The great thing about a guy like Bowanko being a late round pick and potentially becoming a starter is this. He was hardly on anyone's radar. You will probably have a hard time finding him on any pre-draft center rankings. When he was listed as a player that team had shown interest in, I tried to find info on him. It was not easy. A good scouting find.

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The great thing about a guy like Bowanko being a late round pick and potentially becoming a starter is this. He was hardly on anyone's radar. You will probably have a hard time finding him on any pre-draft center rankings. When he was listed as a player that team had shown interest in, I tried to find info on him. It was not easy. A good scouting find.

The team has almost always had a very good scouting staff.  Where they have struggled is in taking that scouting information and making decisions on players.  Caldwell looks like he's fixed that issue, and if Bowanko does win the starting job, that will be validation. 

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Never argue with idiots. They drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

The team has almost always had a very good scouting staff. Where they have struggled is in taking that scouting information and making decisions on players. Caldwell looks like he's fixed that issue, and if Bowanko does win the starting job, that will be validation.

Developing the players was also an issue.


I sure would love the center position to be solidified, otherwise I think of what could've been with Mack. Go Bowanko and your awesome last name!

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If Bowanko does end up starting, I would expect that he will be leaning rather heavily on Beadles for help with the Line calls. Provided, of course, that Beadles lives up to his "smartest O-Lineman" reputation.

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I'm trying to make myself more informed and less opinionated.

Stop saying whatever stupid thing you're talking about and pay attention to all the interesting things I have to say!

I want to see


Joeckel-Beadles-Bowanko-Linder-Pasztor

That's a really young Oline that COULD develop into something special. We'd need to draft and develop another G to replace Beadles in a couple seasons probably.

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That's a really young Oline that COULD develop into something special. We'd need to draft and develop another G to replace Beadles in a couple seasons probably.

It would be a young line you probably wouldn't want to rush your new QB out there to stand behind. 

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Never argue with idiots. They drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

One thing that was just mentioned to me is that New England has a true blue Center competition on their roster between Ryan Wendell and Dan Connolly with Connolly being the front runner. If one of them gets released, might this be an option for JAX?

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I'm trying to make myself more informed and less opinionated.

Stop saying whatever stupid thing you're talking about and pay attention to all the interesting things I have to say!

It would be a young line you probably wouldn't want to rush your new QB out there to stand behind. 

Eh.... I'm not in that camp.

 

I think Bortles can make up for some of the Oline deficiencies more than Henne can.

Though I'm sure Henne has that "vet savvy" that the coaches like....

 

I think it's all coach speak until Henne plays his way out of the starting gig. Or until we're officially out of playoff contention.

 

If they started Bortles week 1 I'd have no problems with it. And you wouldn't see any hand wringing about ruining our new toy.

 

That being said... I'm OK with the coach staff letting Henne start while the Oline gels. But at some point you can't baby Bortles. He didn't shrink under pressure in Detroit. The pressure was there and he made plays. I don't think the Oline will ever be an excuse for Bortles. 

 

But back on point... if the Oline stays as it is... it could be a really good group for a long time. Sure they'll have some mishaps this season and some issues... and maybe we have to replace a piece here or there over the next couple off seasons... but it looks promising.

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One thing that was just mentioned to me is that New England has a true blue Center competition on their roster between Ryan Wendell and Dan Connolly with Connolly being the front runner. If one of them gets released, might this be an option for JAX?

 

I'd imagine one or both of them would be an upgrade over what's currently on the roster at the center position.  I don't buy Brewster or McClendon at the spot, I wouldn't be surprised to see one or both cut and replaced in the coming weeks.  That leaves Bowanko/Linder and I think they bring in someone else to compete.  

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One thing that was just mentioned to me is that New England has a true blue Center competition on their roster between Ryan Wendell and Dan Connolly with Connolly being the front runner. If one of them gets released, might this be an option for JAX?

Connolly is 32 years old.  I really liked him when he was here in Jacksonville, and they did try to groom him for that role, but injury issues cost him a shot.  If he did lose the job, and wound up on the wire, he'd be a good patch for now with an eye on upgrading that spot next year in free agency or the draft. 

 

Wendell has started at Center for New England, he's younger, and has a good injury history.  He'd also be worth considering if they waived him. 

 

It's funny.  Connolly and Wendell seem to have been joined at the hip for most of their career in New England.  This isn't the first time they have competed for the starting C job. 

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Never argue with idiots. They drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

Eh.... I'm not in that camp.

 

I think Bortles can make up for some of the Oline deficiencies more than Henne can.

Though I'm sure Henne has that "vet savvy" that the coaches like....

 

I think it's all coach speak until Henne plays his way out of the starting gig. Or until we're officially out of playoff contention.

 

If they started Bortles week 1 I'd have no problems with it. And you wouldn't see any hand wringing about ruining our new toy.

 

That being said... I'm OK with the coach staff letting Henne start while the Oline gels. But at some point you can't baby Bortles. He didn't shrink under pressure in Detroit. The pressure was there and he made plays. I don't think the Oline will ever be an excuse for Bortles. 

 

But back on point... if the Oline stays as it is... it could be a really good group for a long time. Sure they'll have some mishaps this season and some issues... and maybe we have to replace a piece here or there over the next couple off seasons... but it looks promising.

 

I really don't think how Henne performs is going to determine when Bortles takes over.  I get the sense Bradley and Caldwell understand that the team isn't going to be a playoff juggernaut this year, and they'd rather work on getting that line fixed and developing, and let Henne run the offense for as long as he can to allow Bortles time to continue his progression.  That being said, I think Bortles probably takes the starting gig before the bye week. 

 

I agree that with the young talent they've brought in to compete along the OL, once they get the right guys in place, it's a unit that has the potential to be very good for a long while.  It's a young group. 

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Never argue with idiots. They drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

Connolly is 32 years old.  I really liked him when he was here in Jacksonville, and they did try to groom him for that role, but injury issues cost him a shot.  If he did lose the job, and wound up on the wire, he'd be a good patch for now with an eye on upgrading that spot next year in free agency or the draft. 

 

Wendell has started at Center for New England, he's younger, and has a good injury history.  He'd also be worth considering if they waived him. 

 

It's funny.  Connolly and Wendell seem to have been joined at the hip for most of their career in New England.  This isn't the first time they have competed for the starting C job. 

 

A patch might be just what the position needs right now, just to get them to the 2015 offseason. It'll be interesting to see how that situation plays itself out and if Caldwell and Co. go putting out feelers.

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I'm trying to make myself more informed and less opinionated.

Stop saying whatever stupid thing you're talking about and pay attention to all the interesting things I have to say!

A patch might be just what the position needs right now, just to get them to the 2015 offseason. It'll be interesting to see how that situation plays itself out and if Caldwell and Co. go putting out feelers.

 

Agreed.  If they can bring someone in who can bring stability for now to the position while allowing the younger guys to continue to develop, that's a good thing.  I have no doubt we're going to have one eye on the wire to see if there are opportunities there to give us a quick fix.

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Never argue with idiots. They drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

The Mankins trade most likely killed the Connolly or Wendell idea. My New England Fan-friend stated that the idea now is to move whomever doesn't win the Center job to Mankins' spot.

 

Granted, that's just fan talk so take it as you will.

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I'm trying to make myself more informed and less opinionated.

Stop saying whatever stupid thing you're talking about and pay attention to all the interesting things I have to say!

Agreed.  If they can bring someone in who can bring stability for now to the position while allowing the younger guys to continue to develop, that's a good thing.  I have no doubt we're going to have one eye on the wire to see if there are opportunities there to give us a quick fix.

 

Wade Smith may be another option - he was released by the Seahawks. He's 33 years old and has been in the league since 2003 so of course it would be a patch signing. I remember he was a good player for the Texans and made the Pro Bowl after the 2012 season. He's clearly in decline but for her versatily, as depth and maybe a spot starter until the young guys assert themselves, he's worth a look.

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Mike McGlynn is an experienced starter - released by the Skins. Only 29 as well. 

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I hope we go Bowanko and pick up a waived center or guard as backup.  Brewster is undersized and doesn't have the smarts to compensate for his lack of strength.

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Bowanko could use development, without putting the QB at risk for a year.  I would be an advocate for an old patch, if one could be found.

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Mike McGlynn is an experienced starter - released by the Skins. Only 29 as well. 

Might be worth a waiver claim and test drive.  Seemed he was only viewed as depth at guard as of late however. 

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I hope we go Bowanko and pick up a waived center or guard as backup.  Brewster is undersized and doesn't have the smarts to compensate for his lack of strength.

What could you possibly know about Brewster's "smarts", 6'3"  305 lbs. is undersized? Are you making this up? 

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