(07-10-2024, 05:20 AM)TheSkipWillis Wrote:

(07-09-2024, 08:14 PM)Jag149 Wrote: Yea, I liked they have brought in Morse.  Add him to Cam, Ezra, Scherff and Harrison the starting line has a chance to be improved.  Now can they stay healthy? In 2022 we had good fortune with injuries 2023 we did not. This exposed our depth issues.  Shatley had a good season in 2022. That cannot be said for 2023. I know he had to be recovering from that afib issue he had in camp last year, really hope he is good to go. Behind this we have Fortner, Tugboat and our new rookie, Foster, they should be ok but who knows.  That accounts for 10 of the 15 linemen we have under contract. The remaining 6 are 26-27 year old journeyman practice squad players, one is already on IR. They have been with us 2+ years. We should know what we have in them by now. I know we need to have a vet or two stashed there. My issue is if after a few year if they cannot make the team as at least a backup why not rotate them out and try to get someone to develop that maybe can. Sure the hit rate will be low, but is better than what is occurring now. As it is now they will be on our practice squad once again.  Just an opinion....

I don't disagree with your take. This team in general has needed alot of upgrades the last few years. Typically too many to fill in an offseason. Add in all the misses in the draft and I think this is how a team would look. Getting more out of some of the higher draft picks would definitely free up the resources to focus on building a good line. Kinda feels like they are trying to patchwork it for the time being. 

For me personally, the oline is the most important group. If we want Trevor to succeed, he needs to be upright and not running for his life. Hes showed he has what it takes to will this team to wins, that should be the focus.

I would add, just as important as keeping Trevor upright, if we want Trevor to succeed, we need to be able to run for a first down on 3rd and 2, or run for a touchdown when it's 1st and goal on the 4-yard line.  A good running game is a quarterback's best friend.  A good running game keeps the chains moving, gets first downs, gets touchdowns in the red zone, and takes a whole lot of pressure off the quarterback.  A good running game keeps the offense out of 2nd and 12, or 3rd and 12.  A good running game brings the linebackers and safeties forward to stop the run, allowing more room for the passing attack.  

Last year we had 120 running plays that went for zero or negative yardage.  That crippled our offense as much as anything.

Trevor fumbled way too many times last year, for sure.  But I have this image in my mind of Trevor standing in the pocket waiting, waiting, desperate to get something going because once again it's 3rd and long, and then of course here comes a strip sack which is his fault for sure, but it wouldn't happen if it was 3rd and 2 instead of 3rd and 12.

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