Offensive Line

**jonboy79** · 03-08-2013, 10:05 AM

I'm starting to think that if we can trade back into the top of the 2nd, it won't HURT as bad to then Reach for Terron Armstead or Menelik Watson. That could bring faily big potential gains over waiting until the bottom of the third to get who's left from Quessenberry, Faulk, and Brennan Williams.

**seraph** · 03-08-2013, 06:41 PM

LOL at all the worries about which tackles are going to be here. The interior O-lineman are more valuable anyway and the Ravens could potentially have one of the best guard tandems in the NFL. All the tackles have to do is be adequate. Flacco can extend more plays when the space in front of him is cleared out by the interior lineman.

**Paintballguy** · 03-08-2013, 06:48 PM

Originally Posted by seraph

LOL at all the worries about which tackles are going to be here. The interior O-lineman are more valuable anyway and the Ravens could potentially have one of the best guard tandems in the NFL. All the tackles have to do is be adequate. Flacco can extend more plays when the space in front of him is cleared out by the interior lineman.

if flacco has some space to step up he'll be fine. All the tackles have to do is run the de's or lb's upfield.

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**The Excellector** · 03-08-2013, 06:50 PM

He will need good LT play for those five step drops and shotgun bombs. He needs to be able to plant and launch, rather than avoiding/running and launching.

**Paintballguy** · 03-08-2013, 06:51 PM

Originally Posted by The Excellector

He will need good LT play for those five step drops and shotgun bombs. He needs to be able to plant and launch, rather than avoiding/running and launching.

He did a lot of avoiding running and throwing in the playoffs. Both jacoby bombs in Denver and the SB came after flacco was stepping up away from pressure.

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**seraph** · 03-08-2013, 07:13 PM

Originally Posted by The Excellector

He will need good LT play for those five step drops and shotgun bombs. He needs to be able to plant and launch, rather than avoiding/running and launching.

It's not even about running it's about protecting the interior path inside the pocket. What's the point of protecting the edge when a 3 tech DT ends up inside the pocket within 2 seconds.

**ballhawk** · 03-08-2013, 07:48 PM

Minimize it all you want, but LT is still the second most important position on the offense. Games are won and lost on 3rd and long. That's where you need good play from the blind side.

**ActualSpamBot** · 03-08-2013, 08:18 PM

Originally Posted by ballhawk

Minimize it all you want, but LT is still the second most important position on the offense. Games are won and lost on 3rd and long. That's where you need good play from the blind side.

I don't know how true that is anymore. In Cam's offense it was. But even with all our deep bombs, the key was having a lane to step up into from the guards and center.

Modern defenses have pass rushers at all points, not just the blind side.

**ballhawk** · 03-08-2013, 08:32 PM

Originally Posted by ActualSpamBot

I don't know how true that is anymore. In Cam's offense it was. But even with all our deep bombs, the key was having a lane to step up into from the guards and center.

Modern defenses have pass rushers at all points, not just the blind side.

I understand what you are saying but I still think LT is at the utmost importance especially for us. We saw the difference once mckinnie was inserted. We dont win the SB without him. And the biggest factor in getting a decent LT is keeping the rest of our line in their natural positions. It makes the entire unit much much stronger.

**leachisabeast** · 03-09-2013, 05:38 AM

Originally Posted by ballhawk

I understand what you are saying but I still think LT is at the utmost importance especially for us. We saw the difference once mckinnie was inserted. We dont win the SB without him. And the biggest factor in getting a decent LT is keeping the rest of our line in their natural positions. It makes the entire unit much much stronger.

I don't think thats entirely true. Film study highlighted that McKinnie didn't even play all that well, giving him D and C grades. It was inserting KO to guard and Birks return to form that helped this line the most. I think you are overrating the LT position slightly, this isn't 2001 anymore.

To say we don't win the SB without McKinnie is flat out wrong IMO.

**Terpsfan82** · 03-09-2013, 08:04 AM

Originally Posted by leachisabeast

I don't think thats entirely true. Film study highlighted that McKinnie didn't even play all that well, giving him D and C grades. It was inserting KO to guard and Birks return to form that helped this line the most. I think you are overrating the LT position slightly, this isn't 2001 anymore.

To say we don't win the SB without McKinnie is flat out wrong IMO.

I think he has a point. Without McKinnie, KO and Oher don't move back to their natural positions. We might have won the SB with another LT, provided everyone else played where they were most effective. But I don't think they make the moves with Oher and KO if they didn't have McKinnie to put in at LT.

**runrayrun27** · 03-09-2013, 11:48 PM

Another guy to keep in mind is David Mims. He's nothing spectacular, but has great size at 6'8 335, arm length = 36 7/8.

Am I saying he could be starter? No, but he could be the project tackle we want (he's only 24)

**leachisabeast** · 03-10-2013, 08:57 AM

Originally Posted by Terpsfan82

I think he has a point. Without McKinnie, KO and Oher don't move back to their natural positions. We might have won the SB with another LT, provided everyone else played where they were most effective. But I don't think they make the moves with Oher and KO if they didn't have McKinnie to put in at LT.

Yeah that's true, moving McKinnie to LT allowed everyone to move to their natural positions which was better for the unit overall, however, McKinnie's actual performances at LT, while pretty decent for a guy that age, wasn't enough to warrant a 4M a year deal.

**yahoomas** · 03-10-2013, 09:52 AM

Originally Posted by leachisabeast

Yeah that's true, moving McKinnie to LT allowed everyone to move to their natural positions which was better for the unit overall, however, McKinnie's actual performances at LT, while pretty decent for a guy that age, wasn't enough to warrant a 4M a year deal.

So let`s say KO stays at guard and Oher goes back to LT. Who`s gonna play RT? Either way need a tackle.
A RT is easier to find, but then you have Oher playing LT. With his contract coming up we would have to pay him LT money.