O-line

[Smelly McUgly]

A lot of improvement will come if Unger gets right. If he's going through a Kam thing where he played worse because of injury, not a big deal. However, I would like to see Seattle draft a G and a C. Jared Smith might be groomed primarily as a backup C too since Jeanpierre is a FA.

If it takes cutting Carp and saving 1.4M to help re-sign Breno, I'm fine with that too.

 

[Jville]

A lot of improvement will come if Unger gets right. If he's going through a Kam thing where he played worse because of injury, not a big deal. However, I would like to see Seattle draft a G and a C. Jared Smith might be groomed primarily as a backup C too since Jeanpierre is a FA.

If it takes cutting Carp and saving 1.4M to help re-sign Breno, I'm fine with that too.

Oh my ...... I think this is the first I've seen anyone at .net venture out and suggest that Breno verses Carpenter trade off. Thanks for stepping forward and expressing your view.

 

[DavidSeven]

I think improving interior protection will be huge, and I think that alone would help us more than a big WR or a new TE. Would love to see them grab a legit OG with their top pick. With Unger's contract number, it might be worth looking at a C in the mid-rounds that we can develop as a successor. I'd like to see them re-sign Breno on a modest deal, but Bowie will be OK at RT if our interior gets better.

There's definitely durability concerns with Okung, but I don't see a way out of that situation. Hard to find a legit LT in the later rounds of the draft these days. I think you got to stick with him and hope he stays healthy, because you can't really replace a Pro Bowl LT for cheap or via smart drafting.

Also, hopefully Cable/JS have gotten better at evaluating top-end linemen...

 

[kearly]

I think 2012 was much closer to an accurate representation of our line than 2013 was. So many damn injuries in 2013, including guys who played hurt and played like crap all year long.

Recent history has shown that OL are over-drafted and weapons tend to slide on draft day. You never see guys like Joe Thomas, Russell Okung or Trent Williams sliding into the twenties. But it seems like almost every year there's a Percy Harvin, a Dez Bryant, a Demaryius Thomas, a Roddy White, a DeAndre Hopkins, a Cordarelle Patterson... not to mention that the top rated TE prospects have usually gone in the 20-40 range. There's also a very long list of star NFL WRs who were taken in the 2nd round.

Though I do think Seattle needs to become more stout inside on the OL, the reality is that we just aren't picking high enough to fix that problem without a ton of luck being involved. On the flipside, our team has a very real need for weapons and history suggests that Seattle could walk out of the first round with a potential star in that area.

In the end, it depends on how Seattle grades their own OL, how they grade their own WRs, and how they grade individual players in the draft. Drafting OL in the first round is definitely not out of the question, though I suspect Seattle will situate themselves so that they are not pigeonholed into drafting a certain area early. But as things stand right now (assuming Breno stays), I think the biggest area of upgrade will be at WR or TE, unless Seattle just really hates this year's crop of WR/TE for some reason.

 

[HawkWow]

"hopefully Cable/JS have gotten better at evaluating top-end linemen..." ~ DavidSeven


^This.

I'm all for Cable watching this draft from his Ipad. I think he's a damn good coach but history questions his ability to evaluate talent. We will need to draft the position high, IMO, and our positioning alone complicates the matter enough.

 

[LickMyNuts]

I'd like to see them draft a couple of tackles. It is easier to move a young tackle to guard for a season. If we have injuries like last year a tackle can fill in at either position. No more McGinger at left tackle.

 

[DavidSeven]

I think 2012 was much closer to an accurate representation of our line than 2013 was. So many damn injuries in 2013, including guys who played hurt and played like crap all year long.

Recent history has shown that OL are over-drafted and weapons tend to slide on draft day. You never see guys like Joe Thomas, Russell Okung or Trent Williams sliding into the twenties. But it seems like almost every year there's a Percy Harvin, a Dez Bryant, a Demaryius Thomas, a Roddy White, a DeAndre Hopkins, a Cordarelle Patterson... not to mention that the top rated TE prospects have usually gone in the 20-40 range. There's also a very long list of star NFL WRs who were taken in the 2nd round.

Though I do think Seattle needs to become more stout inside on the OL, the reality is that we just aren't picking high enough to fix that problem without a ton of luck being involved. On the flipside, our team has a very real need for weapons and history suggests that Seattle could walk out of the first round with a potential star in that area.

In the end, it depends on how Seattle grades their own OL, how they grade their own WRs, and how they grade individual players in the draft. Drafting OL in the first round is definitely not out of the question, though I suspect Seattle will situate themselves so that they are not pigeonholed into drafting a certain area early. But as things stand right now (assuming Breno stays), I think the biggest area of upgrade will be at WR or TE, unless Seattle just really hates this year's crop of WR/TE for some reason.

Yeah, I don't really disagree. The trend has definitely been to overdraft linemen. However, I did look at a draft projection recently and all the top Guards seemed to have late 1st/2nd round grade, so that gives me hope. I think finding a good Tackle at that spot is unrealistic, so I didn't even bring it up. Personally, I'm hoping they go OG first, then big WR in the 2nd, but I won't be upset if that gets flipped based on available talent.

 

[RolandDeschain]

Just keep giving Tom Cable more clay to work with every draft until we've developed a very good O-line, one way or another. Preferably some quality clay.

 

[Bobblehead]

clay?

Or just draft DL..
IF they don't work out there..We have our options.

 

[HawkWow]

I think 2012 was much closer to an accurate representation of our line than 2013 was. So many damn injuries in 2013, including guys who played hurt and played like crap all year long.

Recent history has shown that OL are over-drafted and weapons tend to slide on draft day. You never see guys like Joe Thomas, Russell Okung or Trent Williams sliding into the twenties. But it seems like almost every year there's a Percy Harvin, a Dez Bryant, a Demaryius Thomas, a Roddy White, a DeAndre Hopkins, a Cordarelle Patterson... not to mention that the top rated TE prospects have usually gone in the 20-40 range. There's also a very long list of star NFL WRs who were taken in the 2nd round.

Though I do think Seattle needs to become more stout inside on the OL, the reality is that we just aren't picking high enough to fix that problem without a ton of luck being involved. On the flipside, our team has a very real need for weapons and history suggests that Seattle could walk out of the first round with a potential star in that area.

In the end, it depends on how Seattle grades their own OL, how they grade their own WRs, and how they grade individual players in the draft. Drafting OL in the first round is definitely not out of the question, though I suspect Seattle will situate themselves so that they are not pigeonholed into drafting a certain area early. But as things stand right now (assuming Breno stays), I think the biggest area of upgrade will be at WR or TE, unless Seattle just really hates this year's crop of WR/TE for some reason.

Excellent points and while I feel the line a priority, I sure don't want us taking a lineman for the sake of taking a lineman. We've been guilty of similar set-back causing decisions in the past. Like most, I can't see O-line talent beyond the obvious talent. And as you state...those dudes are long gone before the Champ has the opportunity to pick. No sense in talking the fiercely unpopular idea of trade (again) but one way or another, the line needs to be upgraded...unless we can get re-realigned and shipped back to the relative safety of the AFC.

IF the FO does not see an OL worthy of our our first pick, I'm all about ASJ. I think he is that future pro bowl piece, yet (likely) available at our pick, you reference above. Plus, he can help on the OL. Let Cable coach him up while we enjoy the savings from the probably departed Miller (one of my favorite players, btw).

 

[cacksman]

Was it me or did Unger play like #### all year?

He made the Pro Bowl and there is absolutely no way he deserved that.

 

[Sarlacc83]

Just keep giving Tom Cable more clay to work with every draft until we've developed a very good O-line, one way or another. Preferably some quality clay.

Or identify 3rd and 4th round talent like they do for DBs.

I would really go "huh?" if they passed over this WR class for a tackle. I mean, I'd hope the tackle turned out better than Carpenter, but I'd prefer to get some weapons for Russell so that he doesn't have to worry about a pocket - in turn forcing defenders out of the box.

 

[QuahHawk]

I want to give Wilson big weapons as much if not more than protect him. A big jump ball winning WR would really open things up for this offense. We could Draft OL in the 2nd and 4th.

 

[Leee-roy]

What about a proven FA or 2?

 

[HawKnPeppa]

Was it me or did Unger play like #### all year?

He made the Pro Bowl and there is absolutely no way he deserved that.

Love how some of us 'evaluate' talent. He was playing with turf toe all season. I agree that he shouldn't have made the Pro Bowl, but sometimes players get the benefit of the doubt once they are in that 'fraternity.'

 

[Tokadub]

Our whole offensive line played like trash in many games is season, even Unger and Ukung our pro bowlers looked like garbage scraps.

I think our offensive line needs to be addressed wont go any further than that, but if you give Wilson an elite offensive line with our existing receivers plus Lynch and Christine Michael you are talking about some elite $%#^

 

[Happypuppy]

It seems we have a hard time drafting quality O lineman that are above average. Of all the position groups the O line is easily worse vs dollars spent. I would like to see them evaluate every player on the line vs who else is available and at what cost. If a better player is available fix it. We did it with the D line time for the O line. I am not sold on our LT staying healthy ;he is talented but he is facing a second surgery and turf toe derailed Jonathan Ogden's career.

 

[RolandDeschain]

Just keep giving Tom Cable more clay to work with every draft until we've developed a very good O-line, one way or another. Preferably some quality clay.

Or identify 3rd and 4th round talent like they do for DBs.

I would be fine with that. To be honest, I just want us to find at least one more quality starter on the O-line. Regardless of where he gets drafted at. For whatever reason, it just seems impossible for us to have a healthy O-line. We need better guys and better depth.

 

[nwgamer]

Was it me or did Unger play like #### all year?

He made the Pro Bowl and there is absolutely no way he deserved that.

Deserving of the probowl nod is irrelevant, the probowl is a popularity contest we all know that. That being said, Unger had that pectoris tear in the season that likely never did heal all the way up. We were in such dire straits, I think he just sucked it up and played in pain tbh. That's the impression I kept getting while watching.

 

[ZagHawk]

With the Super Bowl win now a week in my rear view mirror I am starting to get into offseason GM thinking mode. It is obvious to me that the o-line will be the offseason priority much like the d-line was last year. What looked like a late season struggle for Russell can really be attributed to who he was playing. SF, Arizona, Stl all have elite level defenses.

Given that SF, Arizona and STL are all in our division. Yeah we better fix that O-line issue because using the elite level defense excuse next season will not be forgivable. i.e. You play 6 games a year against elite level defenses, and you're not going to do anything about it to mitigate it. Another thing worth noting.

Arizona beat us at home last season, STL made it a game as they did last season. Niners have been homing in closer and closer to beating us at home. But on the flip side, we demolished Arizona on the road this season, STL was definitely a close game. We were a FG away from a win against the Niners, so we'll see how things go at Levis.