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Re: Osemele will start opening game, McKinnie in danger to make roster
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08-15-2012, 05:37 PM #50
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08-15-2012, 06:28 PM #51Veteran Poster
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08-15-2012, 06:38 PM #52Regular 1st Stringer
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Re: Osemele will start opening game, McKinnie in danger to make roster
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Re: Osemele will start opening game, McKinnie in danger to make roster
As good as Michael Oher looked during his rookie season, I think he'd look fine if they just kept him at one darn spot.
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08-15-2012, 09:11 PM #55
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08-15-2012, 10:24 PM #56Hyperbolic curmudgeometer
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Re: Osemele will start opening game, McKinnie in danger to make roster
Speaking as "that one guy earlier in the thread," ;) I endorse this sentiment. Let McKinnie play his way back into shape while they get a look at other possible configurations--probably prudent considering you have 3 starters well over 30 who could go down (or need a week or two off) at any time.
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08-16-2012, 07:23 AM #57Legendary RSR Poster
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Re: Osemele will start opening game, McKinnie in danger to make roster
Long term, however, don't you get the sense that they would like Oher to be their left tackle for years to come? And then plan on Reid or Osemele emerging to claim the RT spot?
I just don't get the sense that McKinnie is long for the team, and I certainly would expect that they would rather not have to go into another draft needing to find their future left tackle.
If you envision Oher on the right side for the sake of keeping him in one spot, then you are looking at a scenerio of a} keeping McKinnie around for a good bit of time, b} developing Harewood into a starter at LT, c} using a high draft pick to find a LT, d} spending money in free agency to find another plug-in at LT when McKinnie leaves.
Personally, none of those options seem as attractive as putting Oher on the left side, with the intention of leaving him there, and banking on a guy like Osemele being your right tackle for years to come.
If Gradkowski can effectively step in for Birk, then you have a young line that could play together for a long time, with only the much-easier LG player to find.
Of course all this depends, as always, on these guys performing. And I recognize the Oher may not succeed on the left side. But if I'm Harbaugh, I would rather make Plan A Oher at LT and let him prove he can handle it.
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Re: Osemele will start opening game, McKinnie in danger to make roster
I agree that they are probably looking at Oher as the long term solution at left tackle UNLESS (which hopefully this is the case) they are in the position to draft a better LT prospect next year and/or are able to potentially sign a free agent LT.
At the end of the day though, a solid left tackle is one of the most difficult positions to acquire via draft or free agency. Even average left tackles never hit the open market in their prime because it's so hard to establish a guy who can adequately pass block on the left side.
If Oher can even be an average left tackle, then he'll be here for at least another 4 years or so and likely will be the LT. Sometimes it takes a guy a couple of years to really solidify their abilities at one position and they are bouncing Oher back and forth every other week (exaggerated, but the point remains), so it's probably not easy for him to really hone the skills for the LT position.
Houston fans were clamoring for Duane Brown to be cut after a year or two at LT and now he's one of the better LT's in the league. Same with Brandon Albert down in Kansas City.
Realistically, there are only 3 or 4 really "elite" (or what you could argue are elite) left tackles in the league right now [Long, Thomas, maybe Clady, maybe D. Brown] and there are several teams that are still successful with average and even - seemingly - below average left tackles. The Giants last year are a good example of this. The Cardinals re-signed Levi Brown and he's been nothing short of below average at LT since coming into the league...yet they felt compelled to keep him around. The alternatives just weren't good enough to make them comfortable with letting him go.
This is where the offensive coordinator and QB can really sow their oats with the passing game by game-planning around weak OT protection and getting the ball out quickly. that's what the Giants did last year with Eli, that's what the Bears do, etc.Disclaimer: The content posted is of my own opinion.
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