With the recent dereliction of All-Pro guard Steve Hutchinson, and the unfortunate reality that a couple of linemen are getting pretty long in the tusk, I thought it would be fun and interesting to take a shot at predicting the starting five offensive linemen for game one of the regular season.
I honestly believe that there is such an outstanding depth and flexibility to this group, Hutch's absence will be barely noticeable. However, pinpointing his replacement will be a complicated issue. There are at least five current linemen on the squad that could potentially fill the LG slot, and they could also fill other slots as well.
Nonetheless, here is my starting lineup prediction:
LT - Walter Jones (duh)
LG - Tom Ashworth
C - Chis Spencer
RG - Pork Chop
RT - Sean Locklear
That's nearly a complete overhaul, but I think this lineup will be best in the long run.
What is your prediction?
Easy one, to me:
ReplyDeleteLocklear
Porkchop
Tobeck
Gray
Willis...with Walt getting traded, as which is being speculated, sadly...oh well, if we can land Glenn and Wayne, as many are saying, ill do it!
OK, minor april fool's there...
Jones
Ashworth
Tobeck
Porkchop (do we ever use his real name anymore?)
Locklear
WILLING TO BET .10000 DOLLARS ON IT!!!
Nice one ADP...and Bluefoot, I expected another April 1st surprise out of you.
ReplyDeleteHere's my take:
LT: Walter Jones - like you said, well DUH!
LG: Pork Chop - he's played the position and Holms feels he owes him for sitting him all last season
C: Robbie Tobeck - he's the QB of the O-Line and Spencer is just not ready yet - but will be playing before the end of the season
RG: Chris Gray - Until he wakes up and realizes how old he is, it's his job to lose, plus, Holms is a "if it ain't broke don't fix it" kind of guy
RT: Tom Ashworth - Locklear only played in 2005 due to the injury to Pork and probably slipped down Ruskell's list with that incident with his girlfriend. Besides, we didn't pick up Ashworth in free agency to ride the bench.
Jones, Chop, Tobeck, Ashworth, Locklear.
ReplyDeleteI think heading into camp the gaurd positions are the big questions: Who will replace Hutch; Is this the year Chris looks his name sake. At the end of the day, I think they play the numbers and decided to replace 2 of the 5 postions, rather than go young and replace 3 of the 5.
I think Chop will replace Hutch. He knows the offense, the line and has the confidence of Holmy. They won't want to get too cute with Matt's blind side. I think Ashworth will replace Gray as a premptive strike. It's only matter of time before Tobeck and Gray are gone. I bet the thinking is let's replace Gray now, then if when it's Tobeck turn, we have veteran gaurds surrounding Spencer. I don't think the Locklear off the field issue is a factor.
I'll go out on a limb here and say this will be a better line than last year. Gray is good, but mostly from being a cunning veteran. Ashworth sounds much more atheletic and seems like an upgrade. Chop ain't Hutch, but how big of a drop off is it? I'm personally convinced that Chop can play any position on offense--few know he's the 4th string QB. Many of the Hutch articles have hailed MN as having the best line the league with Hutch. I'm sorry but the meaningless praise of the TV talking heads is only bestowed on winning teams. MN isn't going to be a winner. By week 3 Viking fans will realize that there ain't no box score for LGs and Nate is putting up some nice numbers. Hell, Chop would probably the starting RB on that team. And Brad Johson is like a barfly at 2am--he looks good considering they had no other options, but you don't take him home and make him your starting QB--just ask all the other teams that have tried.
I see a good bit of change coming to the offensive line this offseason.
ReplyDeleteLT: Wol-tah (oh wait, that's basketball), Walter Jones
LG: Sean Locklear - I see this as the "surprise" move that's looming. Locklear is a very good young tackle but I still believe his best position is guard. He can be a Pro Bowl calibur, Hutchinson quality guard.
** No other rationale for the Ashworth signing--whose versatility is really at both tackles and as a 3rd TE, not on the interior--is nearly as compelling to me. If the FO was simply going to slot Pork Chop in for Hutch they already had Hunter and Willis, whom I understand they love, as backups for Locklear.
** The rationale for moving Locklear would be to keep an elite left-hand side.
C: Chris Spencer - Even if he is not the opening day starter he'll be starting before week 5. No team as cap conscious as Seattle would let a non-QB sit this long unless he's a bust. Tobeck or Gray becomes the backup C. The other is most likely released.
RG: Floyd Womack - I typed it out because I'd temporarily forgotten Pork Chop's real name. Circumstance and Gray's solid play have conspired to leave Womack almost "overripe." It's his time. He's the superior option. That's no disrespect to Gray, who has been solid and still has some football left in him, but the signs of wear and tear are unmistakable now. He was first or second at his position in holding calls last year and was completely outclassed in the SB by Casey Hampton. If Seattle is talking SB this is an obvious upgrade it has to make.
RT: Tom Ashworth - Seattle didn't pay him the guaranteed money it did to come here as strictly a backup. The team was looking for a starting calibur T.
If the team makes this move I for one would applaud it. The easiest thing in the world to do would be to assume that the challenge is simply replacing Hutch, and then just slot in Pork Chop. The challenge is getting the five best players at their best positions and molding this into an elite unit.
Y'all have such good explanations, you're making me look bad.
ReplyDeleteLT - Big Walt: No brainer.
RT - Locklear: Because I think he exceptional feet, quickness, and range to pass block when isolated on the edge. He has more than proven himself against the high caliber pass rushers he lined up against last season. I would NOT move him to guard, however, because I don't think he's as good in tight spaces and helmet-to-helmet as Womack or Ashworth. Against the outrageously strong and athletic DT's in this league, I think Locklear may struggle. Tackle just seems to suit his body type better.
RG - Womack: Although he can play tackle on a lot of teams, this guy was born to be a guard. He is NOT going to be overpowered by a DT firing through (ala Tobeck and Gray), he plays well in tight spaces, and can move mountains in run blocking at the point of attack. The only reason I think he would be better suited at RG than LG is because the LG tends to pull and trap more, being on the weak side, so I think the more mobile of the two guards should be on the left. Which explains my next pick.
LG - Ashworth: Like 'who-Hutch?', strong enough to push around DT's, athletic enough to play tackle on most teams, he would be an ideal candidate for this position, since the other two tackle spots are well-filled. I look forward to seeing him roll around Walt, runnning like a madman in the lead of Strong and Alexander. I think this is his best fit.
C - Spencer: Seeing film of him last preseason, I honestly think he is going to TAKE the job from Tobeck. There will be a position war in training camp and preseason on this one, with lots of pranks pulled on Spencer. But he is too strong and athletic to be held back another season. Now that he has a year in the system I fully expect him to take over, much like Alexander did after spending his first season on the bench.
That's pretty much it. Once this group gels, it's going to be the #1 NFL offense, all over again.
Alba: Re: April fools, you ruined it woth your PI post. ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm such a schmuck...did you see the April 1 edition of ProFootballTalk.com?
ReplyDeleteWhat Blue and Dave said make the most sense to me. I, for one, have no freakin' clue.
ReplyDeleteOK,
ReplyDeleteWho's going to track this and dust it off after training camp?
Me.
ReplyDeleteAnd before game 1.
Jones
ReplyDeleteWomack
Tobeck
Spencer
Ashworth
Locklear seems good for sure. But is it really skill, or is he just a clever holder? I read an article, I can't recall where, that examined the last Super Bowl play by play, trying to determine the percentage of penalties the refs got right. The results don't matter, but I found it interesting that the Anti-Heather was holding on a majority of the Seahawks' offensive plays, though most weren't called (though on the BIG one he actually wasn't...) The point is, Ashworth seems to be an actual better blocker than Locklear, and since tackle is his position I see him taking over that spot. I see Locklear as a pre-2006 Pork Chop-style jack-of-all-trades backup. I think Spencer will play next to Tobeck for a time in order to learn the intricacies of the offense and the center position. I have Womack on the left side because as he's more experienced than Spencer, the Franchise QB and RB will be better protected and blocked-for by having him take over for Hutchinson.
Cit K...
ReplyDeletedunno if its the same one, but I do remember an article that talked about SHOULD the hold he was called for be a REAL hold...then he would of had about 18 in the game...not saying he got away with things, but insinuating the call was ridiculously ticky tact, and not called consistently
again, not sure if its the same article or not...
That wasn't the angle of the article I'm thinking of. That one looked at all the offensive plays to total the holds and infractions of all the linemen of both teams. Locklear had the most, followed by, I believe, Gray.
ReplyDeleteI guess my memory's a bit faulty. Here's the link. I was kind of right. The Gray thing--I must have read that somewhere else. Anyway, Locklears obviously doing something that could be called a hold at any time. That's not good technique, although to his credit, he gets away with it most of the time.
ReplyDeletegood points, and thanks for clearing it up...there were a few articles out lately mentioning how it coulda been called that way dozens of times...so i wasnt sure if it was one of those or nto
ReplyDeleteLT: Jones; but ONLY because they just don't have a better option.
ReplyDeleteLG: Spencer; just wait and see on this one, I expect him to surpass P-Chop and anchor that left guard spot where he can get help on one side from Jones and from the other side from their...
C: Toebeck; anybody that thinks that the 'Hawks are going to bench their center coming off a pro bowl season has their head up Mel Kipers ass.
RG: Ashworth; Look at what's left, theres Locklear, Ashworth, Porky, and Gray. Who's the best of the bunch. Ashworth, so he's in. Who's left?
RT: Locklear; Womack could take a job from him last year, why would he this year? Gray will act as a servicable backup at the interior positions along with Porky. Locklear is a tackle, not a guard, Ashworth can play both, thus he slides into the guard spot.
Also, the less turnover the better, so don't be surprised if this is all piss and wind and the only change is a direct sub of Ashworth into the LG slot. That's likely the most practical idea for a good line this year, but a little more youth sets them up for the future. At any rate, with what they have, their line is not only good, it's good enough. Good enough to lead them back to the show.
At first blush I agree with Dave and Bloof. But I expect Bok will be right for game one. I think they'll stay the course on Spencer, he'll be the C when he beats out Robbie, or when Robbie hangs em up. He won't play G unless he absolutely has to. They should train him to be the LS.
ReplyDeletea couple of linemen are getting pretty long in the tusk HAHAHA. I like that.
LT: Jones; but ONLY because they just don't have a better option. and that.