(03-21-2021, 04:53 PM)homebiscuit Wrote: What puzzles me is we've needed help on the O line for quite some time. For some reason even Caldwell and Marrone would not address it. I don't get it. It's like some kind of weird taboo subject:

'The O line problem which must not be mentioned!' 

Caldwell did put resources into the offensive line.  He just mostly didn't get the desired value out of it.  

2013:  1st rounder (2nd overall) in Luke Joeckel
2014:  3rd rounder (93rd overall) in Brandon Linder plus a 6th rounder (205th overall) in Luke Bowanko
2015:  3rd rounder (67th overall) in A.J. Cann
2017:  2nd rounder (34th overall) in Cam Robinson
2018:  Signed Andrew Norwell to a 5 year, $66.5 million contract ($30 million guaranteed.).  Also 4th rounder (129th overall) in Will Richardson
2019:  2nd rounder (35th overall) in Jawaan Taylor
2020:  4th rounder (116th overall) in Ben Bartch

That's one early 1st rounder, two early 2nd rounders, two 3rd rounders, two 4th rounders, a 6th rounder and a very major free agent signing.

In regards to Robinson, he had his rookie season.  He was hurt early in his second season and didn't return.  He then had a season where he was recovering from an injury.  I think last year was seen as a prove it year, but he failed to prove it.  However, the decision to keep him for a fifth year isn't Caldwell.  That's Meyer/Baalke.

In regards to Jawaan Taylor, he was a rookie in 2019.  Rarely do teams give up on early 2nd round picks after one year, and they brought him back for a second year.  From a salary cap perspective, he also would have cost more to cut than to keep.  If you don't like bringing Taylor back for a third season, that falls to Meyer/Baalke.

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