K-town
04-21-2006, 06:32 PM
You could make the case that every NFL team is looking to either upgrade its offensive line or add an offensive lineman during the NFL draft. The offensive line group in this year's draft has better overall depth at the key positions compared to last year's draft.
Last year, four offensive linemen were drafted in the first round (Jammal Brown, Alex Barron, Chris Spencer and Logan Mankins). Brown was the first offensive lineman taken (No. 13, Saints), while Barron came off the board at No. 19 (Rams).
This year's draft has two offensive tackles projected to come off the board between the second and 14th selections. Virginia's D'Brickashaw Ferguson is considered one of the top-five prospects in the draft and a franchise left tackle. Although USC's Winston Justice has the versatility and potential to develop into an elite tackle on the right or left side, he has some off-the-field character concerns.
When breaking down the second-tier groups by position, there are some very intriguing prospects to consider. This group should start coming off the board at the start of the second round or possibly late in the first round. Offensive tackles Eric Winston (Miami-Fla.), Marcus McNeill (Auburn) and Andrew Whitworth (LSU) all have great size and the potential to develop into outstanding players.
There is no guard prospect projected to go in the first round, but there is some depth at the position, with four interesting players expected to come off the board in the second and third rounds. This group consists of Davin Joseph (Oklahoma), Taitusi Lutui (USC), Max Jean-Gilles (Georgia) and Charles Spencer (Pittsburgh). These are big, massive interior players, with the exception of Joseph, who has the versatility to play either guard or tackle but lacks ideal height.
Ohio State's Nick Mangold is the only center who might be worth taking late in the first round, but if not then, he will definitely come off the board early in the second round. Two other center prospects to consider are Chris Chester (Oklahoma) and Jason Spitz (Louisville). Both should be drafted either in rounds two or three.
Here is a look at five teams that should be looking hardest at offensive linemen in the 2006 draft.
Pressing need
Flanagan, Houston Texans: By signing center Mike Flanagan (Packers) and moving Steve McKinney to left guard, the Texans have somewhat stabilized the interior of their offensive line. However, there are still concerns about the Texans' right side of the O-line and the development of left tackle Chester Pitts. Pitts is a versatile player who is best suited inside at either guard position. Right guard Zach Wiegert is an aging veteran with an injury history and declining skills, while right tackle Todd Wade has been inconsistent since singing with the Texans as an unrestricted free agent in 2004. Depth is also a concern, and backups Fred Weary and Seth Wand have been inconsistent and slow to develop into frontline players.
Outlook: After the likely selection of running back Reggie Bush with the No. 1 pick, the Texans will be in the position to address their offensive line with the first pick of the second round. They could easily be looking at either Winston or McNeill. Winston would make the most sense due to his rare combination of size, athleticism and the ability to play on the left side.
New York Jets: Although the Jets have added center Trey Teague (Buffalo) and Anthony Clement (San Francisco) over the last few weeks to improve overall quality, they still do not have a franchise left tackle. Teague will replace Kevin Mawae as the starting center, while Clement will compete for the starting right tackle position with Marko Cavka. Left tackle Adrian Jones replaced the injured Jason Fabini last year and is best suited on the right side. Jones is still young and has good versatility, but he lacks elite explosiveness and lower-body strength.
Outlook: The Jets have the fourth overall pick and seem to be in the most attractive position in terms of fielding offers from other NFL teams. The Jets are rebuilding and have many areas that need to be addressed. They have five picks on the first day of the draft and are in the best position to move up and get into the top three picks. However, the Jets' best move might be to stay put and take their future franchise left tackle in Ferguson.
Tauscher, Green Bay Packers: The Packers have struggled to replace the interior of their offensive line. With the departure of center Flanagan (Houston) and last year's key losses of Marco Rivera (Dallas) and Mike Wahle (Carolina), the Packers find themselves in need of addressing this area. The Packers are solid on the edges with right tackle Mark Tauscher and left tackle Chad Clifton. Versatile center Scott Wells will get the first crack at replacing Flanagan. However, left guard Adrian Klemm struggled as a starter last season and is best suited as a versatile backup player. Right guard William Whitticker was inconsistent and is still developing.
Outlook: GM Ted Thompson has made it clear that he is building through the draft and with low-tier unrestricted free agents. The Packers will take value with their first pick and then possibly address the interior of their offensive line with the fourth pick in the second round. The Packers need a guard who is smart, athletic and powerful. However, center Mangold will be hard to pass on if he's sitting there when the Packers are on the clock in the second round.
Buffalo Bills: With the exception of right guard Chris Villarrial and young, developing right tackle Jason Peters, the Bills' offensive line is average at best. Left tackle Mike Gandy, who has experience at every position on the offensive line, is best suited as a backup guard. Starting left guard Bennie Anderson is a better run-blocker who can get exposed as a pass-blocker, while Melvin Fowler is a stopgap player at center.
Outlook: The Bills have 10 picks and should be active on draft day with their ability to move around and acquire players who best fit head coach Dick Jauron's system. If a player the Bills have targeted in Round 1 is off the board, look for them to possibly move down and position themselves to get better value and take Justice. If the Bills stay at No. 8, they will probably take a defensive lineman and address their offensive line in rounds two or three.
Brown, Arizona Cardinals: The thought that comes to mind when studying the Cardinals' offensive line is inconsistency as a unit. The Cardinals finished dead last in the NFL in rushing offense last season, averaging only 71.1 yards per game. The only new addition to the offensive line this offseason was free agent Milford Brown (Houston). Brown, who struggled to develop into a full-time starter in Houston, is a short-term answer for the Cardinals.
Outlook: The Cardinals attempted to bolster their running game this offseason by adding new offensive line coach Steve Loney and signing unrestricted free-agent running back Edgerrin James. Arizona will look to address its offensive line needs beginning in the second round.
The Others
Here is a look at some other teams that should be looking or could be looking for an offensive lineman, depending on how the board falls. They are in draft order.
New Orleans Saints: Last year's first-round pick, Jammal Brown, started 13 games at right tackle. Brown worked at left tackle in mini-camp earlier in the month, and Jon Stinchcomb is currently listed as the starting right tackle. Stinchcomb, a second-round pick in 2003, has seen limited playing time in his short career and is best suited as a backup. The Saints are trying to move out of the No. 2 spot but want to stay in the top five. Depending on what Houston does at No. 1, the Saints can take the next best available player regardless of position.
Tennessee Titans: With the possible retirement of left tackle Brad Hopkins, the Titans are expected to move starting right tackle Michael Roos over to the left side. Center Kevin Mawae was a solid addition and should improve the interior of the Titans' offensive line (with Zach Piller and Benji Olson). The biggest concern for the Titans is right tackle. Last year's fourth-round pick, David Stewart, and fifth-round pick, Daniel Loper, will compete for the job. After that, there is hardly any depth on the offensive line.
Baltimore Ravens: The Ravens need to address the right tackle position. With the release of Orlando Brown, the Ravens could be faced with selecting Justice with the 13th pick. The Ravens are high on right tackle Tony Pashos, but Justice's combination of size and athleticism could be too much for the Ravens to pass up.
Philadelphia Eagles: Starting right tackle Jon Runyan and left tackle Tra Thomas are aging. The Eagles are selecting 14th in the draft and are in position to select Justice, with the idea of grooming a young offensive tackle to replace an aging vet.
San Diego Chargers: Left tackle Roman Oben is coming off season-ending foot injury and is not expected back until the start of training camp. His backup, Leander Jordan, is more consistent as a run-blocker than protecting the backside of quarterbacks. Last year's starting right tackle, Shane Olivea, lacks the athleticism and versatility to play on the left side. With Philip Rivers starting his first season at quarterback, the Chargers must make sure they're able to protect his blind side.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Bucs have added offensive tackle Torrin Tucker and guard Toniu Fonoti to improve the depth. Starting left tackle Anthony Davis is solid, but he struggled at times in pass protection last season. The Buccaneers re-signed right tackle Kenyatta Walker and are high on second-year tackle Chris Colmer, but they would like to add another young offensive tackle to compete in this group.
Keith Kidd spent 14 years in NFL front offices, including key roles in the personnel departments of the Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots.
Last year, four offensive linemen were drafted in the first round (Jammal Brown, Alex Barron, Chris Spencer and Logan Mankins). Brown was the first offensive lineman taken (No. 13, Saints), while Barron came off the board at No. 19 (Rams).
This year's draft has two offensive tackles projected to come off the board between the second and 14th selections. Virginia's D'Brickashaw Ferguson is considered one of the top-five prospects in the draft and a franchise left tackle. Although USC's Winston Justice has the versatility and potential to develop into an elite tackle on the right or left side, he has some off-the-field character concerns.
When breaking down the second-tier groups by position, there are some very intriguing prospects to consider. This group should start coming off the board at the start of the second round or possibly late in the first round. Offensive tackles Eric Winston (Miami-Fla.), Marcus McNeill (Auburn) and Andrew Whitworth (LSU) all have great size and the potential to develop into outstanding players.
There is no guard prospect projected to go in the first round, but there is some depth at the position, with four interesting players expected to come off the board in the second and third rounds. This group consists of Davin Joseph (Oklahoma), Taitusi Lutui (USC), Max Jean-Gilles (Georgia) and Charles Spencer (Pittsburgh). These are big, massive interior players, with the exception of Joseph, who has the versatility to play either guard or tackle but lacks ideal height.
Ohio State's Nick Mangold is the only center who might be worth taking late in the first round, but if not then, he will definitely come off the board early in the second round. Two other center prospects to consider are Chris Chester (Oklahoma) and Jason Spitz (Louisville). Both should be drafted either in rounds two or three.
Here is a look at five teams that should be looking hardest at offensive linemen in the 2006 draft.
Pressing need
Flanagan, Houston Texans: By signing center Mike Flanagan (Packers) and moving Steve McKinney to left guard, the Texans have somewhat stabilized the interior of their offensive line. However, there are still concerns about the Texans' right side of the O-line and the development of left tackle Chester Pitts. Pitts is a versatile player who is best suited inside at either guard position. Right guard Zach Wiegert is an aging veteran with an injury history and declining skills, while right tackle Todd Wade has been inconsistent since singing with the Texans as an unrestricted free agent in 2004. Depth is also a concern, and backups Fred Weary and Seth Wand have been inconsistent and slow to develop into frontline players.
Outlook: After the likely selection of running back Reggie Bush with the No. 1 pick, the Texans will be in the position to address their offensive line with the first pick of the second round. They could easily be looking at either Winston or McNeill. Winston would make the most sense due to his rare combination of size, athleticism and the ability to play on the left side.
New York Jets: Although the Jets have added center Trey Teague (Buffalo) and Anthony Clement (San Francisco) over the last few weeks to improve overall quality, they still do not have a franchise left tackle. Teague will replace Kevin Mawae as the starting center, while Clement will compete for the starting right tackle position with Marko Cavka. Left tackle Adrian Jones replaced the injured Jason Fabini last year and is best suited on the right side. Jones is still young and has good versatility, but he lacks elite explosiveness and lower-body strength.
Outlook: The Jets have the fourth overall pick and seem to be in the most attractive position in terms of fielding offers from other NFL teams. The Jets are rebuilding and have many areas that need to be addressed. They have five picks on the first day of the draft and are in the best position to move up and get into the top three picks. However, the Jets' best move might be to stay put and take their future franchise left tackle in Ferguson.
Tauscher, Green Bay Packers: The Packers have struggled to replace the interior of their offensive line. With the departure of center Flanagan (Houston) and last year's key losses of Marco Rivera (Dallas) and Mike Wahle (Carolina), the Packers find themselves in need of addressing this area. The Packers are solid on the edges with right tackle Mark Tauscher and left tackle Chad Clifton. Versatile center Scott Wells will get the first crack at replacing Flanagan. However, left guard Adrian Klemm struggled as a starter last season and is best suited as a versatile backup player. Right guard William Whitticker was inconsistent and is still developing.
Outlook: GM Ted Thompson has made it clear that he is building through the draft and with low-tier unrestricted free agents. The Packers will take value with their first pick and then possibly address the interior of their offensive line with the fourth pick in the second round. The Packers need a guard who is smart, athletic and powerful. However, center Mangold will be hard to pass on if he's sitting there when the Packers are on the clock in the second round.
Buffalo Bills: With the exception of right guard Chris Villarrial and young, developing right tackle Jason Peters, the Bills' offensive line is average at best. Left tackle Mike Gandy, who has experience at every position on the offensive line, is best suited as a backup guard. Starting left guard Bennie Anderson is a better run-blocker who can get exposed as a pass-blocker, while Melvin Fowler is a stopgap player at center.
Outlook: The Bills have 10 picks and should be active on draft day with their ability to move around and acquire players who best fit head coach Dick Jauron's system. If a player the Bills have targeted in Round 1 is off the board, look for them to possibly move down and position themselves to get better value and take Justice. If the Bills stay at No. 8, they will probably take a defensive lineman and address their offensive line in rounds two or three.
Brown, Arizona Cardinals: The thought that comes to mind when studying the Cardinals' offensive line is inconsistency as a unit. The Cardinals finished dead last in the NFL in rushing offense last season, averaging only 71.1 yards per game. The only new addition to the offensive line this offseason was free agent Milford Brown (Houston). Brown, who struggled to develop into a full-time starter in Houston, is a short-term answer for the Cardinals.
Outlook: The Cardinals attempted to bolster their running game this offseason by adding new offensive line coach Steve Loney and signing unrestricted free-agent running back Edgerrin James. Arizona will look to address its offensive line needs beginning in the second round.
The Others
Here is a look at some other teams that should be looking or could be looking for an offensive lineman, depending on how the board falls. They are in draft order.
New Orleans Saints: Last year's first-round pick, Jammal Brown, started 13 games at right tackle. Brown worked at left tackle in mini-camp earlier in the month, and Jon Stinchcomb is currently listed as the starting right tackle. Stinchcomb, a second-round pick in 2003, has seen limited playing time in his short career and is best suited as a backup. The Saints are trying to move out of the No. 2 spot but want to stay in the top five. Depending on what Houston does at No. 1, the Saints can take the next best available player regardless of position.
Tennessee Titans: With the possible retirement of left tackle Brad Hopkins, the Titans are expected to move starting right tackle Michael Roos over to the left side. Center Kevin Mawae was a solid addition and should improve the interior of the Titans' offensive line (with Zach Piller and Benji Olson). The biggest concern for the Titans is right tackle. Last year's fourth-round pick, David Stewart, and fifth-round pick, Daniel Loper, will compete for the job. After that, there is hardly any depth on the offensive line.
Baltimore Ravens: The Ravens need to address the right tackle position. With the release of Orlando Brown, the Ravens could be faced with selecting Justice with the 13th pick. The Ravens are high on right tackle Tony Pashos, but Justice's combination of size and athleticism could be too much for the Ravens to pass up.
Philadelphia Eagles: Starting right tackle Jon Runyan and left tackle Tra Thomas are aging. The Eagles are selecting 14th in the draft and are in position to select Justice, with the idea of grooming a young offensive tackle to replace an aging vet.
San Diego Chargers: Left tackle Roman Oben is coming off season-ending foot injury and is not expected back until the start of training camp. His backup, Leander Jordan, is more consistent as a run-blocker than protecting the backside of quarterbacks. Last year's starting right tackle, Shane Olivea, lacks the athleticism and versatility to play on the left side. With Philip Rivers starting his first season at quarterback, the Chargers must make sure they're able to protect his blind side.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Bucs have added offensive tackle Torrin Tucker and guard Toniu Fonoti to improve the depth. Starting left tackle Anthony Davis is solid, but he struggled at times in pass protection last season. The Buccaneers re-signed right tackle Kenyatta Walker and are high on second-year tackle Chris Colmer, but they would like to add another young offensive tackle to compete in this group.
Keith Kidd spent 14 years in NFL front offices, including key roles in the personnel departments of the Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots.