The Garry Gilliam Project

[zelter]

Good Post - All eyes will be on the Gilliam tomorrow night
I find if I cant fall asleep at night I start thinking about different Oline Possibliities and the next thing I know the alarm is going off - give it a try

 

[kearly]

This subject has a lot to do with values. Britt was the worst pass blocking RT in the NFL, but one of the best run blockers. I agree that Britt should move to guard, but the idea of having an elite run blocking RT is very important to our style of offense. That's why guys like Bailey and Gilliam have been used at RT only as a last resort even though they are good pass blockers.

The key for Gilliam is how he develops in the run game. If he's all pass pro and no run blocking, he'll be a bandaid at the position for one season and that's it.

I do think he has the potential to be a complete tackle, and maybe even an elite one. But so far we've only seen the pass pro aspect show up, and it's still a very small sample size on top of that. Remember how geeked we were over Bailey and Bowie in the preseason two years ago? Hype can be an unfair thing sometimes, and I don't want to be unfair to Gilliam. I do understand the excitement, Gilliam's physical potential is awesome.

 

[Pandion Haliaetus]

This subject has a lot to do with values. Britt was the worst pass blocking RT in the NFL, but one of the best run blockers. I agree that Britt should move to guard, but the idea of having an elite run blocking RT is very important to our style of offense. That's why guys like Bailey and Gilliam have been used at RT only as a last resort even though they are good pass blockers.

The key for Britt is how he develops in the run game. If he's all pass pro and no run blocking, he'll be a bandaid at the position for one season and that's it.

I do think he has the potential to be a complete tackle, and maybe even an elite one. But so far we've only seen the pass pro aspect show up, and it's still a very small sample size on top of that. Remember how geeked we were over Bailey and Bowie in the preseason two years ago? Hype can be an unfair thing sometimes, and I don't want to be unfair to Gilliam. I do understand the excitement, Gilliam's physical potential is awesome.

Geeked, yes, but on the premise that both players would progress. Both a solid rookie campaigns only to get fat and lazy over the ensuing off-season. Again, Gilliam doesnt fit the poor work ethic that those two had dating back to the collegiate level. He's already ahead of the curve in that sense that he got bigger, stronger, and better over this off-season instead of being lazy and allow himself to get out of shape.

Gilliam also has a frame where he can add another 10-15 pounds and still retain above average athleticism. Its not gonna happen all at once but he'll work his way there if that is what the team wants.

No one is saying that he'll succeed only that the potential is there. Its all up to him. Any of us can say anything and have an opinion but its all up to him.

 

[BlueTalon]

Great thread, guys!

 

[kearly]

No one is saying that he'll succeed only that the potential is there. Its all up to him. Any of us can say anything and have an opinion but its all up to him.

I'm mostly responding to people like Hawkblogger who are already comparing the guy to Sean Locklear. I get it, but waaay too soon.

 

[GeekHawk]

Well, it is preseason and all... I agree, between the OP and Kearly, this is the sort of thread we used to get before the Big BS started happening. Keep it up, please!

 

[Tempest_Crow]

Yay, football thread!

 

[AVL]

Being an udfa, isn't his contract up after this year?

 

[McGruff]

Being an udfa, isn't his contract up after this year?

No. Original 3 year xeal, so two years left and an RFA year after that. If we want him he's ours for at least e more seasons.

 

[Jville]

We saw a heavy use of inside zone last year. They ran behind the guards and center 52% of their run plays. That was easily the heaviest inside tendency of the Pete Carroll era. The one down side to that inside emphasis could be what I thought was a higher incident of linemen having others roll up on their legs.

I am under the impression that what teams value at the tackle positions is morphing in the eyes of some teams. I think that Cable has wanted that power tackle. But match up rush specialists and mobile hybrids have disrupted that effort and challenged that paradigm. IMO

With Justin Britt's move to the inside and with Carroll's declaration that Drew Nowak is the strongest center since his arrival in Seattle, it seems likely that they have committed to a continuation of that tendency to run inside with power.

With regards to the tackles, Gary Gilliam appears to possess the quickness to pass block without risking a head start. Where as Russell Okung has demonstrated a tendancy to need to get a jump which I think telegraphs a pass play early on and sometimes draws a false start. From what I have seen so far, I anticipate more of the same from Okung when matched up with challenging pass rush hybrids and specialists.

As we all know, most of us are not sitting in on Cable's meetings. So my thoughts, as a fan, are speculative and this is my exercise in reading signs and signals. This is such a good thread. I wish we had a higher population of thoughtful and civil threads that welcomed the thoughts of fans with regards to the team's make up and trade offs.

Go Hawks!