Is OL the Jag's Biggest Need?

by Jagfan89 on Feb 6, 2012 9:09 PM EST

ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 15: John Abraham #55 of the Atlanta Falcons forces a fumble as he sacks Blaine Gabbert #11 of the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first half at the Georgia Dome on December 15, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

The 2011 Jacksonville Jaguars season was a misery to watch. More than our 5-11 record, I truly believe the most frustrating thing to observe was the dreadful nature of our passing offense. The "what ifs" were mind boggling, especially seeing a healthy Maurice Jones-Drew and the drastic improvement of our atrocious defense from 2010. A mediocre offense and we very well could have been playing for a chance at the post season. But what is our biggest need going forward? Is it really "play making" wide receivers? While I do believe wideout is a position of need, I tend to think that this will be addressed in free agency. As mentioned in an earlier post, our top rated defense is truly lacking an elite pass rusher. We also have injury concerns at Cornerback and I am not going to get into the revolving door that has become Right Tackle. I do however believe offense line is where we need to focus our attention on the first day of the NFL draft. One has to look no further than the Falcons game where Blaine Gabbert could not even take a 3 step drop without intense pressure. Blaine is our franchise QB, and he needs to be protected. Eugene Monroe and Uche Nwaneri can both be counted on to play at a high level, but age and injuries leave glaring question marks at the other 3 spots. The familiar names are Matt Kalil, Riley Rieff, and Jonathan Martin, that said would an Offensive Line pick by Gene Smith bring out the pitch forks from Jaguar fans?

Poll

Would you be upset if Gene drafts OL again?

Yes, we need playmakers

231 votes

No, OL is a position of need

408 votes

639 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 43 comments | 0 recs |

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Comments

too many articles too little time

Don't you ever play GM- Lee "Touch of Gray" Judge

by tiquanunderwear on Feb 6, 2012 9:12 PM EST reply actions

Sorry! It won't always be like that...think everyone's a little excited about writing right now lol...

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by T.Holmes on Feb 9, 2012 1:12 PM EST up reply actions

BAP

I don’t know any “playmakers” worth the #7 overall pick. And I’m hoping it’s Coples or Rieff who is selected.

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by rhettchrystal on Feb 6, 2012 9:13 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

a huge need

Not bigger than WR though we are working with absolute scraps. its really pathetic we havent had a number 1 since jimmy smith retired early because he could not stop smoking crack.

by jager-lota on Feb 6, 2012 9:17 PM EST via mobile reply actions

Maybe some of our current wr's should start smoking crack so they can catch like jimmy

by Slawsc on Feb 7, 2012 5:32 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

I kinda think Uche Nwaneri is overrated,

but i’m only going to notice his blunders. And yes, Oline is a big need!

by Jermaside4 on Feb 6, 2012 9:26 PM EST reply actions

by whom?

by CheapSeat on Feb 6, 2012 10:57 PM EST up reply actions

Uche overrated? Nonsense...

by muddyballs on Feb 7, 2012 7:22 AM EST up reply actions

If anything

He is underrated

by Sylvester.The.Jaguar.fan on Feb 7, 2012 7:29 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

Its Not Gonna Happen

But if someone like Kalil fell to us I would pray to god he would be the pick.

This is a very talented class for interior line, with some of them possibly going in the back half of the first. Spending our second on one of the elite guards or centers would be a smart move in my opinion.

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by Bestjagfan on Feb 6, 2012 10:16 PM EST reply actions

If Kalil fell to us

I have very little doubt what would happen.

by CheapSeat on Feb 6, 2012 10:58 PM EST up reply actions

I don't think O-line is our biggest need

The problem with our O-line is it’s got some question marks. Let’s take WR and RT for example. Both have been called needs for us, the difference is that the answer to RT might and I still believe is on the roster. But we can say with absolute certainty that the answer to WR is not on the roster.

Respect My Authoritah

by duuuvaaalll on Feb 6, 2012 10:19 PM EST via mobile reply actions

Nice perspective.

by kjones407 on Feb 6, 2012 11:51 PM EST up reply actions

if britton returns healthy and bradfield progresses, I think RT will be competitive

Section 442, RIP
"You think you know, but you don't know."

by unhipcat on Feb 7, 2012 12:57 AM EST up reply actions

I agree.

That line in the Falcons game was bad because they chose Whimper over Bradfield for whatever reason. The talent was there, but it was standing on the sideline.

"The truth is incontrovertible, malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end; there it is." Winston Churchill

by Conservative on Feb 7, 2012 8:18 AM EST up reply actions

I'll never understand

why people write things like this “they chose Whimper over Bradfield for whatever reason” Do you honestly think you know more than the coaches who watch these players all day every day ? smh.

by pksiv on Feb 7, 2012 8:41 AM EST up reply actions

I've said this..

before and I’ll say it again. I asked John O, from jaguars.com’s O-Zone about this and he said it was because the team felt more comfortable with Bradfield at LT at the time. So it had less to do with Bradfield’s talent and more to do with Whimper’s experience at the position. I’d say after a full offseason at practicing primarily at RT, Bradfield should be able fight for the starter position IMO.

by kjones407 on Feb 7, 2012 10:38 AM EST up reply actions

That is my point. I said "for whatever reason" because I don't know the reason, but the coaches do.

I think the staff new Bradfield was a better tackle. People can hold the same knowledge yet make different decisions based on that knowledge – we are not robots or computers. I think they were just afraid to use their only backup LT at RT. I don’t believe for a minute that they thought Whimper was a better pass-blocker than Bradfield, but it didn’t stop them from choosing the lesser player as the starter. Also, didn’t Bradfield eventually take over for Whimper later in the season? They knew, they were just slow to change.

"The truth is incontrovertible, malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end; there it is." Winston Churchill

by Conservative on Feb 7, 2012 3:15 PM EST up reply actions

knew - not new

"The truth is incontrovertible, malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end; there it is." Winston Churchill

by Conservative on Feb 7, 2012 3:16 PM EST up reply actions

I agree.....

It should have read….“they chose Whimper over Bradfield….because the coaching staff feels he is a better player at that position”!

by GAJAGFAN on Feb 7, 2012 10:27 AM EST up reply actions

Is that why they chose McCown over Garrard? Gabbert over McCown? Podlesh over Weatherford? Shorts over Hill?

I am quite sure that there is more than “who is a better player at that position” that goes into their decisions.

"The truth is incontrovertible, malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end; there it is." Winston Churchill

by Conservative on Feb 7, 2012 3:24 PM EST up reply actions

Let me get this right......

You think David was playing at a higher level than Luke in the preseason? I don’t, and don’t think the Jags did either. I see your point concerning Luke and and Blaine, but after the abortion that occurred VS the Jets, It would not shock me if Blaine had been playing as well as Gabbert was in practice at that time. I do think if Luke was not better by a bunch, they made a decision looking to the future with Blaine, which supports your position. I can not comment about Weatherford because that was before my time, but it seems that Podlish was a pretty good punter, good enough for the Bears to offer big money and steal him away. As far as Shorts over Hill, I suppose you are taking the position that since they both are on equal levels in terms of play, then why not start the younger guy and see if they can develop. That seems to support both of our positions, since level of play was equal, and the young player has more upside due to his youth.
I get what you are saying, but maybe what I should have said was “they chose Whimper over Bradfield….because the coaching staff sees more upside in that player”.

by GAJAGFAN on Feb 7, 2012 5:05 PM EST up reply actions

It would not be popular

but OL in the 1st round would not upset me at all.

by CheapSeat on Feb 6, 2012 11:00 PM EST reply actions

I dont think it is

The injuries to Britton are unfortunate but hopefully he’ll be rested up and ready to go. If not, People often forget that we have Bradfield, Haslam, and Baldridge all talented, albeit raw, OT’s that need to be played so they can develop. If Monroe can keep his weight up and continue to play like he did last season he could be one of the Leagues premier LT’s for the next 6-8 seasons. Meester is playing excellent who could possibly play at a high level for the next two years while developing Estes at Center. I’ll admit that Rackley had a pretty rough rookie season but he was injured for the better part of the season and you could tell that he was getting better almost every game. He just needs to continue to learn the game, develop, then his consistency will come along with that. I’m not saying Gene won’t draft a “Big Ugly” early, I just think he’ll go in a different direction, At least until the mid-to-later rounds and IMO our Offensive Line although needs consistency both in staying healthy, keeping the same lineup, and in it’s performance, I don’t think it’s the Jag’s Biggest Need by any stretch.

I would say going into Free Agency the Jaguars 3 Biggest Needs are:

1.WR’s
2.DE
3.CB

by Jags85 on Feb 6, 2012 11:24 PM EST via mobile reply actions 1 recs

Excellent comment.

Very well spoken and I couldn’t have said any of this better myself. I agree with everything.

by kjones407 on Feb 6, 2012 11:54 PM EST up reply actions

Wow, thanks for the Props!!!

Much appreciated!

by Jags85 on Feb 6, 2012 11:56 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

No problem.

by kjones407 on Feb 7, 2012 10:25 AM EST up reply actions

When was rackely injuried?

by Slawsc on Feb 7, 2012 5:35 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

In the beginning of the season, he had 1 if not both his hands almost completely taped with greatly effects what you can do

by Jags85 on Feb 7, 2012 10:14 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

left guard is not an age or injury concern. it's an experience issue

Section 442, RIP
"You think you know, but you don't know."

by unhipcat on Feb 7, 2012 12:54 AM EST reply actions

O-line isn't a weakness, it should be addressed

It has the potential to blow up in our face. Who knows about Britton’s health, and it wasn’t like he was playing lights out before he went down. Meester isn’t getting any younger either. I’m ok with Monroe and Uche, and we got to see Rackley make a big jump in his play.

The O-line is similiar to the WR position a year ago. We thought we would be ok if some things went right, and drafted a guy late just for insurance. We know how that turned out. You can say if Rackley plays better (as a 2nd year player should), if Britton is healthy and showed us what we say in his rookie year, and if Meester keeps drinking from whatever fountain of youth he discovered, then yeah we’ll be fine. If not, look out.

by BASE_D_JAGSS on Feb 7, 2012 1:04 AM EST reply actions

There's a lot of IFs in that last paragraph.

by muddyballs on Feb 7, 2012 8:14 AM EST up reply actions

Not only that...

but the comparison of last years WR’s and this years offensive line is totally off base. We didn’t have any players we’d been grooming for years to come in as relief should the group that was slated to be the starters struggled.

by kjones407 on Feb 7, 2012 10:35 AM EST up reply actions

That's not how you operate WRs

You have your front line guys, then the rest are role players/special teamers, that will hopefully develop.

by BASE_D_JAGSS on Feb 8, 2012 1:04 AM EST up reply actions

If that's the case...

why do teams have WR’s on their practice squad?

by kjones407 on Feb 8, 2012 5:07 PM EST up reply actions

If that's the case...

why do teams have WR’s on their practice squad?

by kjones407 on Feb 8, 2012 5:09 PM EST up reply actions

I think gene addresses the skills positions in free agency and grabs top 10 line talent while he can in the draft. Got to get the big, talented guys when you can

by Slawsc on Feb 7, 2012 5:41 AM EST via mobile reply actions

How could o-line not be at the top?

The article seems to address the draft, not free agency. We need a playmaker to come in and perform, game one. Thats called free agency. Blaine needs confidence. The best way for him to achieve that, is to keep the defense from knocking him to the ground a split second after getting the snap.

by zulu370 on Feb 7, 2012 8:20 AM EST reply actions

I think...

duuuvaaalll’s and Jags 85 comments above go hand in hand and pretty much sums it up. Duuuvaaalll’s comment offers a prespective that prestents the questions surround the offensive line in a proper light and Jags85 comment provides details as to why that is so. As Jags 85 said, after WR, I’d say our needs go DE then CB. After that, RT, making it not our biggest need. You’re suggesting that we go o-line early in the draft which really wouldn’t be ideal considering that offensive linemen tend to struggle early in their careers which isn’t what we should want with Blaine being at the most important stage of his development. I’d say we’d be better off if we were to rely on a player we’ve been developing for a while rather depending on a rookie to help protect Blaine.

by kjones407 on Feb 7, 2012 10:33 AM EST up reply actions