sandman
Brexit Advisor
What history has repeated itself this year, other than drafting a QB in the first round?
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Undrafted free agent signings
- Thread starter mussop
- Start date
What history has repeated itself this year, other than drafting a QB in the first round?
CloakNNNdagger
Hall of Fame
Texans UDFA class and Tryout players w ht/wt/40 as per McClain:
Number19
Hall of Fame
Rookie minicamp. Schedule posted in Random Thoughts.
Not investing in top talent OL OL to protect your young QB.
sandman
Brexit Advisor
Meh. This went down as one of the weakest OL drafts in a while. And the current OL has 4 guys drafted in the first two rounds.
Number19
Hall of Fame
It's been said in the past by coaching staffs, that they were going to play the best five guys. Brown. X, Martin, Mancz and Allen are our five best OL'men (provided Allen and Martin return to pre-injury form). If all are in good health this is a pretty good line. We are still weak in depth. But this starting five would be an improvement over last year's line.
We can be cautiously optimistic at this time and see how things work out in TC.
It's not what was invested. It's who those picks were invested in. If your investment isn't a good one you move on to other investments. You don't keep playing the same guys if they're bad just because you screwed up and drafted bad OL high in the draft. That's insanity.
Texans UDFA class and Tryout players w ht/wt/40 as per McClain:
CND, do you know what the red numbers for Cole, Gray, and Mathis mean or represent?
CloakNNNdagger
Hall of Fame
Unless it was a projected mock draft position, I really don't know.
sandman
Brexit Advisor
Fair enough. The Texans invested high picks in Brown, X and Martin. Which of them were bad investments that they need to move on from?
XSF/Allen and I had high hopes for both of them. hey are what the are (Servicable0 cutting bait and bringing in new blood would be the way I would go. I mean UDFA Mancz is better than both of them.
sandman
Brexit Advisor
Except they didn't draft Allen. They invested cash in him, not a draft pick.
I know I just added him because if I hadn't somebody else (Not you) would've brought him up
sandman
Brexit Advisor
Fair point. I still content that outside of RT, this line has above average talent. That might be 15th with 16th being average, but I don't think this is a bad line.
badboy
Hall of Fame
The following should improve that evaluation significantly: more confidence in TE corps allowing quicker unloading of ball and improved advance of ball, improved QB, and even better productivity from RBs. It is time for offense to take back some of the load from defense. Add to that a better Will Fuller in second season and a full season of health for Jalen Strong. Finally a last year of contract, something to show the world Deandre Hopkins should go crazy with either Savage or Watson at the helm.
CloakNNNdagger
Hall of Fame
If Allen can avoid reinjuring his calf (which is an injury even more notorious than hamstrings to becoming chronic recurrent, and he is moved to LG, you could see a dramatic improvement. Before coming to the Texans, in his entire career, he never played RG, always LG. This switch is not as benign as many believe.
From ProFootballFocus:
Switching Sides
Sam Monson | 5 years ago
Have you ever wondered why a guy seemingly so suited to the right side of the line can’t cut it there? Or why a player with all the athletic skills for left tackle makes a better player on the right side?
With the growth of the draft into the media event it is today, and of the NFL in general into a 24/7 world of information, there is a tendency for everybody to speak like scouts from time to time.
We all feel we can evaluate talent, analyze players and project them into various different teams, schemes and positions. However, without the practical experience of implementing the theory are we in danger of over simplifying things or underestimating the challenges involved in some of those transitions?
Tradition, Tradition
For instance, many of us often treat positions on the left and right of the offensive line as interchangeable. The assumption goes that if a guy can play left guard then he can play right guard, and if he can play left tackle he can play right — but is that necessarily the case? When it comes to the draft players can come out deemed ‘right tackle only’ by the talent evaluators, but it’s because they are considered to lack the footwork and quickness to match-up against the league’s best pass-rushers on the quarterback’s blindside, not because of any fundamental dominance in technique to one side. Nobody is worried about the actual mechanics of swapping sides, simply about the chance of that player destroying their quarterback if they can’t cut it as a pass-protector.
We all know that traditionally the team’s best pass protector has been on the left side of the line, and that a defense’s best pass rusher has been deployed to face them. That is all down to being on the quarterback’s blindside, where, if a player can beat his man, he may get a free run at the quarterback who doesn’t see him coming. If that happens quarterbacks get hit, and hit hard, and the chances of forcing a fumble in the process skyrockets. Consequently left tackles tend to be more athletic, quicker on their feet and pass-protecting specialists compared to right tackles that are often larger, stronger and more suited to the run game.
The Dallas Situation
The Dallas Cowboys already had Doug Free entrenched at left tackle when they drafted Tyron Smith with the ninth overall selection of the 2011 draft. So they kept Free where he was and played Smith on the right side until they were sure he could get the job done at the NFL level. Smith was exceptional as a rookie — arguably the best right tackle in the NFL — and, but for a couple of ugly days against Jason Babin and the Eagles, played consistently well all year. In 641 snaps pass blocking he gave up just 30 total pressures, and allowed Tony Romo to hit the deck only 10 times in total — although half of those takedowns came in two games against Philadelphia. He looked like a top-level pass protector, whereas Free’s specialty had always been the run game. On the left side, Free struggled more last year after a pretty good 2010, surrendering 10 sacks, five more hits and 34 hurries, as well as being flagged 10 times.
It seemed like a natural choice for the Cowboys to flip the two so that Smith manned the left and Free the right. Looking at them physically it also made sense. Smith is 6’5 and 308lbs, the prototypical size for left tackles today with height, length and not too much bulk. Free is an inch taller at 6’6, but is 335lbs and a much stronger player at the point of attack. He is a prototype right tackle.
The problem is that this season both players are struggling in their new roles on the opposite side of the line — Smith in particular looked much more comfortable on the right last year. He has already allowed 24 total pressures, almost as many as last season’s total, and been flagged eight times, more than all of last year.
It’s Just Not that Easy
So what did the Cowboys miss? Maybe they underestimated the difficulty involved in reversing the mechanics of linemen who were changing sides of the line. It isn’t just as simple as asking a receiver to move across the formation. The entire shift in footwork is something that takes getting used to for a lineman. Everything is mirrored physically, and applying that mentally is not as easy as most people assume.
If it was that easy, most baseball players would be switch hitters. While switching sides on the line may not be as drastic as flipping your batting stance, it’s still pretty tough. The muscle memory that’s developed over thousands of practice repetitions along with the comfort in the sequence of motion is completely thrown off if you’re thrown to the other side, it takes a little time getting used to.
That makes sense when you think about it. How many soccer players are almost entirely one-footed? Guys who are great on their right, but hopeless if shown onto their left foot. Imagine asking a surfer or snowboarder to change their lead leg and be as good.
A Left Tackle All the Way
Cincinnati’s Andrew Whitworth was a guy who people designated as a right tackle or guard coming out of college. However, he has honed his craft and studies the game like few others, and is now firmly entrenched as one of the best left tackles in football. There is no better guy to ask about the fundamentals and technical details of playing on the line.
“I really believe a lot of guys are more efficient at one side or the other. Sure, most tackles are good players and can play both sides, but usually there is a vast difference in how technical or athletic they are one side to the other, if they keep switching. I really could never see myself as a right tackle, I’m a left-hand dominant guy all the way.”
One of the best in the game on the left side isn’t convinced about how good he could be on the right side, and yet coaches, scouts, media and fans just assume a guy should be able to move across the line and apply his basic physical tools as if it was no big deal. Most coaches, however, recognize that it is a bigger problem than that, and rarely ask players to make the switch in-game, or even in-season.
A Technical Glitch
Vikings OG Geoff Schwartz told me it was much easier moving from guard to tackle, or vice versa, than switching from side to side.
“If you look at most lines, the backup LT is the LG, or he’s on the bench. Both teams I’ve played on, our backup LT was the LG.”
It seems it’s a tough enough transition, without significant lead time, that teams would rather put a far less athletically able player on an island at left tackle than expect the guy on the right to swap sides in-game.
“It’s very difficult for guys to be able to effectively play on both sides of the line without long hours practicing it,” Schwartz went on.
“That is why you don’t often see linemen switching sides of the ball for injury or performance. Playing offensive line is a very technical position. Being a great athlete and a physical player can only take you so far if you don’t use proper technique. You must drill over and over again to get the footwork and hand placement down. On top of that, mentally switching things over in your head can be tough at first. You’re used to reacting to movement on one side of the line of scrimmage, now it’s happening on the opposite side”.
Don’t Forget the Fundamentals
The bottom line is that we tend to take mechanics for granted when it comes to football. We might notice when a player uses sloppy technique, but few people consider the fundamentals when players move position or even change sides of the line. The Dallas Cowboys looked at their offensive tackles and thought that they were naturally suited for the opposite sides, but the pair have both struggled with the fundamental change in footwork and mechanics. The only question that remains now for the Cowboys and their fans is whether they will work through the transition, or whether both players are simply more comfortable with the technique on the opposite side of the line.
If it’s just a case of practice time, both players should enjoy far better seasons in 2013. If it’s a more fundamental problem, the Cowboys will have an interesting situation to deal with.
From ProFootballFocus:
Switching Sides
Sam Monson | 5 years ago
Have you ever wondered why a guy seemingly so suited to the right side of the line can’t cut it there? Or why a player with all the athletic skills for left tackle makes a better player on the right side?
With the growth of the draft into the media event it is today, and of the NFL in general into a 24/7 world of information, there is a tendency for everybody to speak like scouts from time to time.
We all feel we can evaluate talent, analyze players and project them into various different teams, schemes and positions. However, without the practical experience of implementing the theory are we in danger of over simplifying things or underestimating the challenges involved in some of those transitions?
Tradition, Tradition
For instance, many of us often treat positions on the left and right of the offensive line as interchangeable. The assumption goes that if a guy can play left guard then he can play right guard, and if he can play left tackle he can play right — but is that necessarily the case? When it comes to the draft players can come out deemed ‘right tackle only’ by the talent evaluators, but it’s because they are considered to lack the footwork and quickness to match-up against the league’s best pass-rushers on the quarterback’s blindside, not because of any fundamental dominance in technique to one side. Nobody is worried about the actual mechanics of swapping sides, simply about the chance of that player destroying their quarterback if they can’t cut it as a pass-protector.
We all know that traditionally the team’s best pass protector has been on the left side of the line, and that a defense’s best pass rusher has been deployed to face them. That is all down to being on the quarterback’s blindside, where, if a player can beat his man, he may get a free run at the quarterback who doesn’t see him coming. If that happens quarterbacks get hit, and hit hard, and the chances of forcing a fumble in the process skyrockets. Consequently left tackles tend to be more athletic, quicker on their feet and pass-protecting specialists compared to right tackles that are often larger, stronger and more suited to the run game.
The Dallas Situation
The Dallas Cowboys already had Doug Free entrenched at left tackle when they drafted Tyron Smith with the ninth overall selection of the 2011 draft. So they kept Free where he was and played Smith on the right side until they were sure he could get the job done at the NFL level. Smith was exceptional as a rookie — arguably the best right tackle in the NFL — and, but for a couple of ugly days against Jason Babin and the Eagles, played consistently well all year. In 641 snaps pass blocking he gave up just 30 total pressures, and allowed Tony Romo to hit the deck only 10 times in total — although half of those takedowns came in two games against Philadelphia. He looked like a top-level pass protector, whereas Free’s specialty had always been the run game. On the left side, Free struggled more last year after a pretty good 2010, surrendering 10 sacks, five more hits and 34 hurries, as well as being flagged 10 times.
It seemed like a natural choice for the Cowboys to flip the two so that Smith manned the left and Free the right. Looking at them physically it also made sense. Smith is 6’5 and 308lbs, the prototypical size for left tackles today with height, length and not too much bulk. Free is an inch taller at 6’6, but is 335lbs and a much stronger player at the point of attack. He is a prototype right tackle.
The problem is that this season both players are struggling in their new roles on the opposite side of the line — Smith in particular looked much more comfortable on the right last year. He has already allowed 24 total pressures, almost as many as last season’s total, and been flagged eight times, more than all of last year.
It’s Just Not that Easy
So what did the Cowboys miss? Maybe they underestimated the difficulty involved in reversing the mechanics of linemen who were changing sides of the line. It isn’t just as simple as asking a receiver to move across the formation. The entire shift in footwork is something that takes getting used to for a lineman. Everything is mirrored physically, and applying that mentally is not as easy as most people assume.
If it was that easy, most baseball players would be switch hitters. While switching sides on the line may not be as drastic as flipping your batting stance, it’s still pretty tough. The muscle memory that’s developed over thousands of practice repetitions along with the comfort in the sequence of motion is completely thrown off if you’re thrown to the other side, it takes a little time getting used to.
That makes sense when you think about it. How many soccer players are almost entirely one-footed? Guys who are great on their right, but hopeless if shown onto their left foot. Imagine asking a surfer or snowboarder to change their lead leg and be as good.
A Left Tackle All the Way
Cincinnati’s Andrew Whitworth was a guy who people designated as a right tackle or guard coming out of college. However, he has honed his craft and studies the game like few others, and is now firmly entrenched as one of the best left tackles in football. There is no better guy to ask about the fundamentals and technical details of playing on the line.
“I really believe a lot of guys are more efficient at one side or the other. Sure, most tackles are good players and can play both sides, but usually there is a vast difference in how technical or athletic they are one side to the other, if they keep switching. I really could never see myself as a right tackle, I’m a left-hand dominant guy all the way.”
One of the best in the game on the left side isn’t convinced about how good he could be on the right side, and yet coaches, scouts, media and fans just assume a guy should be able to move across the line and apply his basic physical tools as if it was no big deal. Most coaches, however, recognize that it is a bigger problem than that, and rarely ask players to make the switch in-game, or even in-season.
A Technical Glitch
Vikings OG Geoff Schwartz told me it was much easier moving from guard to tackle, or vice versa, than switching from side to side.
“If you look at most lines, the backup LT is the LG, or he’s on the bench. Both teams I’ve played on, our backup LT was the LG.”
It seems it’s a tough enough transition, without significant lead time, that teams would rather put a far less athletically able player on an island at left tackle than expect the guy on the right to swap sides in-game.
“It’s very difficult for guys to be able to effectively play on both sides of the line without long hours practicing it,” Schwartz went on.
“That is why you don’t often see linemen switching sides of the ball for injury or performance. Playing offensive line is a very technical position. Being a great athlete and a physical player can only take you so far if you don’t use proper technique. You must drill over and over again to get the footwork and hand placement down. On top of that, mentally switching things over in your head can be tough at first. You’re used to reacting to movement on one side of the line of scrimmage, now it’s happening on the opposite side”.
Don’t Forget the Fundamentals
The bottom line is that we tend to take mechanics for granted when it comes to football. We might notice when a player uses sloppy technique, but few people consider the fundamentals when players move position or even change sides of the line. The Dallas Cowboys looked at their offensive tackles and thought that they were naturally suited for the opposite sides, but the pair have both struggled with the fundamental change in footwork and mechanics. The only question that remains now for the Cowboys and their fans is whether they will work through the transition, or whether both players are simply more comfortable with the technique on the opposite side of the line.
If it’s just a case of practice time, both players should enjoy far better seasons in 2013. If it’s a more fundamental problem, the Cowboys will have an interesting situation to deal with.
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xtruroyaltyx
Hall of Fame
In the link they call his arm length below average and say he's a bad athlete. I Haven't watched him play though.
xtruroyaltyx
Hall of Fame
Doing some research on these guys and he stood out to me. He's short but he played on the edge a bunch in college.
Dude is shorter than James Harrison but he reminds me of him with the way he plays. He arrives at the ball in a bad mood.
I'll be rooting for him. I like the way he plays.
No .... Brock happened because Brock SuCkEd. Brock still sucks , he's just doing his sucking elsewhere .....
The OL held their own in pass protection but SuCkEd in run blocking for the most part. The Texans OL actually gave up sacks at a lower rate than the Cowboys OL who was supposed to be so great .... run Blocking was their problem despite a 4.1 ypc average. They couldn't get a yard when they needed a yard. They couldn't punch it in on three running plays from inside the 5 if their lives depended on it.
The Brockening happened cause Brock Sucks .... Brock Still Sucks.
TheRealJoker
Hall of Fame
CloakNNNdagger
Hall of Fame
Going Camping: A Closer Look at the Houston Texans Rookie Free Agents on Defense
Patrick Starr
Yesterday at 11:39 PM
A closer look at the Houston Texans rookie free agents on defense.
A closer look at the Houston Texans defensive rookie free agent class. Click the Read Here beside each player to learn more about them.
Name School Position/Height/Weight Notes
Dylan Cole Missouri State ILB/6'1"/240 lbs. Read Here
Matt Godin Michigan DE/6'6"/280 lbs. Read Here
Eli Ankou UCLA DT/6'3"/331 lbs. Read Here
Rickey Hatley Missouri DT/6'3"/308 lbs. Read Here
Daniel Ross CFL DT/6'5"/305 lbs. Read Here
T.J. Daniel Oregon DE/6'7"/273 lbs. Read Here
Gimel President Illionis OLB/6'3"/253 lbs. Read Here
Avery Williams Temple LB/5'9"/222 lbs. Read Here
Dayon Pratt East Carolina OLB/6'3"/226 lbs. Read Here
Malik Smith San Diego State S/6'0"/195 lbs. Read Here
T.J. Mutcherson UCF S/5'10"/197 lbs. Read Here
Dee Virgin West Alabama CB/5'9"/194 lbs. Read Here
Malik Foreman Tennessee CB/5'10"/ 188 lbs. Read Here
Patrick Starr
Yesterday at 11:39 PM
A closer look at the Houston Texans rookie free agents on defense.
A closer look at the Houston Texans defensive rookie free agent class. Click the Read Here beside each player to learn more about them.
Name School Position/Height/Weight Notes
Dylan Cole Missouri State ILB/6'1"/240 lbs. Read Here
Matt Godin Michigan DE/6'6"/280 lbs. Read Here
Eli Ankou UCLA DT/6'3"/331 lbs. Read Here
Rickey Hatley Missouri DT/6'3"/308 lbs. Read Here
Daniel Ross CFL DT/6'5"/305 lbs. Read Here
T.J. Daniel Oregon DE/6'7"/273 lbs. Read Here
Gimel President Illionis OLB/6'3"/253 lbs. Read Here
Avery Williams Temple LB/5'9"/222 lbs. Read Here
Dayon Pratt East Carolina OLB/6'3"/226 lbs. Read Here
Malik Smith San Diego State S/6'0"/195 lbs. Read Here
T.J. Mutcherson UCF S/5'10"/197 lbs. Read Here
Dee Virgin West Alabama CB/5'9"/194 lbs. Read Here
Malik Foreman Tennessee CB/5'10"/ 188 lbs. Read Here
jradMIT
Veteran
Kinda liking this guy Dee Virgin's measureables. Short but bulky with speed and explosion that returns kicks.
Houston Texans Rookie Profile: Dimitric Camiel
Houston Texans Rookie Profile on Indiana's Dimitric Camiel
Checking in at 6’6” and 309 lbs. Dimitric Camiel played in two games in 2016 before going down with a back injury in October that knocked him out for the season. Prior to that, Camiel appeared in 39 straight games starting all 13 games in 2015 at right tackle. Camiel also has experience at left tackle, in 20 career starts 19 came at right tackles and one at left.
At Indiana’s pro day, Camiel ran a 5.65 forth yard dash, benched 23 reps and vertical jumped 30.5 inches.
****
http://www.scout.com/nfl/texans/story/1776441-texans-rookie-profile-dimitric-camiel
****
Here's another rookie UDFA the Texans signed, another guy coming off of an injury on his final collegeite season, but he's an Offensive tackle so worth a look-see cause we really need help here.
CloakNNNdagger
Hall of Fame
Going Camping: A Closer Look at the Houston Texans Rookie Free Agents on Offense
Patrick Starr
Yesterday at 11:25 PM
A closer look at the Houston Texans rookie free agents on offense.
A closer look at the Houston Texans offensive rookie free agent class. Click the Read Here beside each player to learn more about them.
Name School Position/Height/Weight Notes
Deante' Gray TCU WR/5'9"/183 lbs. Read Here
Justin Hardee Illinois WR/6'1"/197 lbs. Read Here
Riley McCarron Iowa WR/6'1"/188 lbs. Read Here
Shaquille Hill E. Washington WR/5'9"/193 lbs. Read Here
Zach Conque S.F.A. TE/6'5"/232 lbs. Read Here
Evan Baylis Oregon TE/6'5"/244 lbs. Read Here
Dare Ogunbowale Wisconsin RB/5'11"/213 lbs. Read Here
Dimitric Camiel Indiana OT/6'7"/296 lbs. Read Here
Jake Simonich Utah State OG/6'5"/296 lbs. Read Here
Patrick Starr
Yesterday at 11:25 PM
A closer look at the Houston Texans rookie free agents on offense.
A closer look at the Houston Texans offensive rookie free agent class. Click the Read Here beside each player to learn more about them.
Name School Position/Height/Weight Notes
Deante' Gray TCU WR/5'9"/183 lbs. Read Here
Justin Hardee Illinois WR/6'1"/197 lbs. Read Here
Riley McCarron Iowa WR/6'1"/188 lbs. Read Here
Shaquille Hill E. Washington WR/5'9"/193 lbs. Read Here
Zach Conque S.F.A. TE/6'5"/232 lbs. Read Here
Evan Baylis Oregon TE/6'5"/244 lbs. Read Here
Dare Ogunbowale Wisconsin RB/5'11"/213 lbs. Read Here
Dimitric Camiel Indiana OT/6'7"/296 lbs. Read Here
Jake Simonich Utah State OG/6'5"/296 lbs. Read Here
Awfully generous to list Riley McCarron in heels there..
jradMIT
Veteran
Zach Conque is an intriguing prospect as well, I wonder how good his hands and/or blocking will be but he is a very good athlete with speed and agility.
Ogunbowale is a legitimate prospect too, could make a special teams impact.
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I don't understand this
CloakNNNdagger
Hall of Fame
Hopefully Joe Mathis can overcome this injury. Such a talented player
Per Patrick Starr:
Mathis has been a tryout and still is. He is going to have to earn a contract in this three day mini-camp.
From what I've seen he has good vision, makes good cuts but doesn't have a second gear. He gets caught from behind a lot and he never makes yards after contact.
Texans UDFA class and Tryout players w ht/wt/40 as per McClain:
I've got no idea what they're thinking, but based on this list of UDFAs & Tryout players, non-action in FA, & the modest investment in the draft, the Texans do not appear to be as worried about the OL as many here are.
I count myself as one of the guys more "concerned" than the Texans.
I hope they know what they're doing.
& that's after only one season together... not even a full season really. None at all if we're talking about Martin.
But, my point is, for the juggling that was done to get the line we had in 2016, middle of the pack is pretty good & I expect that to improve over the next couple of years.
WolverineFan
Hall of Fame
He's an average athlete but he gets what's blocked and he's very good in the pass game. Kind of similar to Fozzy Whittaker in Carolina but much bigger. Not flashy but very dependable.
Unfortunately I don't see where he fits in on this team. With Foreman now in the fold we're going to see Lamar Miller almost exclusively on 3rd downs and you also have Hunt and Ervin to fit in there somewhere as scat backs. That leaves little room for an UDFA who's best value is on 3rd down.
TheRealJoker
Hall of Fame
I've read he's a good Special Teamer that really embraces the value of that role on his team. He may push out Alfred Blue if he proves to be a special teams ace who is also a good pass blocker/3rd down pass catching back.
Still, two out of seven draft picks were spent on O-line guys
the picks probably were not as high as we would have liked but the O-line wasn't really ignored
Makes me wonder what Devlin and O'Brien saw or more probably didn't see in this year's college O-line prospects
CloakNNNdagger
Hall of Fame
Not signing but tryouts:
Here's a list of 17 of the Texans' tryout players, though there was at least one player out there -- Dare Ogunbowale -- not on this roster.
Sarah Barshop, ESPN Staff Writer
Here's a list of 17 of the Texans' tryout players, though there was at least one player out there -- Dare Ogunbowale -- not on this roster.
Sarah Barshop, ESPN Staff Writer
badboy
Hall of Fame
To be fair, most folks said it was weak class for Oline. For example, Robinson didn't look a whole lot better than Davenport. Throw in his Wonderlic 16 when avg for Oline is 26, poor decision with the grass and hot gun under his seat and another in his lap. Shoulder surgery before last season impacted him IMO.
TheRealJoker
Hall of Fame
Davenport scored a 34 on that Wonderlic... hopefully those smarts will help him absorb good NFL coaching quickly
I'm more high on Devlin as a coach than most on this board. I think he's been dealt the toughest hand of all the position coaches. Brought in OB's 2nd season after OB got rid of the old coach Dunn. Has had to deal with a ton of injuries along the Oline along with FA departures. More turnover on his unit than the other units and the OL just happens to be the spot where chemistry is most important. Could be another reason we didn't try an acquire more "big names" on the OL. Let the coach do his job instead of just trying to throw new bodies on the OL who have no experience on this team. As it stands now the only "new" player that could see time is Davenport. I don't count Nick Martin because he has had the season on IR to learn the offense much like Mancz did the year before while on IR. All of these guys have spent time in this system and everybody projected to make the roster outside of Davenport has played meaningful snaps during the season. I don't see how they will not be improved honestly. Chemistry and reps together are important.
Remember when people were ragging on Chris Myers his first season? He only became one of the best centers in football while he was here thanks to COACHING, CHEMISTRY, and REPS!!!
Texan in Japan
Rookie
I think we shouldn't sleep on Kyle Fuller. Although only a 7th rounder, I think he has some potential to compete on this line.
TheRealJoker
Hall of Fame
Really excited to see this new slot weapon in action for us:
jradMIT
Veteran
It hard to see the reasoning behind keeping both Ervin and Hunt, but they did last year as well? They are pretty much the same type of back. I think Ervin is definately on the bubble, he showed nothing last year, and there is no reason to guarantee him a roster spot anymore, you get one mulligan at RB, there are always young guys who deserve a shot.
I'm just happy we finally got McCarron
TheRealJoker
Hall of Fame
It was a real headscratcher to spend a 4th on Ervin when they had essentially the same player on the roster. I chalk it up to the front office making a commitment to getting faster across the board on offense last offseason and overattacking that need for the sake of competition. "Throw enough bodies at it and one of these guys will stick" is what I was thinking. I liked Ervin as a prospect and was disappointed with how his rookie season went. But we had other players available at positions we needed to address with a 4th round pick.
Hope between Ervin and Hunt one of these guys sticks and becomes a solid player!
TheRealJoker
Hall of Fame
Riley McCarron - Iowa Pro Day
5'9", 188 lbs
4.36 forty
3.96 shuttle
6.47 3-cone
40.5" vertical
10'4" broad jump
Those are superb stats before you factor in McCarron didn’t train full-time for pro day. He works for an accounting company and was given the day off to go through drills on Monday.
https://www.landof10.com/iowa/iowa-...c-j-beathard-nfl-draft-2017-jake-duzey-update
but... but... what was his throwing velocity?
