Go to the Bank on it - Were Drafting a LT

[DominatorDavis]

With all of the moves to improve the secondary this off season, I believe that the Texans are positioning themselves to draft the best available Left Tackle with the first pick come draft day.

Its the smart move and some will argue that it is the biggest need on our team right now. I'd agree though, it's not a sexy pick but neither was Mario.

We're going to have an almost entirely new secondary with all the fresh faces and McNair says this:

http://www.houstontexans.com/news/Story.asp?STORY_ID=4233

“We’ve had problems with left tackle in the offensive line from day one,” Texans founder and CEO Bob McNair told Texans TV. “We have had a real difficult time filling that position. Ephraim (Salaam) did a good job for us last year and he’s going to be back with us, but we need a young player in there that’s going to be with us for a long time.”

I am just speculating here, but that first pick is going to be a left tackle and this years draft is deep with that position. I think that we'll get a good one.

I also think that with the signing of Chris Brown, the priority to draft at running back has moved from 1st (top priority) to second. That's just some of my initial thoughts anyway...

 

[J-Russ]

Yeah, we all knew we were going to draft our LT of the future in this draft, along with help at RB and CB. Kubes and Smith told us that at the start of the off-season.

But, I don't think we're getting one with our first pick, unless one of the Top Four drops to 18.

 

[b0ng]

If Clady, Long, Williams, and Collins are gone, I can see us picking a defensive player (CB, OLB, DE).

 

[DominatorDavis]

If Clady, Long, Williams, and Collins are gone, I can see us picking a defensive player (CB, OLB, DE).

You think that if those guys are gone and there is a team who wants to trade up a few spots like Seattle @ 25, you think we take it? I'd do it for Seattle's 3rd and 6th rounder.

 

[beerlover]

I'm still waiting to see how Otah does in his workout (if his high ankle sprain is better). Chris Long who is being mentioned as the top overall pick in this draft was mauled by Otah when Virginia played Pitt. thats what I like in my franchise LT someone with above average panckakage, size & mental make-up to step up to a challenge & dominate. I would like to see Gibbs mold him into something special & discard all those naysayers out there who don't think he can play LT for the Texans because he's not finesse enough. please, give Spencer, Otah types all day

 

[Insideop]

You think that if those guys are gone and there is a team who wants to trade up a few spots like Seattle @ 25, you think we take it? I'd do it for Seattle's 3rd and 6th rounder.

It would have to be for their 3rd and 5th rounder to equal out on points. If Branden Albert or Carl Nicks is there at #25, and I'm sure one of them will be, then I'd do it in a heartbeat. I'm pretty sure Williams and Clady will be gone by #18, and I'm not sold on some of the CB's (Talib and Jenkins) that will probably be there, so trading back would be good. JMHO!

 

[HJam72]

On this team, LT IS a sexy pick. A very sexy one.

I'm not so sure that it will happen though. We could still wind up with a DE or a CB in the first. I'd be happy with any of those three.

 

[Ole Miss Texan]

Left Tackle will probably be looked at first with our #18 pick and most likely would be the selection. However, if LT is not BPA, we will in no way, shape, or form reach for that player.

 

[beerlover]

I could care less if he's considered a reach or not, the point is to address the franchise LT position, hence the title "We're Drafting a LT" - Bank on it.

let me ask you this question since we were both here last year touting LT prospects, specificlly Joe Staley. Just the type of tackle the Texans wanted right? San Francisco thought the same thing & traded up to draft him #28 from New England, good value here thats why they moved up right? wrong. while Joe Staley did drop down to #28 it cost San Fancisco their 1st pick this year that turned out to be #7 overall. now thats a reach. but the 49'ers seem to really like this kid so it may work out ok in the end regardless. my point is whos to say its a reach? draft day when all the opinion polls come out or one, two, three years down the road, when actual game performance is being evaluated & the trades executed?

Not trying to question your point, I love your posts, its just that the draft is so subjective, mock drafts are so subjective too until they actually have time to pan out.
I'm going to make this one last point in regards to the LT position. they get paid big bucks, are coveted & hard to find. I would rather assume risk @ this position over any other in the draft, hey thats my opinion, but tackle is one of the most consistantly high paid positions. to get one, even if you have to develop his technique & refine his style (Gibbs is the perfect coach along with mentor Ephraim Salaam) you reach out & touch one then make him the best he can be. he needs three very important things, one is measureables (reach, frame, strength, height & weight) commintment to hard work/coachable & lastl have the mental make-up to never give up on a play & obliterate your opponent at every turn, demoralize him into submission. sorry got a little carried away & I'm very tired

 

[nunusguy]

I'm still waiting to see how Otah does in his workout (if his high ankle sprain is better). Chris Long who is being mentioned as the top overall pick in this draft was mauled by Otah when Virginia played Pitt. thats what I like in my franchise LT someone with above average panckakage, size & mental make-up to step up to a challenge & dominate. I would like to see Gibbs mold him into something special & discard all those naysayers out there who don't think he can play LT for the Texans because he's not finesse enough. please, give Spencer, Otah types all day

Coming around to Otah there huh BL ?
We will take him if he's available. Who cares if Gibbs likes him for his ZB ? If we draft an LT with our #18, he'll be a Texan far longer that Gibbs will be.
Anyway, its my understanding that ATL already dropped the ZB schemes when Gibbs moved on.
It's all academic though, because he won't be on the Board for us. Lets just all pray that he has a horrible, horrilbe ProDay or none at all.

 

[badboy]

I could care less if he's considered a reach or not, the point is to address the franchise LT position, hence the title "We're Drafting a LT" - Bank on it.

let me ask you this question since we were both here last year touting LT prospects, specificlly Joe Staley. Just the type of tackle the Texans wanted right? San Francisco thought the same thing & traded up to draft him #28 from New England, good value here thats why they moved up right? wrong. while Joe Staley did drop down to #28 it cost San Fancisco their 1st pick this year that turned out to be #7 overall. now thats a reach. but the 49'ers seem to really like this kid so it may work out ok in the end regardless. my point is whos to say its a reach? draft day when all the opinion polls come out or one, two, three years down the road, when actual game performance is being evaluated & the trades executed?

Not trying to question your point, I love your posts, its just that the draft is so subjective, mock drafts are so subjective too until they actually have time to pan out.
I'm going to make this one last point in regards to the LT position. they get paid big bucks, are coveted & hard to find. I would rather assume risk @ this position over any other in the draft, hey thats my opinion, but tackle is one of the most consistantly high paid positions. to get one, even if you have to develop his technique & refine his style (Gibbs is the perfect coach along with mentor Ephraim Salaam) you reach out & touch one then make him the best he can be. he needs three very important things, one is measureables (reach, frame, strength, height & weight) commintment to hard work/coachable & lastl have the mental make-up to never give up on a play & obliterate your opponent at every turn, demoralize him into submission. sorry got a little carried away & I'm very tired

I think you evaluate a player as you would a girl friend, each and every year. First impressions can be and often are incorrect. You have to go with the info you have. Sometimes you get to try out before you sign the contract, but even that can be misleading.

On your last point, you did not mention off field back ground as criteria or you just did not feel it has much value. The reason I bring this up was in regards to Bryant McKinnie LT of Vikings. He seems like a player we would salivate over especially if we could trade Sage for him. Not sure how his most recent assault arrest will work out or if McNair would ok. If the trade could be done, LT would be set and that would come off our needs list. Comments?

 

[eriadoc]

Yeah, we all knew we were going to draft our LT of the future in this draft, along with help at RB and CB. Kubes and Smith told us that at the start of the off-season.

But, I don't think we're getting one with our first pick, unless one of the Top Four drops to 18.

There aren't very many quality LTs in the NFL that were drafted beyond the 2nd round, FYI. People like to point to the Pats and Broncos, but they are the exception to the rule.

 

[Ole Miss Texan]

I could care less if he's considered a reach or not, the point is to address the franchise LT position, hence the title "We're Drafting a LT" - Bank on it.

True, I get the title and most definitely agree with it 100%. I'd bet good money to say we draft a LT somewhere.

let me ask you this question since we were both here last year touting LT prospects, specificlly Joe Staley. Just the type of tackle the Texans wanted right? San Francisco thought the same thing & traded up to draft him #28 from New England, good value here thats why they moved up right? wrong.

No I'd say that's good value and that is why they wanted to take him there instead of earlier...say at.. #18?

while Joe Staley did drop down to #28 it cost San Fancisco their 1st pick this year that turned out to be #7 overall. now thats a reach. but the 49'ers seem to really like this kid so it may work out ok in the end regardless.

This is where it gets tricky. It's VERY risky to trade away future picks because you really don't know where you'll be picking and what your record will be. #7 overall for Joe Staley IS a huge reach and if the 49'ers thought they were actually going to have a top 10 pick this year, I would almost guarantee they wouldn't have made that trade.

my point is whos to say its a reach? draft day when all the opinion polls come out or one, two, three years down the road, when actual game performance is being evaluated & the trades executed?

Not trying to question your point, I love your posts, its just that the draft is so subjective, mock drafts are so subjective too until they actually have time to pan out.

Well, I mean this is pretty much all we do when we discuss all these prospects. We really don't know how they'll pan out and it does take a few years to really see if it was a good pick or not, for the most part. I think if a team in the top 10 drafted someone like Felix Jones over Mendenhall we'd all call that a big reach and that they are dumb. We're just going on what we 'think' we know now and that is that Mendenhall is much better than Jones. Felix could end up having a pro bowl career when it's all said and done and we'd all looke back and be like well okay that was a good pick- but we don't have the luxury of seeing too far into the future when discussing a teams draft as it's happening or throughout the year. Most have a good idea of what players would not be smart to draft high or where they should be drafted (even though we really dont KNOW.. we at least have an idea). Doesn't mean we're right but it's something most people would agree on.

I'm going to make this one last point in regards to the LT position. they get paid big bucks, are coveted & hard to find. I would rather assume risk @ this position over any other in the draft, hey thats my opinion, but tackle is one of the most consistantly high paid positions. to get one, even if you have to develop his technique & refine his style (Gibbs is the perfect coach along with mentor Ephraim Salaam) you reach out & touch one then make him the best he can be. he needs three very important things, one is measureables (reach, frame, strength, height & weight) commintment to hard work/coachable & lastl have the mental make-up to never give up on a play & obliterate your opponent at every turn, demoralize him into submission. sorry got a little carried away & I'm very tired

For me, I try to assume much less risk with LT's with the earliest picks. It is one of the most important positions on the whole team and I don't want to take a lot of risk giving him a big contract with guaranteed money (1st rounder) if he's very risky. But with the 1st round for the most part, you do try and draft the player who has tons of potential and your not looking for the 'just a really solid player' kind (which I admit I do too often) I fully support us drafting a LT in the 1st rd and love that Gibbs is going to be teaching all these OLmen- this LT will be in the best position to succeed. I just don't want to assume a lot of risk with a top 20 pick if our staff thinks the player 'could be very good' but he could just as easily be a big bust.

LT is one of the biggest long term needs we have. And if all the top LT's are gone by the time we pick- I still think we CANNOT reach for 'the next best' LT just because it fills a need of ours. We may be going from Chris Williams, who's not available to 'reaching' for Anthony Collins with a Top 20 pick. I like Collins but I don't know if he's really worth the #18 overall and think we can find a better player/prospect with that pick. If our staff does 'reach' for someone, it will just tell me that they had that guy rated higher on their board than any draftniks did. That this staff (very smart OL guys) think really highly of this LT to select him over other players that are generally considered better prospects. Every team has different players they think fit their team. We really don't know exactly who the Texans covet, but if THEY grade out that LT as a high 2nd rd pick and select him with the 18th overall because he's the next best LT- that WILL be a reach and not a good decision.

In the end we still have needs all over and can probably find a top 10 or top 15 talent (on our board) that slips to us AND fills a need. Or a top 20 talent that fits another need. But if we have a couple CB's, OLB's, OG's, DE, RB's all rated substantially higher than the LT- the LT will not be the pick.

 

[Ole Miss Texan]

We will take him if he's available. Who cares if Gibbs likes him for his ZB ? If we draft an LT with our #18, he'll be a Texan far longer that Gibbs will be.
Anyway, its my understanding that ATL already dropped the ZB schemes when Gibbs moved on.

I think you bring Gibbs in for a reason and part of that is to listen to his insight on how the player looks on film. I think Kubiak has a good eye for what he wants and they probably agree for the most part but I'd find it concerning if he just said 'to hell with Gibbs, he's going to be gone in a year or two'.

If Gibbs absolutely doesn't like Otah for the system he's installing, then what do you think happens if we go ahead and draft him? Either Gibbs tries to teach him and it doesn't work. Gibbs doesn't play him because he's not a good fit for what Gibbs wants to do. Gibbs is forced to play him because Kubiak wants Otah to play. Or Gibbs teaches and plays him and Otah becomes good and ends up being the perfect fit.

I think if Gibbs is against the drafting of Otah, then I would be more inclined to say one of the first two happens. Everyone can be wrong sometimes but Gibbs is the best in the business and I think it'd be wise to listen to him. Then again I like Kubiak a lot too so if Kubiak really likes the player- I would def. give him the benifit of the doubt.

Please note, this is not me saying I don't like Otah or don't want him on the team. I'm just talking about the "what if" Gibbs doesn't like him.

 

[badboy]

OMT you last two posts are very well written.

 

[ChampionTexan]

Coming around to Otah there huh BL ?
We will take him if he's available. Who cares if Gibbs likes him for his ZB ? If we draft an LT with our #18, he'll be a Texan far longer that Gibbs will be.
Anyway, its my understanding that ATL already dropped the ZB schemes when Gibbs moved on.

Are you serious?

First, the falcons have changed their Head Coach twice since Gibbs left, and while nobody's ever more than one or two crummy seasons away from being on the street, as long as Kubiak's our head coach, there will be a heavy ZBS flavor to the Texans blocking scheme.

Secondly, I don't think anybody who's informed about things expects Gibbs to be here more than 3 years, and 2 wouldn't be surprising. This tells me Kubes and Smith brought him in to lay a foundation, and establish something that will continue after his departure. Part of Gibbs "magic" is his ability to judge talent, so I have a difficult time believing that the FO will use the only day one pick they currently have on somebody that doesn't have this guy's full backing.

 

[Nawzer]

I'm also starting to like this idea of drafting a left tackle. I think if we're able to get Dyson signed I think the Texans won't draft a corner in the first round. Granted none of these guys on the roster except for Fred Bennett can be counted on to start all 16 games and play well, but this team has needed a real left tackle ever since the Bosselli fiasco. I think this is the year they address this issue. Also, given the fact that Schaub is not really a mobile guy say like a David Carr was, I think it's even more imperative to get a left tackle who can be the guy for us the next 5 to 6 years. Ephraim Salaam is a solid pro but I don't think he should be the starter. We all know if Charles Spencer was healthy Salaam would've been a bench player. Anyway, I'm on board with this idea and I'll be very happy if we get a Chris Williams or one of the other tackles in this left tackle heavy draft.

 

[Wolf]

If we draft one in the first round I'll be happy but I recall McNair talking about protection a few years ago and we didn't get anything

so I am not holding my breath, we will go BPA

 

[beerlover]

Guess I'm sick & tired of being sick & tired of the enept attempt to address our perenially woeful offensive line year after year after year (I realize & hope we are headed in another direction, which is why I'm expressing my opinioin so strongly). I'm also convinced the Texans will pass on the bpa this year (unless they trade down, or just get lucky) because they're not going to spend the 18th pick on a franchise RB like Jonathan Stewart who's a virtual lock to be worth the #18 pick, if available, for a variety of bogus reasons (oh the RB class is sooo deep you can draft one later, Texans don't draft RB's high because of system, they've addressed this position in free agency, Ahman is coming back healthy, yada yada yada, yada, yada yada ).

In my most recent mock draft I felt compelled to write in CB Aqib Talib because of need, alot of people would consider him a reach, actually he is all over the board, but this pick was indeed later confirmed (National radio live mock draft rotating picks between between GBN’s Colin Lindsay, Greg DePalma of Prime Sports Network, Draft Daddy’s Matt Bitonti and Scott Wright of NFL Draft Countdown). when he was the Texans selection. :note to self officially concerned

Brandon Albert is a name thrown around out there in recent weeks (Casserly said on 'path to the draft' Alberts could sneak into the top 10 & will go somewhere between 10-20) has versatility & some project could kick out to LT. I'm warming up to that idea but in my own mind a bit of a reach, one I would overlook to address the Texans need. now if indeed he goes earlier than expected that might drop one of the big LT's in the Texans laps, my hope, either way there is enough in this years tackle pool to still select one in the 1st rd. without looking like Rick has egg on his face, something I just can't envision

sorry OMT for the long rambling wreckage of the forums time your one of the best people on this board & you understand how frustrating to some of us this inability to address a postioin has become so thanks for your understanding I also know just how Cleveland Brown fan has to have felt all those years waiting to address LT & it finally happened for them, how's that working out

 

[HoustonFrog]

I'm banking on us moving down because some of the RBs are banged up or dropping and the CB or LT we really want isn't there. We get an extra pick and then grab BPA of the three DB, LT or RB. Sadly we might grab a DE somewhere in there too.

 

[Blake]

I would love to land Clady, Williams, Otah at the 18th pick.

As far as Otah not being quick enough to be a left tackle, look no further than Marcus Mcneill from Auburn. He is a big a$$ mother *********, and gets the job done. Yeah hes no Orlando Pace, but hey, Mcneill didnt go #1. Actually he was 2nd round I believe.

I think beefing up the Oline is the smart money, because we invested alot in Schaub, and I dont want to see him miss 5+ games again.

 

[nunusguy]

I would love to land Clady, Williams, Otah at the 18th pick.

As far as Otah not being quick enough to be a left tackle, look no further than Marcus Mcneill from Auburn. He is a big a$$ mother *********, and gets the job done. Yeah hes no Orlando Pace, but hey, Mcneill didnt go #1. Actually he was 2nd round I believe.

I think beefing up the Oline is the smart money, because we invested alot in Schaub, and I dont want to see him miss 5+ games again.

Yea, if memory serves he was a second rounder and about the 3rd or 4th
OT taken. I'm thinkin everybody said he couldn't be a LT in the NFL ?
Kudos to the 'Bolts for finding their franchise LT in the second round when
everybody else passed him, and some teams twice.

 

[Ole Miss Texan]

sorry OMT for the long rambling wreckage of the forums time your one of the best people on this board & you understand how frustrating to some of us this inability to address a postioin has become so thanks for your understanding I also know just how Cleveland Brown fan has to have felt all those years waiting to address LT & it finally happened for them, how's that working out

Hey man, no need to apologize- I know exactly where your coming from. We're (friends, lol). I've been one that has really been worried about our o-line. And as much as I'd love a top flight RB and really think that would help us a lot (I would rather get our OL fixed, complete, and superior). The more I hear/read about Gibbs, the more excited I am (almost think he just magically makes it better all of a sudden).

I will admit I had been frantic (this offseason) about our OL and wondering when will it ever be complete!? But I feel so much better about it now, although it still obviously has a ways to go. A lot of my opinion on it now though, is basically a blind leap of faith and a lot of assumptions.

My assumptions:
1) Gibbs coaching improves what we already have
2) Winston is our long term answer at RT
3) Myers (which I still know little about) is our solution at C

Two of my favorite players for the first round are Chris Williams and Branden Alberts (each of whome I think would lock down a spot forever). Williams at LT and Alberts at Guard but would love for him to convert to LT-which I don't know enough to say he def. would be able to.

4) We will select a LT in the draft (hopefully first) and he will anchor that spot. (I'm also interested in how Brandon Frye develops).

So to recap by my assumptions, we've got our LT- C- RT players locked down. I would like to see us get a great G prospect somewhere in the draft, too. So we have Pitts, some other guys still on the roster, and another rookie guard. I would love to see Charles Spencer come back healthy and able to make the squad at RG but there' no telling there- that would be my dream scenario.

Williams/Alberts--Pitts--Myers--Spencer--Winston
OL done to help Schaub and RB's.

There I go again making another long winded post! lol

 

[badboy]

Hey man, no need to apologize- I know exactly where your coming from. We're (friends, lol). I've been one that has really been worried about our o-line. And as much as I'd love a top flight RB and really think that would help us a lot (I would rather get our OL fixed, complete, and superior). The more I hear/read about Gibbs, the more excited I am (almost think he just magically makes it better all of a sudden).

I will admit I had been frantic (this offseason) about our OL and wondering when will it ever be complete!? But I feel so much better about it now, although it still obviously has a ways to go. A lot of my opinion on it now though, is basically a blind leap of faith and a lot of assumptions.

My assumptions:
1) Gibbs coaching improves what we already have
2) Winston is our long term answer at RT
3) Myers (which I still know little about) is our solution at C

Two of my favorite players for the first round are Chris Williams and Branden Alberts (each of whome I think would lock down a spot forever). Williams at LT and Alberts at Guard but would love for him to convert to LT-which I don't know enough to say he def. would be able to.

4) We will select a LT in the draft (hopefully first) and he will anchor that spot. (I'm also interested in how Brandon Frye develops).

So to recap by my assumptions, we've got our LT- C- RT players locked down. I would like to see us get a great G prospect somewhere in the draft, too. So we have Pitts, some other guys still on the roster, and another rookie guard. I would love to see Charles Spencer come back healthy and able to make the squad at RG but there' no telling there- that would be my dream scenario.

Williams/Alberts--Pitts--Myers--Spencer--Winston
OL done to help Schaub and RB's.

There I go again making another long winded post! lol

Please remove your head from the wall as I'm getting headache. What really bothers me is that we will draft a RB or CB in first (I'm ok with that) and then we have to wait until next day to see what else we get. I remember passing on LT selecting Demeco (Who? I asked)in 2nd and then me jumping up and kicking all my charts and clippings & throwing the clip board I held ten feet only to see Spencer & Winston chosen back-to-back in 3rd. If Smithiac would just allow me in the war room, I would not have so much acid indigestion.

 

[beerlover]

Yea, if memory serves he was a second rounder and about the 3rd or 4th
OT taken. I'm thinkin everybody said he couldn't be a LT in the NFL ?
Kudos to the 'Bolts for finding their franchise LT in the second round when
everybody else passed him, and some teams twice.

you bring up an interesting point- the value of a 2nd rd. pick. how many 2nd rd picks have the Texans had since 2004? one & his name is DeMeco Ryans, pretty good selection don't you think (1st rd. talent who slipped). we spend so much time w/1st rd. discussions (maybe because the Texans have a history of not having a 2nd rd. pick) nevertheless 1st rd. talent does filter through the cracks & is an excellent tool for smart drafting teams to aquire foundation players. this does apply to the tackle postion however the ceiling is generally higher with 1st rd. talent not to mention shorter developmental time & in most cases immediate help.

2007

#42 Tony Ugoh

2006

#39 Winston Justice
#50 Marcus McNeill
#55 Andrew Whitworth
#59 Jeremy Trueblood

2005

#41 Michael Roos
#52 Khalif Barnes
#64 Adam Terry

that have now graded out as being worthy of a 1st rd. grade yet still its a crapshoot to some degree & your best results still come, at the tackle position, via the 1st rd-

2007

#3 Joe Thomas
#5 Levi Brown
#28 Joe Staley

2006

#4 D'Brickashaw Ferguson

2005

#13 Jammal Brown
#19 Alex Barron

2008 (yet to be determined, just a guess)

#2 Jake Long
#5 Ryan Clady
#12 Chris Williams
#15 Jeff Otah
#18 Brandon Albert

 

[nunusguy]

#2 Jake Long
#5 Ryan Clady
#12 Chris Williams
#15 Jeff Otah
#18 Brandon Albert

I dunno, it could go down that way. Who knows somebody may even take Albert before we pick at #18. And he looks really good. He's got great measurables and is very athletic with excellent quickness & coordination and was even named a team captain in his junior year and that's an important intangible and tells you something about a players "locker-room presence".
But I just wonder how much of a risk it would be to draft him to be our OLT
(over the longer-term), when he's only played a couple games at OT ?
OK, he can definitely play guard, but that's not what they want to use the
#18 overall for, a guard.

 

[beerlover]

I dunno, it could go down that way. Who knows somebody may even take Albert before we pick at #18. And he looks really good. He's got great measurables and is very athletic with excellent quickness & coordination and was even named a team captain in his junior year and that's an important intangible and tells you something about a players "locker-room presence".
But I just wonder how much of a risk it would be to draft him to be our OLT
(over the longer-term), when he's only played a couple games at OT ?
OK, he can definitely play guard, but that's not what they want to use the
#18 overall for, a guard.

I'm right there with you, but I'm also warming up to the idea especially with the group as a whole moving up the boards. guess I should have paid more attention to Virginia Football

He does have exceptional lower body quickness/agility from what I've seen with a better than average kick step for a LT (meets skills requirements) measureables 6-6 309 with long arms (still looking for specific length) & possibly the most impressive aspect of his game is his character & demeanor which absolutley shines during the interview process. Boy I almost hate to even bring this up, guys & gals.........but I had an errie sense if Casserly was still the GM he would be selling Albert to Kubiak. you could just tell by his facial expression, tone of voice & enthusiasm he is someone who pushes Brandon Alberts stock higher, hence the top 10 reference

 

[Rex King]

you bring up an interesting point- the value of a 2nd rd. pick.

Not to mention they're a heck of a lot cheaper. Mario's cap figure this year is 4.75 million, DeMeco's is 1.276 million. I think this board has been over this ad nauseum, but again, drafting poorly/not having picks in the middle rounds was what killed our depth as well as helping us landing in cap he77.

Boy I almost hate to even bring this up, guys & gals.........but I had an errie sense if Casserly was still the GM he would be selling Albert to Kubiak. you could just tell by his facial expression, tone of voice & enthusiasm he is someone who pushes Brandon Alberts stock higher, hence the top 10 reference

We did end up with a guy not dissimilar from Albert in 06, though not in the 1st round. I think if Gibbs thinks he can be a LT in his system, Kubes will take him. Someone mentioned earlier the players will be around longer than Gibbs, but that's what he brought Gibbs in for - to install his system, which is the one Kubiak wants and which Kubiak can't do by himself, at least in regard to the o-line. Gibbs will be teaching it to Benton as well as the players.

 

[nunusguy]

but I'm also warming up to the idea especially with the group as a whole moving up the boards.

I doubt that you're serious with that ?
It would cost us our third round pick to move up even just 3 places or so,
and that would leave us without a 2nd or 3rd rounder.
How can you implement a philosophy of building your team thru the Draft when you trade away your 2nd, 3rd, & 6th rounder in a single Draft ?

 

[Htownsportsfan]

I have a feeling Gibbs will get what he thinks he needs and not what others think he needs. Gibbs is as well known for finding players who excel in his system as he is for running the system itself. If Gibbs thinks he needs a LT at 18 it could happen but he is more well known for getting a guy in 2nd (no pick I know) or 3rd round. As well known as Denver is for sayong they dont need to draft a RB in the 1st round Gibbs is known to feel the same about O linemen. One thing he really loves is a Mean SOB on the line!!!!

 

[beerlover]

I have a feeling Gibbs will get what he thinks he needs and not what others think he needs. Gibbs is as well known for finding players who excel in his system as he is for running the system itself. If Gibbs thinks he needs a LT at 18 it could happen but he is more well known for getting a guy in 2nd (no pick I know) or 3rd round. As well known as Denver is for sayong they dont need to draft a RB in the 1st round Gibbs is known to feel the same about O linemen. One thing he really loves is a Mean SOB on the line!!!!

a project to develop? someone like Duane Peters maybe? some think is similar to Jason Peters, Buffalo. being a former TE, that does sound like Gibbs type? I'm not sure if Gibbs feels like he has to take on another project but if he is so inclined I guess he could voice his approval. Gibbs is known for lighting a fire & bringing them along slowly while revamping technique. seems like the classic case in point.

 

[threetoedpete]

I have a feeling Gibbs will get what he thinks he needs and not what others think he needs. Gibbs is as well known for finding players who excel in his system as he is for running the system itself. If Gibbs thinks he needs a LT at 18 it could happen but he is more well known for getting a guy in 2nd (no pick I know) or 3rd round. As well known as Denver is for saying they dont need to draft a RB in the 1st round Gibbs is known to feel the same about O linemen. One thing he really loves is a Mean SOB on the line!!!!

that would be lepsis....who recently retired and is the reason...that Denver may just well take claddy or Williams off the board. also means....you're willing to take a Jason Peters type prospect in the third or fourth (Brad Cottam ) and give him the year to groom him up....that's what you are talking about here under the lepsis scenario. The big quetion with that one is are there sixteen games left in Efferin's legs ? Lottas chip on that question. More than just the '08 season.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Lepsis


my bad..it's stuck in there. Cottam matches the scenrio.

 

[infantrycak]

that would be lepsis....who recently retired and is the reason...that Denver may just well take claddy or Williams off the board. also means....you're willing to take a Jason Peters type prospect in the third or fourth (Brad Cottam ) and give him the year to groom him up....that's what you are talking about here under the lepsis scenario.

Lepsis was undrafted. JMO but it is funny how definitively folks opine a 3rd rookie wouldn't start for year when in the two years of Kubiak's tenure we have already seen it happen once. Certainty they would start, clearly not but not an impossibility either.

 

[swtbound07]

I still think its kenny phillips.