This team is looking at the possibility of having to bring in an entire new OL next year, given expiring contracts and poor play. I know everyone will say "good" and that the Vikings have done it this year, but how realistic is it?
First, we probably won't have much cap space and the FA market for OL again looks pretty weak.
Can you bring in 2-3 linemen in the draft and expect them to start? We also need to draft a RB fairly high. Can the current talent management structure be entrusted to identify OL talent? I think the answer is a resounding no.
These are some of the consequences of not sufficiently addressing the OL over the last 2 years.
This is a fairly daunting mess to fix
You are absolutley correct that they will HAVE to address it this off season. Whether they will have the cap room to pick up a free agent or the ability to properly assess the upcoming draft class is as big a guess as any.
That's probably what he'll want after seeing what the guards got this year in FA. He can also play tackle, which adds to his value.
Pugh and Richburg are likely to both command huge paydays due to the dearth of available FA talent. Can't pay both, and honestly, though I'd rather pay Pugh given his durability issues I'm not sure I'd give him market rate.
That leaves you replacement parts on the OL and a weak FA market and draft to correct the situation, not ideal before you get to the struggles in drafting.
I don't think this OL is quite as bad as it seems - I think the offensive scheme and Eli's style of play have both made it seem worse than it actually is, but if those don't change either, we have a recipe for disaster.
I'm not overpaying Pugh.
Don't worry, he's pretty much guaranteed to at least make it to training camp next year.
you agree with the front office on this one....the OL just has to play better...it's as simple as that.....make it so!
Agreed. I would also think he should try RG. He is a good run blocker, something we need on the right side. The reason they didn't move him this year is because he was drafted 9th overall and I assume Reese has some say. Hearing how young Flowers is and how hard he worked in the offseason was the defense for not worrying about his progress.
Last off season I was hoping for a new RG ( Leary, Warford, Zietler, Lang ) and was hoping they would take a LT in the 1st or 2nd round. They signed Fluker, who couldn't win a starting spot over Jerry ( which is insane IMO ) and drafted Bisnowaty who we moved up in the 6th round for then cut and re-signed to the PS.
Not enough was done to keep Eli upright, that is on Reese and nobody else.
The lack of development of Flowers and the rest of the line is on McAdoo and Solari.
Somebody has to take the blame.
When things don't work you change it, absolutely right, McAdoo HAS to do something but I doubt he does. This is the guy last year who said they just need more reps...