POLL: If You Could Fix One Position on the Roster, Which Would it Be?

[Topcat]

wu will resist this Trencher madness to the ends of the Earth.
:coffee:

I'm with u, Wood! This Trencher Madness is getting out of control!

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[Bolt Dude]

I'm with u, Wood! This Trencher Madness is getting out of control!

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I’m all about that sweet sweet trencher lyfe. Here’s to many helpings of OL/DL in the 2022 draft.

[FarAwayBoltFan]

So if our run defense seems a little weak, it’s because it’s designed that way. Yes, we would benefit with another quality IDL, but the situation isn’t as bad as the numbers indicate.

I agree. Poor tackling and wonky pursuit (over-pursuit!) angles, especially against the Cowboys, make our D vs. the run look significantly worse than it should. I think our talented players will execute the scheme better with more live game reps.

IMHO it's RB.

Teams are recognizing that they need a 1-2 punch here.
We don't quite have the second piece. Prolly Round 2.

All the talk about DT fails to take into account the fact that we scheme to tempt opponents to run.
Go back and reread Staley concepts.
Give Zack Martin credit.
This story will settle out as this season plays out.

Improvement at run defense will come from better tackling, greater familiarity with StaleyD, and improved health for JJones. Merrill will succeed Linval.
Maybe Leal of TAMU will fall, but I doubt it.

There will be several quality IOLs available late Round 1.
ORT is best addressed at UFA,
according to the tea leaves.

I'm a solid trencher (9/22 of the team plays in the trenches so 9/22 of our draft capital should go there) but agree with Wood on RB. Our running attack so far this season has been poor. I think our biggest need is a bruising RB to complement Ek and RB wasn't an option in the poll so I voted OTHER. That being said, I don't think RBs have 1st round value so would probably draft the highest rated RT/IDL/Bosa Bookend(i.e. Edge) on the Chargers' draft board in round 1 and go RB soon after. (In my mocks I had us picking up an RB in round 2 last year and then in round 3 this year.)

[FarAwayBoltFan]

Vote to cut Bulaga after the season. Build through the draft, and trade-up if needed to get 'the guy' at RT. Personally, I'm not going to go through another year of not-knowing if my RT can go.

As I see it, trading up tends to weaken depth/STs and trading down tends to limit star caliber/player ceilings. So my take on drafting is that trading up should only be done for QBs and trading down should only be done if the other team is over-paying. Otherwise I'd prefer TT use their their draft board to grab the BPA (preferably) at a PON.

AJ Smith said "It's better to cut a player a year too early than a year too late." That's where we are w/ Bulaga, IMO.

If Bulaga does not contribute this year I agree he should be cut. But, I thought the quote was, "It's better to draft a player a round too early than a round too late?" or maybe in this case, "It's better to trade a player for value a year before you would cut them outright."

[Bolt Dude]

The odds that Bulaga is on the team next year are -5%. It’s not just his health and age, but the way his contract is structured.

In effect, RT will be as glaring a hole this off-season as LT was last off-season. It will be addressed in either FA or the first two rounds of the draft. Most likely draft, R1.

I think we’ve all seen what kind of difference a solid LT makes. Bringing about the same effect on the right side is paramount to making our SB run during Herbert’s rookie contract window.

I wouldn’t label myself a diehard trencher. I just want to address the weakest links. Because today’s NFL is all about snuffing out your opponents’ weaknesses and exploiting them to your advantage.

[Boltjolt]

Staley’s defense invites the run. Why? Because it forces opponents to convert multiple 3rd downs per drive. The league average for 3rd down conversions is 40%. Statistically, this forces more punts and FG attempts than TDs.

So if our run defense seems a little weak, it’s because it’s designed that way. Yes, we would benefit with another quality IDL, but the situation isn’t as bad as the numbers indicate.

Its never good when you give up 170 rushing yards per game and thats where we are......dead last. If we can bring that down a lot then we wont have as many close games.

[Bolt Dude]

Its never good when you give up 170 rushing yards per game and thats where we are......dead last. If we can bring that down a lot then we wont have as many close games.

True. But it’s just as important to get the offense clicking in the red zone. Points on the board forces your opponent to pass, especially in the 2nd half. And I f they’re getting 4-5 ypc but can’t do squat from the air, then all they’re doing is melting clock.

[Steve]

Bulaga's contract has a $2.5 mill roster bonus due on the 3rd day of the league year (https://overthecap.com/player/bryan-bulaga/1092/). They put those bonuses in so that unless the player is on really solid ground, it forces the team to cut them when there is still money left for them to get something before it all gets spent. The player can only stay if they agree to restructure the deal early on, and there is not much incentive if we save that much money.

All this adds up to Bulaga is gone unless he can come back and is amazing through the end of the season. Cutting him will save $10.75 mill vs the cap next season (costs us $3.333 mill in dead money). And at age 33 (he is 32 this year), it is kinda unlikely he will be getting any better. Plus, not may 30 somethings with bad backs are able to get things together an start whole seasons.

The OL is actually in pretty good shape, outside of Bulaga. We need 1 new body, but it doesn't necessarily need to be an OT. If we draft a C or OG, then that player can play OG, and Feiler can slide outside to RT. A C would give us someone to bring groom for the day Lindsay moves on, which is not too far in the future. And of the interior guys we have, Obushi is probably playing the worst, in a pinch, a OT or OG can push him to the bench if Norton plays well enough.

As far as the DL, we could use another body, especially since Jones is in a contract year. He is a good athlete, but not an instinctive player. He should be more productive than he is. He spent most of his time in college flashing great ability, and hasn't even done that much of that with us. If he plays well after he comes back, then things change, but right now I think there is a better chance of him being signed by someone else than with us.

Mostly, who we draft and what positions we target are probably a lot more about who is available as our needs. Staley is getting players to produce, making our needs some, and allowing us to try and go best player, rather than for need.

[like54ninjas]

It will be 2 full years since Feiler will have played OT in a completely different scheme.
Should anyone be expecting him to excel. We brought him here to play OLG.
TONS of excellent OT prospects in this upcoming draft. UFA isn’t so strong.

[Bolt Dude]

Revisiting this thread after 7, I still think OL is the biggest concern, with DL a close second.

Unless one of the big-name edge prospects falls in our lap, I’d like TT to spend the first three picks on OL & DL. Signing a splash free agent wouldn’t hurt either.

[Hadl2Alworth]

Revisiting this thread after 7, I still think OL is the biggest concern, with DL a close second.

Unless one of the big-name edge prospects falls in our lap, I’d like TT to spend the first three picks on OL & DL. Signing a splash free agent wouldn’t hurt either.

Who do we have that's healthy and good enough to run the ball? Ekeler is hurt. JJ is hurt again. After those two I don't think we need to go any further. We don't have any decent playable RB's at this point. Do we?

[Boltgang74]

Marlon Mack?