"We have a gaping hole in the offensive line"..."No matter who we have at quarterback, he'll get killed."..."We don't have anybody besides Tucker at right tackle."..."We should take Joe Thomas"..."Et Cetera."
CORRECTION: While you were sleeping, Savage brought in not just Steinbach, but also Seth McKinney. Regarded by many as the top center in his draft class, McKinney has been a starter for most of his carreer. Much of it at center, but plenty at guard as well. He did not have BACK surgery, but neck surgery. Nothing to mess with, to be sure, but not as bad for a guard. He is not old, and has no long injury history.
So, since he's not a Pro-Bowler, who cares, right? He's only 300 lbs., right?
Well, remember way back in the last draft? They drafted a left tackle named Isaac Sowells, planning to turn him into a guard? Well, he has not ceased to exist. Savage doesn't draft people just so he can cut them, and players who he drafts don't sit around with their thumbs up their butts and vegetate. Sowells will compete with McKinney to start at right guard.
What is it with you people? Why are concepts like growth, development, refinement, and practice so alien to you?
Here's something else you were oblivious to: Shaffer: 295 lb. cut/wall-off blocker. Steinbach: Ex-tight end. Fraley: 290 lbs., but athletic. McKinney: Center, athletic. Sowells: Picked for his athleticism.
That's a zone-blocking offensive line.
And why do you think a left tackle needs to be a big monster, even in a conventional line?
Speaking of which, right tackle, here, is the exception. Behind Tucker is Kelly Butler. Kelly was a young, developing player with starting experience. Last season, he did a decent job in relief of Tucker, and is still improving. Kelly Butler is loaded with talent, and has Pro Bowl potential.
Sure, I'd like to replace Shaffer, but if the new coaches do go with a zone-blocking scheme, he'll suddenly look a whole lot better.
Zone-Blocking: The linemen are not assigned targets by the center or quarterback pre-snap. They are going to run-block in one direction, angling right or left. They must be smart and quick-thinking--each guy has to adjust to what's in front of him as the ball is snapped. Repetitions together are important.
Shaffer broadsides a DT or linebacker, depending on how the defense has lined up. Steinbach's target is likewise fluid. Each individual lineman must adjust. On the right, the right tackle might engage the DE square up, with the guard scraping him. (He hits him from the side, getting him off-balance and turned sideways), then keeps going looking to smash somebody upfield.
A lot of that goes on--chips and scrapes. The offensive linemen start out in one direction, and then keep going.
The running back angles along the line, having no preassigned hole to hit. He just looks for the best-looking place to run and cuts upfield (or back) into it.
The defense can't key a tight end or fullback presnap or post-snap, because they could be lead-blocking, sealing off backside pursuit, or looking to wham somebody inside. They could be going with, or against the play.
It's nearly impossible for a defense to maintain gap-control or anticipate anything. This is why, in Denver, ordinary running backs look like superstars.
Pass-blocking? Zone lines tend to be very good at it, because they are athletes, and not just big fat guys you can run around. The same chip-blocking principles apply to pass-protection as well. A guard hits the center's guy, then jumps back in case somebody got around his tackle. They can move to help the guy that's getting pushed around.
Look at the guards everybody is talking about in this draft. They're all big monsters. Nothing wrong with that...but the lighter, more athletic guys don't get taken until the later rounds, see? Get it?
The left tackle with the most potential in this draft is Staley. Thomas is for real, allright, but longer-term, you take a Staley lower. You pay less money. You don't waste a draft pick. and in three years you've got the best left tackle out of the class. "NOW-NOW-NOW!!!" No. Not when you're building a team to last.
Look at you: For you, Sowells does not even exist! You've already written the dude off, along with McKinney. True, McKinney is undersized for a normal line, but is IDEAL for a zone line. But the notion of this team doing anything different never entered your mind either.
Could we use four more Pro-Bowlers? SURE! Should we draft a real stud who slides and is cheap? Of course. Can the line be improved? Yep. Is there a gaping hole in it? NO. If we don't go through FIVE centers and get the rest decimated and playing musical chairs, the QB will be ok.
See? You can't even separate injuries and disruption from talent.
Ok you stand corrected.
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