Offensive Line Discussion

[Steve]

I can't remember... who typically gets rid of the ball quicker? Rivers or Taylor...?

Rivers... it's not even close.

[Steve]

Its possible. Sam Tevi looked no better last year than in his first start against the Jets.

Tevi actually improved a lot if you watched carefully.

He just still has a ways to go.

[beachcomber]

I have Charles as a top-70 player because he not only has starting potential but has high-caliber starting potential.

https://thedraftnetwork.com/articles/tyler-johnson-adam-trautman-saahdiq-charles-laviska-shenault-ashtyn-davis-nfl-draft

really think this guy is/should be in the mix for Oline.... Wirfs/Thomas, Ruiz, Wanogho.... the opportunities are there.

as ye ol' biz axiom insists.... don't be so busy w/the croutons and anchovies while your lettuce is turning brown.

if our FO can't hit on linemen.... this scouting dept needs to be reshuffled, if not team TommyJohn themselve.

[wu-dai clan]

https://thedraftnetwork.com/articles/tyler-johnson-adam-trautman-saahdiq-charles-laviska-shenault-ashtyn-davis-nfl-draft

really think this guy is/should be in the mix for Oline.... Wirfs/Thomas, Ruiz, Wanogho.... the opportunities are there.

as ye ol' biz axiom insists.... do be so busy w/the croutons and anchovies while your lettuce is turning brown.

if our FO can't hit on linemen.... this scouting dept needs to be reshuffled, if not team TommyJohn themselve.

[beachcomber]

As is always the case with the tackle class, there are a few players that could fill this role. Jedrick Wills is the other heavyweight in the ring, and while he had some preseason run as an Alabama tackle valued on name alone, Mekhi Becton had much the same because everyone knew his frame. I landed on Becton because his rise felt more explosive. Across the course of one month, he went from basically unknown to a potential top-five pick whereas Wills steadily rose to the top tier of the class.

https://thedraftnetwork.com/articles/nfl-draft-risers-2020-joe-burrow-mekhi-becton-patrick-queen

query for the Board and various Scouting Bureaus herewith/therein.... given the unsuspected rise of Forrest Lamp and others, how many of those unheralded Olineman that have risen thru the draft ranks, have gone on to notable success in the League ??

'nother notable example that comes to mind is Austin Corbett/Nevada.... a guy eye liked quite a bit early on, then just rose too high by my take ??

is there a cautionary tale re: Wills and/or Becton and their sneaky rise to prominence (i.e. via Brugler ?)

[Boltnut]

Rivers... it's not even close.

Exactly! Which is probably why they replaced Tevi with Bulaga. And Pipkins still has a bit of developing to do. We're only as strong along the OL as our weakest link (Pipkins). Seems like a waste of money (Turner/Bulaga) if they are content to let Pipkins start/learn at LT. I prefer they take Anthony Thomas. He's NFL ready and probably the best run-blocking OT in the draft. I'd like to see the Chargers dominate at the LOS and let's see what AL's run-first philosophy can do. Run sets up the play-action. Play-action slows the pass rush. I'd like to see what Tyrod can do...

[21&500]

i have Kyle Murphy as my 5th round steal of the draft

[like54ninjas]

NBC Sports’ Peter King recently got a behind-the-scenes look at what Los Angeles’ virtual offseason program is like for the offensive line.

The team’s offensive line meets from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. PT, on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with new positional coach, James Campen. The rookies and four undrafted free agents do their work separately with Campen and assistant line coach David Diaz-Infante.

Campen joined the Chargers after spending the majority of his coaching career with the Packers and a season with the Browns.

Even though he comes from an old school approach where technology hasn’t been used as much and everything has been accomplished hands-on, Campen feels like the transition to the video teleconferences with his group has been smooth for the most part.

Campen teaches a section of the playbook each day. He can open the team’s offensive playbook and call it to the screen and click on a section for the day.

I actually think it’s easier to do now because of the generation we’re in. They all use Surfaces or iPads. They watch film on the iPad, they get the game plan on the iPad. Parents say, ‘Video games are keeping my kid inside. I don’t like that.’ But that has enhanced the teaching ability in the NFL, because players are so equipped to learn this way now, so equipped to use those things. When we were getting used to Zoom, I taught them how to use the ‘Annotate’ button, so they can write on the screen and everyone can see it, and to not talk over each other, and to mute when they’re not talking. We’ll be learning a play, and I’ll say to Mike, ‘Who’s your assignment here?’ Mike [Pouncey] will circle the linebacker.

There’s always a positive about a very bad thing. This thing makes you interact with the guys. Mike and Bryan are good veterans. Their voices are prevalent in the room, and they’re making sure when they get on the field, they can trust these guys to all be on the same page. We’re not dreading these meetings, at all. It’s very different. The only difference between this and normal is we’re not in a classroom together. But we’re accomplishing what we need to.

Campen reunites with tackle Bryan Bulaga, who played under him for nearly all of his professional career with Green Bay. Bulaga was acquired via free agency.

The 31-year-old knows what it’s like to have a close bond with his positional group, having been in the league for so long. So he admits that it might be challenging to gain that being limited with training camp and practices, most likely. But the Zoom calls have helped to gain a sense of closeness.

The biggest adjustment for me is going into a place where I really only knew Camp. [Campen formerly coached the Green Bay line.] You want to be somewhere and get to know them. I didn’t know . . . Am I gonna be able to bond with these guys and earn their respect through a computer screen? When we get back to the facility, who knows? It’s probably gonna be training camp, maybe a short one, and you won’t have time to build those relationships. We’re gonna have to jump into those things quick. It’s been very good, though, overall. Guys are learning, picking up the playbook. We’re doing the best we can with what we have.

Being in the league for 10 years, you know how the offensive line bonds. It’s the most unique in every building, I think, because of the personalities. We all log in a little bit early, just to shoot the breeze with the guys for 10, 15 minutes. Maybe you bust balls for 10, 15 minutes. Banter back and forth. Today I got busted up a little bit, because I belong to a country club out here. I don’t see what’s wrong with that. I enjoy golf. Why wouldn’t I enjoy a golf club?

With the situation going on outside, it’s a very difficult time in the country. But for the players, this work has been a positive. Not being in the building has its disadvantages, but I do know I’m also saving my legs a little bit for the season too.

Center Mike Pouncey is entering his third season with the Chargers. Pouncey has yet to be medically cleared after suffering a severe neck injury last season. However, he is hopeful that he will be good to go when the season starts.

For the past few seasons, Pouncey has been the only veteran on the offensive line aside from offensive tackle Russell Okung. But he knows that’s changing with the additions of Bulaga and guard Trai Turner.

It’s a different experience. Most of the guys are new. A lot easier to accept guys when they already have the respect factor from playing in the league. Our league is built with alpha dogs. The biggest part for me and Bryan is to be professionals for the young guys who are learning. They’re on these calls, seeing how we learn, how we conduct ourselves. If you’ve been in the league a while, you’ve seen most of these plays. Maybe the terminology is different, but you can learn it pretty fast.

We got two new guys who’ve played a lot of ball, Bryan and Trai Turner. The veteran transition to the team is a lot easier, because they’re vets. They’re already accepted in our brotherhood. They’re just changing jersey colors. They’ll learn this stuff pretty easily. The whole experience is strange, but it’s the same everywhere.

Maybe we start a new thing. Maybe the first two weeks of this program should be virtual, to protect guys. I’m the union rep for the Chargers. I have really enjoyed the process, made the most of it. Learned a lot of the playbook, probably more than I normally would, because in the building you’d be working out and getting to know the guys.

Starting on May 18, each team can choose to continue its offseason workout program, virtually or on-field, if teams have been allowed to report to their facilities. The virtual period will end and the on-field work will begin for all teams when all NFL facilities are allowed to reopen. The offseason workout programs must end for all teams by June 26.

[BlackMamba]

For what it's worth, Pipkins had a decent 63.3 grade from PFF on 251 snaps last year. I don't know how their grading works (it appears to be an average to slightly above average grade on their scale) or how reliable it is, but given that it was his rookie season and everyone expected an even longer acclimation period based on the jump in competition for him, it seems promising? Comparatively, Tevi was at 59.8 and Scott was at an absolutely dreadful 49.6.

Okung was at 62.4 on a similar number of snaps. The Chiefs' LT Eric Fisher was at 64.3, as another example of someone widely regarded as a decent starting LT. Jason Peters had an "elite" 82.4 grade.

Pipkins was actually our second highest graded O-linemen, narrowly behind Schofield at 63.6.

[Boltgang74]

All I got from that was sign Peters now.

[BlackMamba]

All I got from that was sign Peters now.

:lol:

I agree, but as a long-term option, maybe it's too early to write Pipkins off the way a lot of people have.

[Boltgang74]

Oh Im not about to write Pimpkins off after one year but I just feel gettin Peters would help speed up his development as our possible LT of the future.If we start this year with Pip in as a starter or gulp Sam when the Tevi breaks then maybe this whole season is looked upon as a bridge year till Herbie is totally ready to lead this team fulltime.