MrEpsYtown

I think Bates has earned another game to start. I think he looked a little better at RG than he did on the left side. I also thought that Cody Ford looked the best he ever did when he as playing next to Dion at LG before he got hurt last year. I think our best line combo is Dion-Ford-Morse-Bates-Brown. That’s what I would do. Bates seems very good in pass pro and your RG often times winds up with a 1 on 1. I think Williams has been ok, but not great. Having Williams and Feliciano on the bench is bot the worst thing. With the drafting of Brown and Doyle, who both scored elite RAS, as well as the Lamp (also elite) signing and even drafting of Jack Anderson, I hope they have realized the need for more athletic linemen in the league today. In fact, I hope they can get Anderson or Lamp back if they wind up on practice squads again. Another great thing about having Bates in there is that he has to know the pass protection calls on the same level as Morse. Essentially, you have two protection experts on the same line, so I saw what looked to be much better communication and execution in pass pro the other day.

Two things that still really bother me…trading Teller and drafting Zay Jones instead of Cooper Kupp. Just hard to get over. I like Ike Boettger a lot, but this really puts his career in a weird place. I bet they go after Brandon Scherff or Andrew Norwell. Get well soon Ike.

Dawkins came in at LT, Bates Moved over to LG, Williams bumped in to RG and Brown flipped over to RT.

I like the way Bates played. But I think the difference was Morse. I thought he had a very good game. If he plays they way he is capable I think it makes a huge difference. Brown and Bates are both guys with ridiculous RAS numbers athletically. We looked more athletic out there today.

I feel terrible for Ike man. Get well soon man.

Who are the announcers in that game? They are just awful

He definitely looked legit today. Always had the speed, but I thought his route running was really on point today. I’ve never been the prez of the McKenzie fan club, so I must admit I was pleasantly surprised and I think he is a legit guy going forward.

Ryan Bates is pretty good guys. He’s doing a nice job

I think Taylor Decker is keeping the seat warm and holds the job for a year or two while Sewell develops

Anyone check out how Andre Dillard’s career is goin? That was a draft darling I will never understand.

I want to see Justin Fields and Trey Lance succeed. Sam Darnold too. I love Justin Herbert as well and would like to see them overtake the Chiefs in the next few years. I like what Rivera is doing in Washington and want to see them take over the NFC East. Honestly, however unlikely, I would like to see Tebow make a difference as an H back in the league. I can't fathom why people don't like the dude.

Haack is an excellent athlete actually. He was a star wide receiver in high school who took a weird path to punting. Great article here: https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/high-school/2020/09/11/matt-haack-miami-dolphins-dowling-catholic-arizona-state-nlf-punter/5699875002/ He will be a fan favorite, and will improve our field goal game by being a much better holder. He doesn’t seem to have the fastball that Bojo has, but he’s the more complete punter. He developed great chemistry with the kicker Sanders as well. And there is this too: https://mobile.twitter.com/FieldYates/status/1201219614874750976

Keuchly should be doing play by play. More money in it, good looking guy, very intelligent. He could be the defensive Romo.

Watching Lamp on NFL network vs Broncos. Looks very good. Excellent in pass pro and zone game

I agree with this. We need to be a pass first offense. But when we do run it has to be effective to set up the play action game. That is how you become a Super Bowl team. With the defensive fronts teams give us and the fact that they have to spy Josh, you have to have a competent run game with an actual identity.

I agree. I think an outside zone running scheme is fine. What the Shanny line of coaches has always done well is pluck super athletic zone type linemen to run their system. We have some athletic guys with really high RAS numbers and some slow plodders and that's why I think our line has a bit of an identity crisis. If we are truly an outside zone team Ford, Boettger, Feliciano should not see the field.

Good takes and makes sense. And all of that is my opinion. I consider myself somewhat of an Online guru. Been a varsity coach 13 years and it's what I study, but that doesn't make me an expert. Definitely my opinion based on what I see. Lamp was drafted right after they picked Zay Jones, so I wonder if he was high on our board. No way of knowing that, but I think it is just a case of adding a guy with a lot of upside for competitive purposes. I also like Ryan Bates more than most and I am not a Feliciano fan. To me he's more bark than bite. You can't be rah rah lets run the football and then complete whiff and blow blocks. Now if we can transfer his attitude and effort onto one of these more "talented" guys, you have the makings of a special player. I agree with @GunnerBill in that Morse has really underachieved as has Ford. Those are major issues to me as well. If you cut Morse and plugged Bates in at center, I don't think there would be a much, if any, drop off in play. Myae some issues with communication, which is where Morse excels. Ford is still raw and very young, but he's been a huge disappointment. On Lamp, I actually think he project to be a very good center. He was a college left tackle and has played both left and right guard in the pros.

It's true, those guys should be fine in any scheme. I think Moss would be an absolute beast in a Greg Roman type of Power O.

I think we are in a weird place in terms of what we want to do with our O-Line and running game. We have a mixed bag of O-Lineman. Guys like Dawkins (who is very athletic) and Feliciano are supposed to be "mauler" type guys. Then you have Morse, Bates and the guys who we drafted who are athletic types along with a guy like Forrest Lamp who are more finesse type players with extremely high RAS scores. We saw more running success two years ago when we had a fullback and ran more pin and pull and gap type plays. We seem to be heading more towards a zone type team, but don't have zone type running backs. And we have linemen like Ford, Boettger, and Feliciano who do not excel in the zone game and moving laterally. So I feel like there is an identity crisis goin on. And that's why I think Lamp will eventually start if they want better pass blockers. If you want an athletic, pass heavy team you go: Dawkins-Lamp-Morse-Bates-Williams (All college LTs except Williams) If you want to go Heavy big guys you go: Dawkins-Boettger-Feliciano-Ford-Williams I don't think any of those wind up as the starting offensive line. I like the first group better. They are highly athletic and actually very strong (Morse 36 reps, Lamp 34, Bates 28). At the end of the day, it is going to be some combination of these guys, which again shows the identity crisis in run game construction.

I like Lamp a lot. My stance is that the pedigree there is better than anyone else we have in the interior. He was a former standout left tackle who moved into guard because his arm length. He's dealt with injuries, but his RAS numbers are awesome and he finally played a full season. His is more athletic and stronger than any of the other guys he is competing with and is an excellent pass blocker. And he is still young, just a few month older than Boettger. Lamp is better than Boettger, Ford, Feliciano, he is just they bigger risk due to his injury history. This team is going to play the guys who deserve to play. They ate that Quinton Spain contract last year because he didn't deserve the spot. What they are paying Boettger and Feliciano is inconsequential to this discussion

I don't like being the "sign this guy that this other team just cut" guy. But Cowboys are releasing Antwaun Woods, who would be a great fit as a NT on our defense. He's stout, but isn't just a space eating big guy. I guess they are releasing him for cap reasons.

A lot of people wanted LVE and Rashaan Evans that year and both of those guys had their options declined. Sometimes fans' perceived value of a player does not line up with how the team and the league feel about a guy.

Remember that Hurst tried baseball before he came back to football. He is still raw and will be 28 years old going into the season. Still upside there, and he's a good player, but I'd still roll with a raw 24 years old Knox. Not to mention, I think Jacob Hollister can do all of the same things Hurst can. Is younger, and faster.

Your have Lev Bell and Todd Gurley out there. Would they accept a part time role? Neither seem like feature backs anymore. but maybe they could excel as receivers and third down backs? Gurley is only 27! You have a Duke Johnson who is still out there and I am sure could help. I like his explosiveness and think he would be a good fit. To me, I like Rex Burkhead. He is a really good special teamer, is used to a part time role, and excels in a part time role and as a situational player. Plus he is a leader.

I like Bashaud Breeland. To me he is the perfect fit, a zone corner, and he has a little nastiness to his game.