Offseason overview: O-line
While the NFL’s work stoppage may have had you take a blowtorch to your favorite Swoop doll, we here at Bird’s Eye View, in an attempt to cure the blues, will proceed as if the lockout never occurred with an off-season look at the Eagles this week.
Offseason overview: O-line
Jonathan Tamari
While the NFL’s work stoppage may have had you take a blowtorch to your favorite Swoop doll, we here at Bird’s Eye View, in an attempt to cure the blues, will proceed as if the lockout never occurred with an off-season look at the Eagles this week.
We’ll go position-by-position, or something like that, with a look back and a cautious peek ahead. We won’t likely know for weeks if the league will be able to conduct free agency or allow any other player movement, but the draft will take place unimpeded.
Yesterday we took a look at defensive back, need 1 or 1A for the offseason, depending on your point of view. Today we look at the other top question mark, offensive line.
What then: The line looked like it was in trouble in training camp, and it never really righted itself. The frustrating thing was that while there aren’t any superstars on the line, the talent level certainly seems good enough that they should have been better than they showed. Yet there they were, 49 sacks allowed, fourth most, even with the most elusive quarterback in the game throwing the passes.
I’ve written this several times: except for right guard, where Max Jean-Gilles and Nick Cole formed a rotation of ineffectiveness, the Eagles’ linemen individually aren't as bad as their atrocious numbers, but together they ended up as less than the sum of their parts. Todd Herremans was quite good and consistent. Jason Peters showed at season’s end he has the ability to be excellent, but on a given drive you never knew if you would get lockdown blocking or a false start. Mike McGlynn was a work in progress and Winston Justice is athletic but seems almost too nice for offensive line play and regressed, especially after hurting his knee late in the year. His benching in the playoffs spoke volumes. The biggest problem may have been the fact that out of five linemen, there was no sure thing: there was no one you could count on to be airtight play-in and play-out, which meant there were five potential leaks on a given snap, and it only takes one to result in a sack.
You have to give the line credit for the running game, where LeSean McCoy averaged 5.2 yards-per-carry and went over 1,000 yards total. But the Eagles are a passing team first and foremost, and they struggled there.
What now: The left side is set, with Herremans and Peters, despite the tackle’s inconsistency. The bet here is that if Jamaal Jackson can come back healthy his experience can help eliminate some of the apparent mix ups that often let defenders race in free on Michael Vick. The question is will Jackson's body let that happen, and how will he look after barely playing since late 2009? If the lockout wipes out offseason work, his return becomes that much more challenging.
If Jackson can play center, McGlynn maybe moves to right guard. But neither of those moves is a slam dunk, so expect the Eagles to invest in some fresh blood. In a way that started with line coach Howard Mudd, who led one of the best units in the business in Indianapolis. If he can get Peters to play consistently and maximize McGlynn’s development, those could be two upgrades right there. Or so the team would hope. The Eagles need to bring in some competition at right tackle.
The draft is loaded with mid-to-late first round options at tackle, much more so than at defensive back. Of the five tackles expected to go in the first round, Gabe Carimi (Wisconsin), Anthony Castonzo (Boston College), Derek Sherrod (Mississippi St.), Tyron Smith (USC) and Nate Solder (Colorado), at least one should be available at 23, when the Eagles pick. Each is expected to be a solid rookie, but there’s also a reason why none of them are considered top 10 picks. A guy like Carimi might also play guard, if needed there.
Another first round option could be Mike Pouncey (brother of stand-out Steelers rookie center Maurkice), who could play guard or center – and we know how the Eagles love versatility.
In the second or third rounds some names to watch are tackle Ben Ijalana (Villanova), guard/center Stefen Wisniewski (Penn State) and guards Clint Boling (Georgia) and Jah Reid (Central Florida).
The free agent class doesn’t have much sizzle at offensive line. The Falcons’ Tyson Clabo might be the best tackle available. He has started every game for Atlanta for the past three seasons and made the 2011 Pro Bowl as an injury replacement for Peters. After Clabo the next big name is Ravens’ tackle Jared Gaither, but he missed all of 2010-2011 with a back injury and some question his desire. He may be restricted, depending on the rules of free agency, though reports out of Baltimore say it’s a long shot that the Ravens retain him.
Another intriguing, but risky, name is Robert Gallery, who is out of Oakland after never living up to his billing as the number two overall pick in 2004. Could Mudd get something more out of him?
There isn’t a ton of tackle talent expected to hit the open market. Several known names could be free agents, but they could end up as restricted and carry steep price tags. Steelers tackle Willie Colon got a first-round tender, so signing him would be costly, if the free agency rules are the same as in 2010. (That’s reportedly what the owners are considering, assuming free agency is forced by the courts even without a new CBA). The Cowboys’ Doug Free would cost a first and third round pick – probably too prohibitive for anyone to make a real bid on him.
Patriots guard Logan Mankins has been franchised, as was Panthers center Ryan Kalil, effectively taking two talented players off the open market.
i dont want this comment to be posted and i am sure it wont be anyway.... but i will certainly tell all of my liberal and black friends you folks have no problem posting negative mike vick comments but if someone challenges the people who write them, you make sure they dont get posted... shame shame on you.... i guess the dog killer gets crushed comment was in your opioion civil and friendly??? ill never revisit this cite....— timesyours- First things first, I am white and most would say liberal. With that being said what Michael Vick did to those poor dogs was wrong, wrong, worng? But guy's let's move on, and to my anglo saxon brothern, just wondering do you have the same discuss and anger towards your ancestors? Oh that's right, all they did was rape, murder, enslave and heep other wonderful tidings upon an entire innocent race of people. Oops almost forgot, to some of us that group of folks are the animals, and the animals are the innocent group of human beings... Right? Of course!— timesyours
- MRD, if it's humor you're attemting, it's lousy.
If this is your actual state of mind, you need to be institutionalized.— wordsword 
Sign this kid Andy!! He will be a HUGE upgrade over Winston Justice!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VuLEsE2f3M- Ok, I have an idea. The column says that the line underperformed in relation to their talent. So why not take that coach who oversaw this underperfomance and promote hime to Defensive coordinator? That way, maybe the defense can also underperform in relation to their talent. Oh, but he is a hard worker. Unfortunately, results win super bowls, not efforts.— bigeee1
- Ok, I have an idea. The column says that the line underperformed in relation to their talent. So why not take that coach who oversaw this underperfomance and promote hime to Defensive coordinator? That way, maybe the defense can also underperform in relation to their talent. Oh, but he is a hard worker. Unfortunately, results win super bowls, not efforts.— bigeee1
- Gallery has been solid at left guard in the past two years. Moving him from left tackle to right tackle as a rookie didn't work out. Then he played right guard. He could be the best lineman on the Eagles roster. It all depends on the $$$$
No mention of Austin Howard who had such a great camp last year, so maybe camp wasn't so great?— willbert31 - Joe "Nickels" Banner!— Gigs1777
- I say you need to draft carimi if hes there, guy can play tackle or guard if need be. in the second, we need to go stephen wisniewski, a guy who can play center if jackson cant come back, but can be counted on as guard. if we sign nnamdi for cb, and draft one of the UNC linebackers in the third, or trade up to get them, the eagles excel at moving around in the draft. Carter or sturdivant would be great in this defense.— skit1349
- Hopefully Defenses will know to crush Vick this year! Break and Arm or Leg! Get him where it hurts! Look at what happened to those dogs! Just remember, Payback is comin!— MRD
- The line is ok; not great, just ok. peters is acceptable at left tackle, Herremans is solid. If jj comes back center is fine. right guard and right tackle are issues, must come up with at least one solid starter to replace those two— blaqjaq
- Well said. The fact is that Peters and Herremans are fine. If Jackson comes back we are fine there too. Need 1-2 more solid players on the line. Need to balance that need with badly needing a cornerback, linebacker, and defensive end. — JohnFC
http://sportsfans.org/ - take your sports back- Did you really just suggest Robert Gallery?... I almost choked on my lunch because I was laughing so hard. Gallery on this offensive line would make me actually MISS Shaun Andrews :0/
- MRD=genius. stop sniffing the glue— puddin
- There is jsut NO talent along the line (none would be starters on any other team...) ...with the exception of the left tackle who only plays hard half the time....and with Vick being left handed , the right tackle position is more important......and then they will have to learn new techniques as the OL coach is now the Head Defensive Co-ordinator.....so no talent coupled with new coaching and and techniqes and a different sided approach....they will be even worse thatn last year.....Blow it up and start over.....JOE...bet some talent here....— nuggett
- I say the OL should let Vick get killed by the Defense this year...great Idea! Newpaper "A Dog Killer gets crushed by a Bunch of Defensive Lineman as Eagles go home Crying"— MRD
