Ekwonu

[Khyber53]

This line, next year, will be pretty stellar.

This year, there's a lot of learning going on, but it has been getting better and better.

[rayzor]

3 minutes ago, Khyber53 said:

This line, next year, will be pretty stellar.

This year, there's a lot of learning going on, but it has been getting better and better.

whoever is QB will have a great line in front of them. the chemistry there already is all you could want. 

[LinvilleGorge]

This season is going nowhere. Put Icky at LT and let him keep developing. Put Christensen at C and see if we have the starting OL figured out for the mid-term. I would say long-term but Moton is already 30.

[PNW_PantherMan]

5 minutes ago, rayzor said:

whoever is QB will have a great line in front of them. the chemistry there already is all you could want. 

[rayzor]

2 minutes ago, PNW_PantherMan said:

[kungfoodude]

1 hour ago, Prowler2k18 said:

Mayes has a weight advantage at Center.  Christensen’s versatility is valuable but better on the outside than the interior IMO. Mays can also play multiple spots along the interior. I think we’re in the best position we’ve been in years with the OL.

I think once we get a great C, we will be. BC and Mays are average or lower. That's fine but we need a real solution there for years to come. 

[kungfoodude]

47 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

This season is going nowhere. Put Icky at LT and let him keep developing. Put Christensen at C and see if we have the starting OL figured out for the mid-term. I would say long-term but Moton is already 30.

TBH, if Moton wants to and he takes care of himself in a manner to preserve his long term health, he could play until 36-38 or even more. It's not unheard of on the OL.

[LinvilleGorge]

Just now, kungfoodude said:

TBH, if Moton wants to and he takes care of himself in a manner to preserve his long term health, he could play until 36-38 or even more. It's not unheard of on the OL.

Could. But anytime someone is on the wrong side of 30 I think Father Time has to be in the back of your mind. Sure, some guys remain effective well into their 30s but most don't.

[kungfoodude]

1 minute ago, LinvilleGorge said:

Could. But anytime someone is on the wrong side of 30 I think Father Time has to be in the back of your mind. Sure, some guys remain effective well into their 30s but most don't.

I do feel like that isn't the case for most OL and DL. They don't suffer from some of the same issues most skill players do in terms of lost explosion/agility. It's really about wear and tear on lineman. Are they able to stay healthy enough to last and are they able to have exceptional technique that can counter the effects of father time?

Also, we haven't seen a big drop off from Moton yet. I know he didn't look very good last year but that whole line was a mess so it's hard to get too mad at anyone individually. 

But, we also have to consider that Moton is an above average OT but has never been elite. Perhaps we don't get rid of him due to decline in the end, but because it's cheaper to draft a replacement.

[BountyHunter]

It's amazing what a veteran presence and competent OL coaching did for players that were here last year.  Icky. BC and Mayes were trashed by some om this board last year.  Im happy however this plays out.

Edited 4 hours ago by BountyHunter

[CarolinaLivin]

12 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

Could. But anytime someone is on the wrong side of 30 I think Father Time has to be in the back of your mind. Sure, some guys remain effective well into their 30s but most don't.

Yeah father time is undefeated. You can take care of yourself as much as possible, but the older you get the harder it gets. Coming back from injuries is harder. Explosiveness regresses. It just doesn't get easier, it gets much harder. 

[LinvilleGorge]

9 minutes ago, kungfoodude said:

I do feel like that isn't the case for most OL and DL. They don't suffer from some of the same issues most skill players do in terms of lost explosion/agility. It's really about wear and tear on lineman. Are they able to stay healthy enough to last and are they able to have exceptional technique that can counter the effects of father time?

Also, we haven't seen a big drop off from Moton yet. I know he didn't look very good last year but that whole line was a mess so it's hard to get too mad at anyone individually. 

But, we also have to consider that Moton is an above average OT but has never been elite. Perhaps we don't get rid of him due to decline in the end, but because it's cheaper to draft a replacement.

There's only two OL currently on NFL rosters over the age of 34. Trent Williams is the oldest at 36. The Trent Williams and Andrew Whitworths of the league are still very much the exception and not the rule. Basically if you're not potential HOF caliber you're probably not going to remain effective well into your 30s, you're just not going to have the luxury of being able to play through losing a step or two. Moton is good but he's not at that level. I'd bet on a pretty sharp fall off in the next 2-3 seasons.

[kungfoodude]

2 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

There's only two OL currently on NFL rosters over the age of 34. Trent Williams is the oldest at 36. The Trent Williams and Andrew Whitworths of the league are still very much the exception and not the rule.

Damn, I didn't realize the 34+ crowd had gotten so thin. Yeah, I guess this is sort of towards the end, in that case.

[LinvilleGorge]

Just now, kungfoodude said:

Damn, I didn't realize the 34+ crowd had gotten so thin. Yeah, I guess this is sort of towards the end, in that case.

I think Whitworth out there sporting a full on gray beard has skewed a lot of perceptions. I know I was surprised when I looked into those age numbers