If you were GM and had someone who could be the GQBOAT....

[Mr. Scot]

How many of those mobile quarterbacks are 6'6" and 250 lbs and stronger than the players doing the tackling. The only one I can think of that is even close is Culpepper. And if I remember correctly we hurt him while he in the pocket. Carmichael was as tall but only 215 lbs. I think he is safer in the open field where he can see people coming at him versus being blindsided. Frankly Cam has stated he believes the same thing as well.

How often have you seen Roethlisberger on the injury report in the last few years?

Cam isn't really Superman guys. And if he isn't sufficiently protected, we'll learn that the hard way.

I am just not comfortable going into next season with only our current options on the right side of the line.

[rayzor]

...beause he got killed with the same line minus otah and schwartz this year.

oye...

cam will be one year smarter.

the oline will be healthier.

the oline will have a year in the scheme and a full offseason.

bell won't be a rookie and probably won't be starting.

we might/should/probably will get depth and bring in a bit more competition, but i don't expect it to change a whole lot. there are more important and pertinent things to address that kept us from winning last year.

Oline is one of the least of my concerns right now (not that i am without concern there, mind you. same with most people). sure, it's more concerning than anything else on offense, but still it takes a back seat to the needs that exist on defense and even special teams.

[Mr. Scot]

...beause he got killed with the same line minus otah and schwartz this year.

oye...

cam will be one year smarter.

the oline will be healthier.

the oline will have a year in the scheme and a full offseason.

bell won't be a rookie and probably won't be starting.

we might/should/probably will get depth and bring in a bit more competition, but i don't expect it to change a whole lot. there are more important and pertinent things to address that kept us from winning last year.

Oline is one of the least of my concerns right now (not that i am without concern there, mind you. same with most people). sure, it's more concerning than anything else on offense, but still it takes a back seat to the needs that exist on defense and even special teams.

Afraid we'll just have to disagree on this one.

For one, I really don't want to count on Oath being healthy. That, plus I'd much prefer both Bell and Hangar er as backups, not starters. Not completely sold on Schwartz as a starter either, honestly.

Obviously, others may see it differently, but that's where I'm at.

[rayzor]

i don't think that anyone is "sold" on those guys. i don't think anyone is incredibly optimistic about it.

they/i just aren't as worried about it as fixing the defense.

i tend to want to deal with things that are broken first rather than fixing what might break. the defense is broken. it's why we lost. the OL, while not really anything to be 100% confident in on the right side, wasn't the reason we lost games...even with a bad and flawed right side of the line.

when the team is more complete and missing pieces are filled in, then we can start looking down the road.

again, we could very well address OL later in the draft (round 4 and on) or in FA ancd come up with solid competition that results in an improved Oline.

we just don't think that it is necessary right now to draft someone early when there are more pertinent needs.

[carolinarolls]

Please, somebody enlighten me and tell me something I don't know. Explain to me that our offensive line is not perfect. I thought it was. What? You mean Otah might not work out? Byron Bell is not all-Pro?

Holy sh-t!!

I had no idea. What are we going to do?

[CRA]

How often have you seen Roethlisberger on the injury report in the last few years?

Cam isn't really Superman guys. And if he isn't sufficiently protected, we'll learn that the hard way.

I am just not comfortable going into next season with only our current options on the right side of the line.

to a degree.....protecting Cam means not having him pretend to be Manning in the pocket. Cam is safest out of the pocket.....so a little heat can be a good thing. Plus, provides the big play opportunity.

[Mr. Scot]

i don't think that anyone is "sold" on those guys. i don't think anyone is incredibly optimistic about it.

they/i just aren't as worried about it as fixing the defense.

i tend to want to deal with things that are broken first rather than fixing what might break. the defense is broken. it's why we lost. the OL, while not really anything to be 100% confident in on the right side, wasn't the reason we lost games...even with a bad and flawed right side of the line.

when the team is more complete and missing pieces are filled in, then we can start looking down the road.

again, we could very well address OL later in the draft (round 4 and on) or in FA ancd come up with solid competition that results in an improved Oline.

we just don't think that it is necessary right now to draft someone early when there are more pertinent needs.

Won't deny the defense needs work too, and yes it's a priority.

My difference is I feel a little more urgency to tinker with the OL also.

And not just for Newton mind you. For Williams and Stewart as well.

[rayzor]

just don't see how OL is more of a priority than the D but then i'm not the one with the offensive line in my sig.

[Mr. Scot]

just don't see how OL is more of a priority than the D but then i'm not the one with the offensive line in my sig.

Your avatar is uglier than my sig :D

(granted, not by much)

[panthers55]

How often have you seen Roethlisberger on the injury report in the last few years?

Cam isn't really Superman guys. And if he isn't sufficiently protected, we'll learn that the hard way.

I am just not comfortable going into next season with only our current options on the right side of the line.

How many of those injuries were while he was scrambling versus sitting in the pocket. The answer is all his injuries have been while he was in the pocket. Plus Roethlisburger is very good at moving around in the pocket but he surely isn't mobile like Newton is.

Won't deny the defense needs work too, and yes it's a priority.

My difference is I feel a little more urgency to tinker with the OL also.

And not just for Newton mind you. For Williams and Stewart as well.

Truth is that most of this angst is really over Otah. I agree you can't exactly count on him but if he comes back fine and indications are he is in good shape, then spending a bunch of high picks on OL while not fixing the D line makes no sense at all. Our line was ranked 5th in run blocking and 211st in pass protection latgely based on the number of sacks we surrendered. I personally feel that number is overinflated becauuse Newton tried to run sometimes and got hit behind the line which is counted as a sack plus he held the ball way too long at times. I think some of that will improve as he gets better reading defenses.

So if I had to choose between offense and defense it is no comparison. I am not worried about Williams or Stewart at all. Given how slow we started and Hangardner and Bell were new to this offense and had no training camp to work together, they pulled it together as the year proceeded.

[Yaboychris28]

If we draft a tackle in the 1st and Otah comes back strong and healthy, it will be a pick we could have used to fix the D. The only linemen i would be slightly ok with drafting in the 1st round is Decastro.

[rayzor]

you don't draft an OG in the first round and not get laughed at...esp. when you have so many other more pertinent holes to fill.

[jramsey4]

you don't draft an OG in the first round and not get laughed at...esp. when you have so many other more pertinent holes to fill.

We were laughed at for picking Cam #1 as well. This is a ridiculous argument. Who gives a crap what the rest of the world thinks.

[Woodie]

you don't draft an OG in the first round and not get laughed at...esp. when you have so many other more pertinent holes to fill.

That's generally been true, but DeCastro is the exception. He has perennial pro-bowl talent, and has been compared to the likes of Steve Hutchinson in his heyday. And this is a different NFL than when that was the common attitude. Just look at NO, it's their Guards, not Tackles that make that line go and are the real protectors of Brees. Good OG's help keep a clean pocket for the QB to step up in, which is essential in todays pass-happy NFL.

With that said, I do agree we need to go defense first if at all possible since that is clearly our area of greatest need. But if we do end up going OL, I would not be surprised to see DeCastro as the pick. As much as many like Kalil and Reilly, several evaluators have DeCastro listed as the best OL in this draft class, he's just rated lower because of what you are saying. But as a pure talent and impact potential, he would not be a bad pick.