(02-04-2022, 12:31 PM)Mikey Wrote:

(02-03-2022, 09:37 PM)Portofino43 Wrote: I go back and forth from day to day when it comes to drafting Evan Neal or one of the pass rushers. In Week 17, it was so great watching Trevor standing back in the pocket with a lot of time to pass and carving up the Colts. The extra time seemed to make a big difference for him.

The problem is that using the first overall pick on a RT seems to be a huge reach. If Walker Little can be depended on at the LT position, I think we would get a lot more value with that first pick by taking Hutchinson or Thibodeaux.

Is there any scenario where we could play Little at LT and move Cam over to RT? Little seems like a natural LT.

One thing I wouldn't mind doing is making a trade with the Vikings. If we could get Adam Thielen, #12, and their first pick in 2023, we could add a very good veteran receiver and also be in a position to draft another good rookie.

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This is something I've been meaning to raise around here. With all the talk of Neal at 1, does that imply we're playing him at LT, and if so, how confident are we that Little plays well at RT? I assume that if we are taking Neal at 1, Cam is allowed to sign elsewhere. That would be overkill aimed at one, maaaaaaaaaybe two spots on the line.

I agree that Little seems more suited on the left. It seems odd that we'd throw in the towel on him before even giving him a shot to prove his worth by taking Neal.

Interested in everyone's thoughts on this.

From what I have heard, Neal can play tackle or guard.  He would be a huge immediate upgrade to our offensive line.  Is he a better player overall than Hutchinson or Thibodeaux?  That's a different argument.  But if you want to help Trevor Lawrence right away, a big upgrade on the offensive line would do that.  

As for all the angst about which position he would take, I remember when the Ravens drafted Jon Ogden, and they came in here to play us his rookie year, 1996, and he was playing LG.  That is the truth- hall of fame left tackle Jon Ogden played left guard his rookie year.  And they came in here and just kicked our [BLEEP] with that offensive line of theirs.  I looked up the game just now, and we did win the game, 30-27, with a big 4th quarter.  The Ravens gave up 3 turnovers.  But I will never forget sitting in the stands watching them get 152 yards rushing on us.  4.2 yards per carry.   I seem to remember a lot of it was right up the middle.  

Ogden played LG, started all 16 games, and was offensive rookie of the year in 1996.  

So that's the case for just taking an offensive lineman and figuring out where you can put him in his first season.  

"Oh, no, what are we going to do with all these offensive linemen?  We have too many guys who can play left tackle."  What a complaint that would be.

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