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Pugh said on Sirius XM is open to play wherever coaches need him

Defenderdawg : 5/21/2015 8:22 pm
Pat had a number of quotes from the interview:

@Patricia_Traina: Justin Pugh via Sirius XM, on losing Beatty: "It's tough when a guy goes down." Said Will's in high spirits.

@Patricia_Traina: Pugh: "I just know whoever goes out there is going to play physical football."

@Patricia_Traina: Pugh said Flowers is a "Great kid" who works hard and who is fitting in well.

@Patricia_Traina: Pugh on advice he gave to Flowers: "There's a lot of pressure. Go out there, play hard and be seen and not heard."

@Patricia_Traina: Pugh said the shadow of the 2007 Giants OL will linger until the current OL forms its own legacy.

@Patricia_Traina: Pugh also said he's open to playing where ever the coaches need him most.

@Patricia_Traina: Pugh said he loves this offense.

@Patricia_Traina: Pugh said he hasn't played guard since HS. He said he told the Giants he would play anywhere they needed him.

@Patricia_Traina: Pugh said there can't be egos when you've lost like they have otehrwise you'll be looking for jobs.

@SiriusXMNFL: .@JustinPugh on top pick @Eflow_74: he may already be the strongest guy on the team, seems like a great guy who's willing to work #Giants

@alexmarvez: Pugh says he hasn't played guard since high school but is more than willing to make that shift if @Giants ask @SiriusXMNFL
I  
AcidTest : 5/21/2015 8:36 pm : link
think he'll be shifting to LT.
Not that anyone can be happy about losing Beatty...  
Dan in the Springs : 5/21/2015 8:46 pm : link
but I think Pugh stands to gain as much or more by this injury than anyone else.

A week ago the thought was that he would be going inside to G, which he may have been willing to do but would certainly hurt his eventual FA value. Now? Giants thought he could play the LT position when he was drafted. Because of this injury he will get another chance to showcase his ability at one of the T positions, and a good argument could be made to put him at LT.
Pugh at LT  
DavidinBMNY : 5/21/2015 8:47 pm : link
Newhouse at LG?
Has Newhouse played guard since he's been in the league?  
Jay on the Island : 5/21/2015 9:05 pm : link
As of now I think Pugh at LT makes the most sense. I think he would be more than serviceable at LT.
RE: Has Newhouse played guard since he's been in the league?  
Dan in the Springs : 5/21/2015 10:01 pm : link
In comment 12297200 Jay on the Island said:
Quote:
As of now I think Pugh at LT makes the most sense. I think he would be more than serviceable at LT.


If they don't give him a shot at the job it will say a lot reading between the lines, about the difference in opinion on Pugh of the front office and the coaches. Look at the quotes from draft day.

Reese:
Quote:
We think this guy can play left tackle


Ross:
Quote:
I think he has the skill set to play anywhere along the line, and whatever our coaches feel is the biggest need to put him at next year, I think he can do that – from left tackle to center to right tackle to guard


Coughlin:
Quote:
He has performed at the left tackle position. We think he can play right tackle.


Notice a difference? Both Reese and Ross explicitly said they thought he could play left tackle. Coughlin was more conservative and actually says "we" think he can play right tackle. He never really clarifies that, leaving some uncertainty on whether there was consensus on Pugh @LT on draft day.

Compare those comments to the things said about Flowers on draft day this year.
Reese:
Quote:
He can play left or right tackle.

Ross: He played left tackle the last two years, so wherever the coaches want to play him and feel most comfortable right now, but I feel he can do either tackle spot.[/quote]
Coughlin:
Quote:
He can be either side. He [was] a left tackle last year, but he has the size and so on and so forth to play a lot of spots if you so desire. We think he is a tackle.


IMO this will be his best chance to show that he can play the premier position on the OL. This happens next year and Flowers pretty much gets handed the job, but this year is Pugh's chance to win it, imo.

Given the disparity in pay between LT and RT (half the league pays 4.91% or more in salary cap dollars to LT vs. 2.17% for RT), the potential difference is >=$6MM guaranteed dollars for Pugh come his next contract, should he win the job and perform it at average or above levels even for a few months as a backup. All he really needs to do is put some tape down showing he's league average or better at LT for the first 8 games of the season to make that kind of money.

A lot at stake for Pugh if you think about it.
My take  
notoriousc : 5/21/2015 11:13 pm : link
If the giants plan before Beatty's injury was to move Pugh to G, then just do it now, same with Flowers at RT. Set 4/5ths of the line, and plug in Beatty when he returns.

Im fearful of reshuffling line after Beatty return, moving Pugh inside and flipping Flowers over 2 the other side.

Build up some continuity
Pugh has always been the best LT on the team.  
drkenneth : 5/21/2015 11:19 pm : link
.
drkenneth  
notoriousc : 5/21/2015 11:25 pm : link
What???? Are we watching the same game?? Pugh was below to avg RT, now u want to move him to the blind side. 2 years, one considered average cause he was a ROOKIE, and his 2nd yr he def took a step back. But hes the best LT on the team. LMAO
RE: Pugh has always been the best LT on the team.  
Anakim : 5/21/2015 11:26 pm : link
In comment 12297261 drkenneth said:
Quote:
.


How do you know?
Simplest solution:  
81_Great_Dane : 5/21/2015 11:27 pm : link
Flowers - ??? - Richburg - Schwartz - Pugh

Richburg goes to his natural position, Schwartz & Pugh stay put. However it's unlikely they start a rookie at LT, and no one can be very confident that a competition among Jerry, Herman, Mosley, Hart and Jones will churn up a legitimate NFL starter. (Could happen, but I wouldn't bet on it.)

Simplest solution isn't necessarily best solution. That might be

Pugh - ??? - Richburg - Schwartz - Flowers

Flowers plays next to a veteran on the right side, Richburg goes to his natural position, Pugh at least is a veteran. The big question is: Who plays LG?

Just move pugh now  
notoriousc : 5/21/2015 11:31 pm : link
Flowers-Pugh-Richburg-Jerry-Schwartz

when WBeatty comes back

WB-Pugh_Richburg-Schwartz-Flowers
One of the worst things about Beatty's injury  
Jay on the Island : 5/21/2015 11:53 pm : link
is that Pugh now loses all this time to learn how to play guard and work on his technique to get ready for the season as he is now likely to stay at tackle. When Beatty gets back will Pugh be comfortable enough to play guard with little to no practice time at the position? To all those worrying about Pugh at left tackle I personally think left tackle is his more natural position. Honestly how many of you were confident in 2007 when we went into the season with David Diehl as the starting LT?
My take  
Ed A. : 5/22/2015 12:04 am : link
Pugh - TBD - Richburg - Schwartz - Flowers.
TBD- competition between Jones, Hart, Herman Jerry, Mosley, Bamiro, etc. etc.
I would bet on Jones winning it after watching the tape on him.
I think Pugh can be a plus player at left tackle  
Milton : 5/22/2015 12:17 am : link
He may never be a Pro Bowl left tackle, but he can get the job done just like Diehl was able to get the job done despite not being the prototype. The key to Pugh's success at left tackle will be the reliability of the rest of the OL. If the only worry along the OL is Pugh at left tackle, the OL will be fine. If we need Pugh to make up for deficiencies inside, the OL will struggle.
If you have Will Beatty healthy you plug Flowers  
BlueLou : 5/22/2015 2:01 am : link
in at ORT for the next 2 years or even until the end of Beatty's contract or tenure as a Giant, but you don't.

So why so many here are hot to move Pugh from RT (where he played the last 2 years) to LT, and flip Flowers from LT (where he has played the last 3 years) to RT, I just don't get why on earth you would have this plan a priori! Pugh with his trex arms and adequate but not more size...

1st thing you gotta try is plugging your new franchise OT into the vacated OLT slot...

"He [Flowers] may already be the strongest guy on the team." Pugh himself said that!.
RE: If you have Will Beatty healthy you plug Flowers  
Milton : 5/22/2015 2:42 am : link
In comment 12297296 BlueLou said:
Quote:
why so many here are hot to move Pugh from RT (where he played the last 2 years) to LT, and flip Flowers from LT (where he has played the last 3 years) to RT, I just don't get why on earth you would have this plan a priori!
I can't speak for the others, but there are two reasons I prefer Pugh on the left and Flowers on the right...
1) Pugh's size and athleticism is better suited for the left side even if his length isn't ideal, whereas Flowers strength lends itself well to the right side with Schwartz to his left.
2) I'd rather have the veteran protecting Eli's blindside. Especially considering Flowers has much work to do on his technique.
Milton as usual your argument seems logical.  
BlueLou : 5/22/2015 6:01 am : link
But IMO it's logical in a vacuum of sorts. It seems the coaching staff's observation of Pugh over 2 years had led them to think his skill set would be best employed inside at OG. Now you and many others here assume that Pugh, who's had a mixed 2 year review at ORT should be given a promotion to OLT? Doesn't seem like the wisest first assay to solve Beatty's absence to me.

Oh he could end up there if Flowers can't hack it as a rookie, but I doubt it's the first option.
Ideally ....  
Beer Man : 5/22/2015 6:25 am : link
Flowers Wally Pipps Will B., but that may be too much to expect from a rookie. And does the team risk an injury to Eli to find that answer?
That's the spirit.  
Victor in CT : 5/22/2015 8:31 am : link
Just play
RE: RE: If you have Will Beatty healthy you plug Flowers  
Johnny5 : 5/22/2015 9:52 am : link
In comment 12297300 Milton said:
Quote:
I can't speak for the others, but there are two reasons I prefer Pugh on the left and Flowers on the right...
1) Pugh's size and athleticism is better suited for the left side even if his length isn't ideal, whereas Flowers strength lends itself well to the right side with Schwartz to his left.
2) I'd rather have the veteran protecting Eli's blindside. Especially considering Flowers has much work to do on his technique.

Agree with Milton. Pugh was a good LT for Syracuse, I'd be comfortable with that move. To the people killing Pugh, the guy is a good player. He was injured last year and the overall OL was a disaster which compounded hi downturn. I'd be surprised if Flowers would be put there right away, since he needs work on his footwork, but I guess we have to hold our breath either way.
RE: RE: If you have Will Beatty healthy you plug Flowers  
Victor in CT : 5/22/2015 10:07 am : link
In comment 12297300 Milton said:
Quote:
In comment 12297296 BlueLou said:


Quote:


why so many here are hot to move Pugh from RT (where he played the last 2 years) to LT, and flip Flowers from LT (where he has played the last 3 years) to RT, I just don't get why on earth you would have this plan a priori!

I can't speak for the others, but there are two reasons I prefer Pugh on the left and Flowers on the right...
1) Pugh's size and athleticism is better suited for the left side even if his length isn't ideal, whereas Flowers strength lends itself well to the right side with Schwartz to his left.
2) I'd rather have the veteran protecting Eli's blindside. Especially considering Flowers has much work to do on his technique.


Good points Milton.
Has Pugh's weight changed at all?  
Giants2012 : 5/22/2015 10:08 am : link
.
All kidding aside,  
Simms11 : 5/22/2015 10:42 am : link
how would Pugh's shorter arms affect his ability to play left tackle in this league? I think he's athletic enough, however, he might get eaten alive by DEs on that side. I'm sure he will certainly get the opportunity to show what he can do in pre-season.
We'll see what happens in practice,  
Enoch : 5/22/2015 10:48 am : link
but I like Pugh at RT and Flowers at LT more than the opposite right now.

It's tough to give help to both OTs at the same time. I'd rather a setup where the team has a lot of comfort with one of the tackles (i.e., Pugh on the right side), so that they can shift the help to the guy who might need it. Flowers R and Pugh L give you 2 guys playing out of position, and you have to choose which of them you want to help on any given play. I think that's a bigger risk than is putting the rookie up against the better of the opposing pass-rushers. Teams move their edge guys around so much nowadays that they'll target the weak point wherever they think it is.
If I'm charge, I want Flowers to seize the LT gig  
JonC : 5/22/2015 11:16 am : link
and answer that question for the next ten years, in theory. Then, the question becomes are they stronger with Pugh at LG and Newhouse at RT, or Jerry/other at LG and Pugh at RT.

I think Newhouse is going to play a role here  
PatersonPlank : 5/22/2015 11:27 am : link
He has starters experience for the Packers. He can play RT, and did play LT for Green Bay for a full season. Not that he is great, but he is certainly better than most of what we have. I'd be tempted to do a Newhouse-Pugh-Richburg-Schartz-Flowers lineup. If Flowers can handle LT, then I would flip Newhouse and Flowers.
RE: I think Newhouse is going to play a role here  
Enoch : 5/22/2015 11:57 am : link
In comment 12297570 PatersonPlank said:
Quote:
He has starters experience for the Packers. He can play RT, and did play LT for Green Bay for a full season. Not that he is great, but he is certainly better than most of what we have. I'd be tempted to do a Newhouse-Pugh-Richburg-Schartz-Flowers lineup. If Flowers can handle LT, then I would flip Newhouse and Flowers.


I think that's the play if they really expect Beatty to be back and effective when he comes off PUP. You get 80% of the OL you were hoping for a week ago, and you give some extra help to the backup filling in at LT. Then, when Will is healthy, he checks in for Newhouse, and nobody else has to move. Lineups with Pugh or Flowers at LT probably have 2 or 3 positions shifting if/when Beatty returns.
I don't love Pugh at LT  
Ten Ton Hammer : 5/22/2015 12:40 pm : link
and I especially don't love Pugh at LT without knowing who the hell the LG is going to be.

We could just have a mirror of last season where the right tackle was mediocre and made a bad right guard look worse.
I think the Pugh to LT crowd is overrating him a bit  
JonC : 5/22/2015 1:09 pm : link
Dan's post regarding the slight differences in how TC and Reese refer to Pugh's strengths is probably accurate. I personally don't want Pugh at LT unless it's a no-brainer, and it also means future changes that they should be trying to minimize throughout. Imo.
.  
arcarsenal : 5/22/2015 1:13 pm : link
I still think Pugh is best suited inside at OG and the Beatty injury really sucks because now it's probably going to take longer to get him there.

He'll be good enough at LT/RT but I'd much rather have seen Flowers at RT and Pugh inside to LG.
The transition away from Beatty might begin earlier than expected  
JonC : 5/22/2015 1:49 pm : link
They will figure to want Flowers at LT as soon as demonstrates he can man the fort, and they'll need the cap dollars if they want to re-sign Eli, JPP, Prince, et al.

Of course, if Flowers is a year away or simply falls short at LT ...

If the plan was to move Pugh to LG, then move him to LG.  
Klaatu : 5/22/2015 1:52 pm : link
Plug the rookie in at LT...you've got three months to get him up to speed, and you'll have three months of him working next to Pugh (and alongside Richburg at C, too).

Move Schwartz back to RG. Let Newhouse, Donnelly, and Bamiro battle it out for RT, and keep Jerry and Mosley (if he can climb back up after falling off a cliff) as your principal backups.
Bobby Hart should also be in the mix for a Guard spot.  
Klaatu : 5/22/2015 2:05 pm : link
(I was going to write "G spot," but, you know). Hart, and some of the other lesser players like Herman and Gettis.
RE: If the plan was to move Pugh to LG, then move him to LG.  
arcarsenal : 5/22/2015 2:15 pm : link
In comment 12297810 Klaatu said:
Quote:
Plug the rookie in at LT...you've got three months to get him up to speed, and you'll have three months of him working next to Pugh (and alongside Richburg at C, too).

Move Schwartz back to RG. Let Newhouse, Donnelly, and Bamiro battle it out for RT, and keep Jerry and Mosley (if he can climb back up after falling off a cliff) as your principal backups.


It's not the worst idea I just can't see us getting adequate play at RT given those options. Maybe one of them will surprise us.

I think the more likely scenario is that Hart finds himself in a guard spot, Flowers goes right to LT and Pugh stays at RT. Richburg in the middle and Schwartz at the other OG spot.
Count me in the Pugh to LT  
giantgiantfan : 5/22/2015 4:01 pm : link
camp, but may the best line win. Ultimately I just want to see better line play and a better running game.
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