week one with all those rookies even though I am high on them.  

I think Pat Elflein is likely a JAG.   Not meant in a bad way.   Just an average OL.   Which is fine.  His position versatility is a plus.  

Erving I'm not as confident in.   I think he could start at LT because of the off-season promise when he was signed and then be benched because of poor play after 3 games.  

One rookie on the OL is fine.   That's probably due to merit.   Two rookies starting means either they are playing incredibly well or there's been a massive breakdown in the OL and we're just throwing bodies at it in hopes it will get fixed.  

 

[MHS831]

52 minutes ago, BlitzMonster said:

I think Pat Elflein is likely a JAG.   Not meant in a bad way.   Just an average OL.   Which is fine.  His position versatility is a plus.  

Erving I'm not as confident in.   I think he could start at LT because of the off-season promise when he was signed and then be benched because of poor play after 3 games.  

One rookie on the OL is fine.   That's probably due to merit.   Two rookies starting means either they are playing incredibly well or there's been a massive breakdown in the OL and we're just throwing bodies at it in hopes it will get fixed.  

 

You will like Elflein.  What are you basing your assumption on?  I have watched him when watching Darnold tapes--#67--check him out.  I think you are wrong, and I am sure that won't bother you.

[Basbear]

1 hour ago, MHS831 said:

You will like Elflein.  What are you basing your assumption on?  I have watched him when watching Darnold tapes--#67--check him out.  I think you are wrong, and I am sure that won't bother you.

Seems we saw different clips/videos. A couple days after he signed, I searched around twatter and found clip after clip of him getting rag-dolled. First time in a while I felt sorry for a player, it was like 2019 Vita Vea vs paradis over and over. He did give me some hope by saying he had a thumb injury that prevented him form lifting weights. By god he looked weak. He did look fairly good in space and pulling, moved well. 

Im in wait and see mode for Elf and not giving the panthers or him any built in injury excuses either. For me hes the insurance policy for this season and the C in waiting after Paradis leaves after the season is over. Hes GOT to get stronger. 

Edited May 11, 2021 by Basbear

[Smittymoose]

12 hours ago, MHS831 said:

You will like Elflein.  What are you basing your assumption on?  I have watched him when watching Darnold tapes--#67--check him out.  I think you are wrong, and I am sure that won't bother you.

Teams screw up and players can improve, but he didn’t cut by Minnesota by accident. That is a team that is perpetually OL-needy (like most), and they had a third round pick invested in him. So there is certainly support for thinking he’s not good

Granted, I think some talent is there and it does seem he put together some solid games with the Jets, but I agree with the sentiment that he’s probably just a JAG - which again, is fine as a low-end starter or versatile backup, but expecting more is a fool’s errand.

[ForJimmy]

It also depends how these guys are being used. I don’t know how Elf and Erving were used last year, but they seem like zone blocking guys. Christensen might be better in zone too, which might make things difficult for Brown to become a starter. I’m assuming we start off Scott/Erving, Elf, Paradis, rookie/Miller, Moton with hopefully Christensen taking over LT before the season is over and a rookie taking the RG job from Miller. I think Elf and Erving are going to come in handy while these rookies are learning/developing. They seem like they are both bridge players with the potential to take over the center position in a year or so.

[Mr. Scot]

On 5/8/2021 at 12:08 PM, BlitzMonster said:

What about Trent Scott ?  He did OK as a fill-in when Okung went down.  He was poached from the Chargers under the advice of our OL coach Pat Meyer (who previously coached him in LA).  

As an UDFA I love that fact that he's continued to get better over the years. 

 

I think he's actually better than he got credit for.

As to rebuilding the line, my sense is that some of the free agents we signed might be bridge guys as we look to draft longer-term solutions.

Sewell falling to us probably would have helped that a lot but c'est la vie.