We're still kind of thin at OT

Behind Russell Okung, who has missed 18 games in his four-year career, there are only two listed OTs on the roster: LT Alvin Bailey and RT Michael Bowie. Both players had surprisingly strong rookie seasons, but both may have more potential inside at guard. Bowie would probably be the favorite at this point to start at RT.

The guard position seems comparatively more well stocked. They return both starting guards from last season: JR Sweezy and James Carpenter. Bailey is expected to compete with Carpenter at the LG position. Backup center Lemuel Jeanpierre can play any of the interior positions if needed. They also signed center/guards Greg Van Roten and Stephen Schilling immediately after their release; they have played in a combined 27 games over the last three seasons. In addition, they still have second-year guards Caylin Hauptmann and Jared Smith, who played on the practice squad as rookies.

It made sense to let Breno go, but hopefully they sign a decent FA offensive tackle or draft well at the position. It got pretty ugly watching Paul McQuistan try to play LT last season.

Draft O-Lineman.

With some luck the draft will cure the depth issues at OT and maybe even provide the team with a young competitor for the RT job.

I'd be nice to see the team add a couple of OT's this draft and maybe even a solid interior player (G/C) as well.

This draft is very deep with solid solid candidates at almost every OLine position.

Don't forget the two off season FA signings of Van Roten & Schilling. No idea what position the Hawks have to try them at, but they are offensive lineman. I would expect the Hawks to draft an offensive tackle early this draft. Be nice if they could pick up a solid starter at tackle with an early pick.

Draft plus Bowie, Bailey, Hauptmann.

lsheldon":8lq6vs9n said:

Don't forget the two off season FA signings of Van Roten & Schilling. No idea what position the Hawks have to try them at, but they are offensive lineman. I would expect the Hawks to draft an offensive tackle early this draft. Be nice if they could pick up a solid starter at tackle with an early pick.

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That's a good question.

Van Roten played guard and center for the Green Bay Packers, mostly on the practice squad. He appeared on special teams in ten games in his career. At 6'3, 303 with short arms, Van Roten appears to be more of an interior player.

Stephen Schilling is a little longer than Van Roten, and he has some experience playing RT in college (he alternated between LG and RT). He measured in at 6'4 with 32 3⁄4 inch arms at the combine. San Diego primarily used him as their backup RG.

It will be interesting to see if one of these guys earns some playing time at OT.

Cut down day. There'll be lots of journeyman O linemen bobbing about in FA that we could bring in to round out the corps. #notworried

The draft this year is very deep in offensive tackles. I would image the Hawks would take one in the first or second round, for two reasons.....

1) We are currently very thin at the tackle position, (essentially: Okung at LT and Bowie/Hauptmann at RT). That is very risky at RT, not much experience there and almost nobody that can man LT when Okungs annual injury bug hits.

2) It would be a great opportunity for the Hawks to draft an OT who can challenge for the RT position this season with the skills to possibly take over for Okung next year if the team decides it is best to put that money somewhere else. This draft is very deep in guys that have sufficient talent to play LT in the NFL. This reason may end up being almost as important as reason #1.

Just my 2 cents.

:thirishdrinkers:

Frozenropers":wwpebtkn said:

The draft this year is very deep in offensive tackles. I would image the Hawks would take one in the first or second round, for two reasons.....

1) We are currently very thin at the tackle position, (essentially: Okung at LT and Bowie/Hauptmann at RT). That is very risky at RT, not much experience there and almost nobody that can man LT when Okungs annual injury bug hits.

2) It would be a great opportunity for the Hawks to draft an OT who can challenge for the RT position this season with the skills to possibly take over for Okung next year if the team decides it is best to put that money somewhere else. This draft is very deep in guys that have sufficient talent to play LT in the NFL. This reason may end up being almost as important as reason #1.

Just my 2 cents.

:thirishdrinkers:

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I agree that the draft is the best case scenario to target an offensive lineman or, likely, two. However, we do not have a third round draft pick. We, surprisingly have quite a few draft needs. A wide receiver, a linebacker future replacement for Wright, Wagner, Irvin, or Smith (I doubt we keep more than two of these four), a cornerback (to replace Thurmond or eventually replace Maxwell), and probably even a safety to compete with Shead.

On top of this, if we don't bring in Allen (or another veteran pass rusher) we will need to locate a pass rusher in the draft.

I Expect an offensive tackle or o-lineman of some sort with one
of the first two picks in this years draft.

There's still free agency left as well as roster cut downs. Don't expect
too many here though as coach Cable seems to look for specific traits.

I think we will have a few draft picks and free agent signed. Not worried

only O-lineman that will be added now is threw the draft. Need to re-sign Earl Thomas and maybe Jared Allen.

If we are going to draft OT should we also trade up to get one of the top guys at the possition? According to the NFL networks poor QB showings at pro days have shuffled the draft projections with OL and TE positions moving up. ASJ for example is now projected as the 2nd TE off the board.

We already have an O-Line thread........viewtopic.php?f=2&t=91629

Happypuppy":3m0t4q6p said:

I think we will have a few draft picks and free agent signed. Not worried

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I AM worried.

We lost the starting RT, and a good depth man in McQ. We picked up a guy that has very limited experience. In the draft we now have to focus on WR, D-Line, an now O-line.

Largent80":2cjlidj1 said:

Happypuppy":2cjlidj1 said:

I think we will have a few draft picks and free agent signed. Not worried

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I AM worried.

We lost the starting RT, and a good depth man in McQ. We picked up a guy that has very limited experience. In the draft we now have to focus on WR, D-Line, an now O-line.

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They obviously see some great potential in Michael Bowie to takeover at RT or they would have made re-signing Breno a priority.

PFF grades are in no way definitive, but Michael Bowie did receive their highest grade of any linemen on the team (+7.1). For comparison, Breno received a -0.2, having been credited with allowing four sacks and 19 hurries on just 552 snaps. Breno was a -1.5 in the running game. McQuistan had a ridiculous -24.8 grade, allowing 8 sacks and 23 hurries on 802 snaps.

I don't recall ASJ ever being rated as anything other than the 2 TE in this draft.

But I do like the idea of trading up (if necessary) to get a stud O-lineman. A stout line makes many of our other perceived weaknesses just a bit less weak. Open up some holes for our backs and that makes the receivers better. Hell, give RW time to throw and he will make Lockette look like a legit NFL receiver.

I would have to consider giving up our entire draft for Greg Robinson. You can't find guys like him because they only make a few every several years. There are many men 6'2" 215 in this country. That makes for an obviously bigger pool of CBs, WRs, etc. But finding a guy 6'6" 335 that moves like he's 215...that's a talent you have to grab, and for a decade, you'll be glad you did.

O-linemen like Robinson make average RBs look like superstars and keep your real superstars from defecting to other teams. Once he gets his pass pro dialed in, he will be perennial all-pro. Bank it.

Robinson is projected to be the first lineman taken and go in the top 10. Some have him rated as high as the second over all pick. How could we trade up that far?

brimsalabim":1fq1ppsq said:

Robinson is projected to be the first lineman taken and go in the top 10. Some have him rated as high as the second over all pick. How could we trade up that far?

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We can't. But there are several other RT prospects that we will have a chance to select (Morgan Moses, Cyrus Kouandjio, Antonio Richardson, JuWaun James, etc.) There are also prospects capable of playing guard or RT, like Zach Martin, Brandon Thomas, and Joe Bitonio, who could be options for a team that values versatility in its linemen.

Versatility is great for back ups. We let our starting RT go so we need to replace him with an NFL caliber starter.