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01-09-2020, 07:44 PM

At this point, do we even try to move O'Neill to LT? He's easily a top 10 (if not top 5) RT in the NFL... it might be smarter to leave him there and just try to find a better LT so you don't potentially screw up two spots. Then you add in the fact that him and Kline have been dynamite together in the run game... I think you just leave him there and forget about it.

01-09-2020, 08:13 PM

The only concern I have about Hill or a rookie at LT is if Elf is still next to him.

01-09-2020, 08:29 PM

Quote: @Wetlander said:
At this point, do we even try to move O'Neill to LT? He's easily a top 10 (if not top 5) RT in the NFL... it might be smarter to leave him there and just try to find a better LT so you don't potentially screw up two spots. Then you add in the fact that him and Kline have been dynamite together in the run game... I think you just leave him there and forget about it.

I tend to think this is what the team believes and I'd be surprised at this point if they do move him. However, just playing devil's advocate....what if Udoh really is all that? And his performance in training camp lobbies hard for a starting role? I don't think you can put him on the left. Another thing is that finding right tackles in the draft seems to be a little bit easier than finding left tackles. All the right tackles project on the right. And damned if a good half of the left tackles don't project to the right.

01-09-2020, 09:03 PM

Quote: @MaroonBells said:

@Wetlander said:
At this point, do we even try to move O'Neill to LT? He's easily a top 10 (if not top 5) RT in the NFL... it might be smarter to leave him there and just try to find a better LT so you don't potentially screw up two spots. Then you add in the fact that him and Kline have been dynamite together in the run game... I think you just leave him there and forget about it.
I tend to think this is what the team believes and I'd be surprised at this point if they do move him. However, just playing devil's advocate....what if Udoh really is all that? And his performance in training camp lobbies hard for a starting role? I don't think you can put him on the left. Another thing is that finding right tackles in the draft seems to be a little bit easier than finding left tackles. All the right tackles project on the right. And damned if a good half of the left tackles don't project to the right.

But is that just tradition speaking? Where the RT doesn't have to be as good as the LT. In today's NFL, I don't think that old way of thinking adds up.

01-09-2020, 09:08 PM

Quote: @MaroonBells said:

@Wetlander said:
At this point, do we even try to move O'Neill to LT? He's easily a top 10 (if not top 5) RT in the NFL... it might be smarter to leave him there and just try to find a better LT so you don't potentially screw up two spots. Then you add in the fact that him and Kline have been dynamite together in the run game... I think you just leave him there and forget about it.
I tend to think this is what the team believes and I'd be surprised at this point if they do move him. However, just playing devil's advocate....what if Udoh really is all that? And his performance in training camp lobbies hard for a starting role? I don't think you can put him on the left. Another thing is that finding right tackles in the draft seems to be a little bit easier than finding left tackles. All the right tackles project on the right. And damned if a good half of the left tackles don't project to the right.

I completely agree with you on that (bolded). However, there are a lot of unknowns with Udoh... I like him as a developmental player, but it might be premature to start penciling him in as a starter next season. Same goes for Samia... is he a potential starter next year? What about Aviante Collins who probably is the most athletically gifted OL on our roster? Lots of unknowns for us as fans.

It'll be interesting to see how the offensive line shakes out this off-season. The one nice thing about our starting lineup right now... you can pretty much lock Bradbury, Kline, and O'Neill in as starters. There is some value in knowing that we may only need to find a replacement for Reiff (if we cut him to clear cap space) and look for an upgrade at LG. I would just hate to be in a position where we're relying on O'Neill to be good at LT, only to find out in training camp that he is struggling at that spot and now we just made LT and RT worse in one off-season...

Just some things to consider.

01-10-2020, 12:04 PM

Quote: @greediron said:

@MaroonBells said:

@Wetlander said:
At this point, do we even try to move O'Neill to LT? He's easily a top 10 (if not top 5) RT in the NFL... it might be smarter to leave him there and just try to find a better LT so you don't potentially screw up two spots. Then you add in the fact that him and Kline have been dynamite together in the run game... I think you just leave him there and forget about it.
I tend to think this is what the team believes and I'd be surprised at this point if they do move him. However, just playing devil's advocate....what if Udoh really is all that? And his performance in training camp lobbies hard for a starting role? I don't think you can put him on the left. Another thing is that finding right tackles in the draft seems to be a little bit easier than finding left tackles. All the right tackles project on the right. And damned if a good half of the left tackles don't project to the right.
But is that just tradition speaking? Where the RT doesn't have to be as good as the LT. In today's NFL, I don't think that old way of thinking adds up.

It's becoming less and less so, as many teams now put their best pass rusher against the right tackle. But there's a reason they do that. Typically to get a mismatch against a weaker pass blocker.

There are exceptions, but you won't find many teams whose right tackle is considered a better pass blocker than its left tackle. The blind side issue is still a thing and there hasn't been a lefty QB in the NFL in years.

People think it's antiquated thinking, but it's really not. For example, this spring pay attention to how many draft profiles use the qualifier "right tackle only." You never hear "left tackle only."