NFL Analyst Projects O'Neill as opening day starter

[Guest]

@"Geoff Nichols" said:

@StickyBun said:

@"Geoff Nichols" said:
We'll see how much weight he can put on between now and camp. I'd say its an uphill battle but not impossible. 

He needs strength and some more muscle density. Probably should be at 315 lbs., not sure he can get there in one year. 

He was able to gain about 35lbs of good weight in 6 weeks when he was transitioning from TE to OT at Pitt. So I wouldn't call it a reach to think he can gain an additional 25 in the 8-10 weeks he's before training camp in an NFL strength & conditioning program. 

It has to be the good kind of weight, more muscle than fat. No way that he gained 35 lbs. of muscle at Boston College in 6 weeks. It must have been mostly water, fat and then some muscle mass. He has the frame to put weight on, no doubt about it. 

[Guest]

Two words:

Costco

Cheesecake

[Guest]

I really thought they would get over Pittsburgh lineman after the TJ Clemmings Project. But I digress...

[Guest]

Start where? Certainly not for Reiff at LT yet, and he's at least 20 pounds too lean for RT even before considering the coaching up they have to do. Maybe 2019 for RT or 2020 at LT when Reiff can be released for "only" $4.4 million dead cap.   

[Guest]

I'm curious how much of what he needs is strength and how much is technique.  I wouldn't be surprised if with improved technique he doesn't have to gain as much muscle mass as people are thinking to get the starting spot.  I still think he's more of a year 2 guy.

[Guest]

He has a better shot of starting at TE lol

[Guest]

@medaille said:
I'm curious how much of what he needs is strength and how much is technique.  I wouldn't be surprised if with improved technique he doesn't have to gain as much muscle mass as people are thinking to get the starting spot.  I still think he's more of a year 2 guy.

He's going to need a little more lead in his ass to start at RT in the pros and I doubt he has the chops yet to be a starting LT.  I haven't watched any tape on him but there must be something rrally special on there to get him picked that early.

[Guest]

@JimmyinSD said:

@medaille said:
I'm curious how much of what he needs is strength and how much is technique.  I wouldn't be surprised if with improved technique he doesn't have to gain as much muscle mass as people are thinking to get the starting spot.  I still think he's more of a year 2 guy.

He's going to need a little more lead in his ass to start at RT in the pros and I doubt he has the chops yet to be a starting LT.  I haven't watched any tape on him but there must be something rrally special on there to get him picked that early.

From what little tape I have watched his special skill is that he moves like a nimble TE.  So he can slide, get downfield on screens, with the best of them which is great for our ZBS/screen game.  But let's hope he is a Tackle and not a TE?  

[Guest]

@minny65 said:

@JimmyinSD said:

@medaille said:
I'm curious how much of what he needs is strength and how much is technique.  I wouldn't be surprised if with improved technique he doesn't have to gain as much muscle mass as people are thinking to get the starting spot.  I still think he's more of a year 2 guy.

He's going to need a little more lead in his ass to start at RT in the pros and I doubt he has the chops yet to be a starting LT.  I haven't watched any tape on him but there must be something rrally special on there to get him picked that early.

From what little tape I have watched his special skill is that he moves like a nimble TE.  So he can slide, get downfield on screens, with the best of them which is great for our ZBS/screen game.  But let's hope he is a Tackle and not a TE?  

thats what I have been wondering,  did he get moved to OT because he was getting to big to play TE?  or maybe he is the jumbo TE that Flipper has been wanting since he was a little boy back in philly dreaming of becoming a professional OC someday?  :p

[Guest]

@JimmyinSD said:

@minny65 said:

@JimmyinSD said:

@medaille said:
I'm curious how much of what he needs is strength and how much is technique.  I wouldn't be surprised if with improved technique he doesn't have to gain as much muscle mass as people are thinking to get the starting spot.  I still think he's more of a year 2 guy.

He's going to need a little more lead in his ass to start at RT in the pros and I doubt he has the chops yet to be a starting LT.  I haven't watched any tape on him but there must be something rrally special on there to get him picked that early.

From what little tape I have watched his special skill is that he moves like a nimble TE.  So he can slide, get downfield on screens, with the best of them which is great for our ZBS/screen game.  But let's hope he is a Tackle and not a TE?  

thats what I have been wondering,  did he get moved to OT because he was getting to big to play TE?  or maybe he is the jumbo TE that Flipper has been wanting since he was a little boy back in philly dreaming of becoming a professional OC someday?  :p

I think they did it purely out of need.  Like their OT went down and the coach asked him to bulk up.