Saints at Chargers Game Day Thread (Preseason #2)

[sonorajim]

Minus Okung, this is the same Oline that was a top 10 Offensive and won 13 games last season.
Ive been in on a top tier OT in the past 2 drafts but who can argue with the picks we made?

Minus Okung for an undetermined period, plus a highly touted 2nd round OG and more experience & development for other OL. Nothing is guaranteed but the interior OL should be improved over 2018 and as Xenos points out, that is a key to our offensive success.

[SDBORN]

Looking through this thread, people are still worried about the wrong OL. Don't get me wrong, having a premiere (albeit injured) LT like Trent Williams sounds great, but it's the interior OL that will make or break a QB like Rivers. It's not a coincidence that PR's great season last year ran into a slump when Pouncey started to wear down and both guards (Feeney and Schofield) started letting in interior pressure. Rivers is slow as molasses outside the pocket but he's one of the best at moving inside the pocket. I would almost say best given the amount that he has to maneuver compared to someone like Brees or Brady. If the the interior OL is good, we will be fine because it plays into Rivers' quick release, pocket presence, and mind. Blitz pickups are easier to deal with when you have both Pouncey and Rivers at the helm.

I posted this article before but it bears repeating:

https://www.si.com/nfl/2015/09/16/left-tackle-value

Interestingly enough (as slow as he may be), through the first 5-6 games last year, Rivers held the number 1 passing rating in the league outside the pocket. By that point in the season, he was ranked the 4th best league-wide from inside the pocket. I believe he was also ranked the top against pressure at that point as well.

Pouncey was a stud last year before he wore down. If the line still looks bad with Pouncey in it, then it's time to hit the panic button. For the time being, we haven't really seen our real lineup in action so the jury is out, but in theory it should be improved. Depth is a major concern either way with how things are looking though.

[like54ninjas]

Minus Okung for an undetermined period, plus a highly touted 2nd round OG and more experience & development for other OL. Nothing is guaranteed but the interior OL should be improved over 2018 and as Xenos points out, that is a key to our offensive success.

I concur.
Lamp is provides more depth if nothing else. We have 5 guys on the IOL that are capable of playing very well.
I like the physicality the Oline is playing with. Are there things to improve, cleanup, etc? Absolutely! Are they shitting the bed? No.
I like TScott at LOT. He is really good in the run game and decent in passpro. More snaps he gets the better he gets.

[Xenos]

Interestingly enough (as slow as he may be), through the first 5-6 games last year, Rivers held the number 1 passing rating in the league outside the pocket. By that point in the season, he was ranked the 4th best league-wide from inside the pocket. I believe he was also ranked the top against pressure at that point as well.

Pouncey was a stud last year before he wore down. If the line still looks bad with Pouncey in it, then it's time to hit the panic button. For the time being, we haven't really seen our real lineup in action so the jury is out, but in theory it should be improved. Depth is a major concern either way with how things are looking though.

If we need to trade for an OL, let it be a a stud guard or center. It's the more realistic approach compared to getting someone like Trent Williams.

[blueman]

I concur.
Lamp is provides more depth if nothing else. We have 5 guys on the IOL that are capable of playing very well.
I like the physicality the Oline is playing with. Are there things to improve, cleanup, etc? Absolutely! Are they shitting the bed? No.
I like TScott at LOT. He is really good in the run game and decent in passpro. More snaps he gets the better he gets.

There has been quite a lot of bed-shitting, sir. I worry more about the three interior spots and than the OTs, and that's saying a lot!

[Steve]

Antonio Brown was traded to Oakland for a 3rd and 5th pick, and he will only get paid about the same as Williams (that is what Brown's new deal is worth). That would be a reasonable comp since they are both similar in terms of overall impact, age and salary. If you factor in the dead money for Washington, we actually come out ahead in terms of the salary.

Considering Williams has sworn to never play for the Redskins again, they will have to break down and try and get what they can. We can even ask them to take Gordon off our hands, to fee up their salary cap space. Washington wouldn't have been able to sign Penn unless they knew Williams was willing to hold out. Penn wasn't going to go to TC unless he was basically promised a starting job, and there is no way he is going to sit the bench. Penn

There are no other good to great OL available at this point, at any other OL positions. Guys like Schrader might play a bit better than Tevi at first, but their performance is not that much better overall, and in time Tevi will be performing at a similar level. But Schrader is in his early 30's and is losing his skills fast, where TEvi is still very young and hasn't been playing football very long.

[Topcat]

Interestingly enough (as slow as he may be), through the first 5-6 games last year, Rivers held the number 1 passing rating in the league outside the pocket. By that point in the season, he was ranked the 4th best league-wide from inside the pocket. I believe he was also ranked the top against pressure at that point as well.

Pouncey was a stud last year before he wore down. If the line still looks bad with Pouncey in it, then it's time to hit the panic button. For the time being, we haven't really seen our real lineup in action so the jury is out, but in theory it should be improved. Depth is a major concern either way with how things are looking though.

Maybe we give Feeney some reps at C to reduce wear and tear on Pouncey?

[SDBORN]

Maybe we give Feeney some reps at C to reduce wear and tear on Pouncey?

I think that's the writing on the wall... At least based on how he's been used this offseason.

[wu-dai clan]

Antonio Brown was traded to Oakland for a 3rd and 5th pick, and he will only get paid about the same as Williams (that is what Brown's new deal is worth). That would be a reasonable comp since they are both similar in terms of overall impact, age and salary. If you factor in the dead money for Washington, we actually come out ahead in terms of the salary.

Considering Williams has sworn to never play for the Redskins again, they will have to break down and try and get what they can. We can even ask them to take Gordon off our hands, to fee up their salary cap space. Washington wouldn't have been able to sign Penn unless they knew Williams was willing to hold out. Penn wasn't going to go to TC unless he was basically promised a starting job, and there is no way he is going to sit the bench. Penn

There are no other good to great OL available at this point, at any other OL positions. Guys like Schrader might play a bit better than Tevi at first, but their performance is not that much better overall, and in time Tevi will be performing at a similar level. But Schrader is in his early 30's and is losing his skills fast, where TEvi is still very young and hasn't been playing football very long.

I looked at Ryan Schrader a while ago. Hard pass. He went from his first Pro Bowl to barely better than Tevi, in one season. He is done.

[wu-dai clan]

We are getting much needed snaps for young players. Position flexibility is an issue. Trying players in different spots is a good idea, especially since we dress 7. That's Feeney OR Qberry + Swing Tackle. We will pick up a Swing Tackle after RSG1. Don't panic.

[richpjr]

If we need to trade for an OL, let it be a a stud guard or center. It's the more realistic approach compared to getting someone like Trent Williams.

I don't think there is a single team in the league that has such deep depth on the line that they would look to trade any kind of a good offensive lineman to another team, especially at this point in the preseason. Williams is mentioned because he is a huge update over both tackles and is possibly available because of his holdout. Whatever linemen become available after the final cuts won't be anyone much different than what we currently have on the roster - possibly a small improvement on the back end of the rotation but nobody that will make much of a difference. We rolled the dice on the young guys improving and it looks like we will live or die with them - unless we can pry Williams out of WA.

[Topcat]

I don't think there is a single team in the league that has such deep depth on the line that they would look to trade any kind of a good offensive lineman to another team, especially at this point in the preseason. Williams is mentioned because he is a huge update over both tackles and is possibly available because of his holdout. Whatever linemen become available after the final cuts won't be anyone much different than what we currently have on the roster - possibly a small improvement on the back end of the rotation but nobody that will make much of a difference. We rolled the dice on the young guys improving and it looks like we will live or die with them - unless we can pry Williams out of WA.

We may be able to pick up a RT who has better pass pro skills than Tevi...maybe not a road-grader in ground game, but an upgrade at T in pass pro would be a plus, especially if Whiz is calling a lot of pass plays in a certain series...