Quote:I agree wholeheartedly. I'm not a Joeckel basher. He had a decent year last year but his last game he was absolutely awful and got beat time and time again and that seems to be the lasting taste in peoples mouth regarding him. He's an average LT with upside and still very young, younger than AJ Cann who was a rookie this past year. 

 

Now, Joeckel wouldn't get cut regardless, but Beachum is talented and can be a top 10 LT in this league. He showed that honestly, and he'd be a great addition. He likely wouldn't be ready right when the season began unless we rushed him or he had some incredible recovery. There's no reason to rush him if we were to sign him.

 

All I'm saying is that when you aren't sold on your LT being the long term fixture, if you have a chance to get a nice upside LT, especially in FA, that is very young and could be a building block, you jump on the opportunity.

 

He has a lot of suitors so we definitely aren't the shoe in, but I'd be pretty happy to see this signing. If not the pressure on Joeckel is less as far as a competition stand point and our future at the position is less clear because although Joeckel is ok, he definitely does need to step up. You can't have games like he did in that last game. I don't think he should be judged just on that game like most are, but he definitely can't have that again next year or I hope we look elsewhere. Bortles is way to valuable to have someone giving others shot after shot on our franchise guy.

I'm not a Joeckel basher, or a Joeckel praiser. Matter of fact, I wanted Ansah the most in that 2013 draft, but it is, what it is.

 

Joeckel hasn't been great by any means, but he hasn't been as god awful as people try and make him out to be. Now that Branch is gone and Alualu is looking more and more like the odd man out on the DL. The board just needs somebody new to poke their forks at. Joeckel is the next man up it looks like.

 

He wasn't the only player to stink it up in that last game, or the last 2-3 games. It looked a whole lot like players packed it in and were ready for the season to end, especially in that final game. I completely agree though, he can't be having games like he did week 17.

 

I said I'd love the signing of Beachum and hope we can land him. I just think people really need to temper some of the expectations he might bring with him.

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