I agree, like the versatility but i just dont see the upside to warrant a pick before the 3rd
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He isn't very athletic, and is on the ground a lot and contrary to what some fans think, I'd bet the house that no NFL teams are looking at him as an real option outside...he will be playing a devalued position at center in the draft...and by almost every account I've seen, he is the 3rd best center prospect in a relatively mediocre class.
I'm not saying he won't be a good pro, but I don't think he is a second round prospect at all.
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Falcons cut RT Clabo. Another name to dilute the market for Andre Smith and Winston.
what realistic day 1 starters are still available at LT besides McKinnie?
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There really isnt another one on the list thats remotely a possibility to fill in at LT. Its McKinnie or hope somebody gets cut.
I am thinking more and more that they'll go through the draft process, see if anyone becomes available from another team, and at some point re-sign McKinnie to a one year deal. Perhaps a 2 year that is really a 1 year. Otherwise we're probably looking at a rookie somewhere on that line.
Move KO to LT and draft someone to start at LG. Castillo has mentioned that he thinks KO can play LT.
As bad as the options at LT are on the market, there are numerous good RTs sitting around waiting for calls... Clabo joins Eric Winston, Andre Smith, and numerous other low-tier guys that have had NO action in their market whatsoever. Their prices are going to keep falling further and further as we get closer to the draft.
I've been saying all along that they're in all likelihood going to play Oher or Osemele at LT next year. If that's Oher, they ought to be able to sign Clabo or Winston for peanuts. Seems like a win-win to me, both guys have been very durable and at least better than average, and both are scheme fits on our OL.
Jones will probably have a 10-12 year career in the NFL. I think he will be a useful, versatile pro, but I don't think he will ever be the type of guy who excels at one position. I think he could be an above average OC and a serviceable OG, but I see his potential as an OT as being quite limited.
I think he is going to likely be drafted in the 75-110 range. If he's available for the Ravens in the late 3rd round, I think he could be a decent pick there. I think an even better option for the Ravens would be trade up from our natural 4th pick if he slides into the 4th round. I think he can be a valuable swing guy all over the O-line, but if you are going to draft an interior O-lineman in the 2nd round, you want him to be a plug-and-play type like Osemele. Keep in mind that Osemele was taken right at the end of last years 2nd round, and he's a far better NFL prospect than Jones IMO. If you put KO at any O-line position other than center, he's more NFL ready, and more upsided than Barrett Jones. That's not a knock on Jones. It's just that I don't see any NFL teams going for an O-lineman in the 2nd round who is more of a depth guy than an instant contributor.
Clabo's release was a bit of a headscratcher.
The Falcons saved $4.5 in base salary for 2013, but ate $1.55 in dead money, meaning the cap savings was $2.95. That part makes some sense, although I don't see their urgency to cut such a solid player unless there is another player on the horizon that requires his money.
What doesn't make sense is that, with a June 1st designation, the Falcons will eat the other $3.1 million of dead money on their 2014 cap. So they are absorbing $4.65 in dead money over this year and next all to remove his $4.5 base salary off the books for 2013. If Clabo was an awful player, that makes sense. If he was a Jared Gaither, I'd get it. He's a pretty talented RT, though, which makes this a bit strange.
Perhaps the Falcons are banking on getting a cheaper RT in this draft. This is a putrid draft for LTs, but there are oodles of intriguing RT prospects in rounds 2-5.
It goes to show you how the Ravens probably value Michael Oher fairly highly still. The Ravens could cut Oher if they wanted, saving $3.8 in base salary, and only absorbing $1.1 in dead money in 2013 with no future penalty, given his UFA status at the end of the year. Yet, the Ravens, despite the strength of RT in this upcoming draft, seem far more likely to extend him than cut him.
I realize no two situations are the same, but the fact that Oher's name was never mentioned as a cut candidate is probably telling.