Mike Pouncey’s first visit will be with Chargers - UPDATE SIGNED

[Heatmiser]

I know he is not as good as his brother, but is very close to as good. And I know he got in some trouble during the Incognito mess. But why would Miami let a pro bowl center in his prime go? Unless he is a problem, this would be a great pick up

TG

[Panamamike]

I know he is not as good as his brother, but is very close to as good. And I know he got in some trouble during the Incognito mess. But why would Miami let a pro bowl center in his prime go? Unless he is a problem, this would be a great pick up

TG

[Fleet]

Needs a new hip according to doctors. Graded outside of PFF's top 25 centers last year. Im just not sure i want to put big money into another injury concern. If the price is right though....sure. But like 4 per or less.

Doesnt seem like a TT type in the least.

[oneinchpunch]

Phins tried to cut his salary to $4.5. So I'm sure he'll get more. I'm not sure I want him on the Bolts based on injury and his involvement with Incognito

[Fleet]

Im personally just sick of injuries. I would have put that money into Beau Allen.

[Heatmiser]

Thanks guys. I just also read both hips are bad and it is degenerative. He misses a lot of practice time due to the condition

TG

[Bolt-O]

This might be a "prove it" contract. Pulley is OK, but if Pouncey returns to old form, there are a lot of problems solved. Lamp should help as well, but we need to see what he can do.

[blueman]

Kick the tires, then look elsewhere.

[Charged4Life]

I'm afraid if we kick Pouncy's tires they'll deflate.

[Steve]

I'm not as worried about his health as much as his locker room status. He was a big part of the Martin hazing thing, and he thought Hernandez was a great guy.

Pouncy was asking Miami for a raise that they wouldn't give him. That is when Miami traded for Kilgore. Pouncy is a better player, but Kilgore is a solid guy who is a good teammate. The 49ers upgraded with Weston (who is pretty injury prone), but I would still rather have Kilgore than Pouncy. THe injury thing is just another thing on top of it.

[Formula 21]

[Sgt Schultz]

What trait is Pulley missing to be a good center. I seem to recall someone saying that he had the physical ability to be good so what else is he missing?

[Steve]

Pulley has a huge problem picking up stunts in the middle of the line. If a team runs a stunt, he stays on the first man, instead of trading off to the OG, and picking up the 2nd guy. If he is the guy who is initially uncovered, then he often misses the guy coming into his area late. Same sort of thing with delayed blitzes, if the LB and S are running games with the DL. He is fine identifying when teams line up and just rush straight ahead, but come at him from the side in different tempos and he can get fooled.

Pulley also doesn't do a very good job on combo blocks in the running game. COmbos, especially in the zone runs start off as 2 OL double teaming the DL, then one has to slide off and pick up the LB on the 2nd level. Pulley either sticks to the double team too long, and can't get to the LB, or slides off too soon, and the OG loses leverage on the DL. It's a teamwork thing, getting a feel for the guy next to you knowing who needs to go to the 2nd level, and when the double team is far enough along to let the other player release on the 2nd level.

I also don't think he helps out the guys around him very well. That may be just my impression, but they may be telling him to stay in his area and because of that he is very slow in coming over to help when he is uncovered.

He also loses leverage sometimes against bull rushing NT types who have multiple moves. He seems to anchor OK when he knows it's coming, but he just doesn't anticipate the bull rush, or react to it very well. He got a lot better at that, so I think that is largely a thing he is outgrowing. The stunting and combo-ing are things he may have gotten better at, but if he has, he still needs a lot of work.

Pulley is one of the few C who can get out, pull and lead plays from the C spot. Not only does he run and move well enough to lead outside run plays and screens, he can hit a moving target on those pulls. He is an adequate down blocker on power runs. He is not overpowering, but he can get good position and create running lanes in the running game. As a pass blocker, you can't beat him with moves or quickness one on one.

He has some redeeming features. When he was filling in for Franklin at OG 2 years ago, teams always put a DT on him, and he did fine, How much of that was not having the full game plan, and how much of it is that is a better position is hard to tell since he didn't get to play that much. IF he busts his ass, I can see him turning into a decent OL. Some young OL just learn to pick up the stunting and how to do combos and some never really develop the feel for it. In the past, he was the kind of player you could afford to wait and see if he developed some. But we has so few holes, we can't wait. I think he played well enough he should be allowed to compete for a job, but Feeney is pretty good in both those areas and those are a big deal to a C.

[Porterparty]

Is Pouncy that much better than Slauson/Pulley? It appears to me that we still need a starting guard, unless we think Lamp will suffice there.