yupchagee wrote:BossHog wrote:The coaches have said that they WON'T even move Fabini out to tackle while Heyer and Wade are out for a couple of weeks, because they want Fabini to get reps and back-up inside.
Geisinger will likely compete for the 10th spot (if there is one) IMO.
And personally, I don't really want an undrafted rookie getting thrown into action again this year. Heyer did an amazing job last year, but it's certainly not something that you want to count on. Crommey will be safe on the practice squad.
Rinehart obviously has a lot more potential to contribute, but he'll get plenty of practice reps if he's in the top 8 or 9... there's no reason to rush him.
The only time we would keep 10 OL's is if there are several injuries. Let's hope that doesn't happen this year. We'll have 3 who can play OT (Heyer, Rinehart & Fabini); 2 who can play inside (Rinehart & Fabini). If we keep another OL, I think it will be someone who can play inside. Wade can't.
I didn't list ten, I only listed nine... same as we kept last year, and the year before.
Rinehart's a rookie, and Heyer has almost no game experience... personally, I'd rather see Rinehart be the fourth man off the bench and not the third.
I also think that when healthy, there's almost no drop off in talent between Wade and JJ. I also think that while Wade's experiment at guard didn't go swimmingly, I'm not sure why anyone would think that Rinehart could immediately move inside and adjust... he played 39 consecutive games at tackle for UNI... he'll be at tackle at training camp with the second unit at LEAST until Wade and Heyer return... where will the reps come from?
I happen to agree that we need some inside help, but I don't see Rinehart as being it. And considering that the rest of the incumbents have 2 NFL starts between them (Geisinger), I don't see it on the roster either. Fabini is our ONLY viable inside back-up, so I don't even see him as an option outside - it would just mean making multiple moves if an interior lineman then got hurt.
I think Wade is first off the bench at tackle and Heyer is second. I think Fabini backs up the first interior guy to go down and if another went down, then we'd adjust accordingly, but I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the possibility that Wade would then move inside and Heyer would go in at tackle. It may not seem like a great option, but I'm not sure how sticking a rookie tackle in at guard with no playing experience of ANY kind in the NFL, let alone at the guard position where he hasn't started a game (or maybe even taken a practice snap) for years.
Of course we all hope that never happens, but it's hard not to give it consideration in light of the last few seasons and the o-line's ascending average age.
I don't think there is even a remote chance that we would only sign eight OL to the roster. Too many injuries being recovered from.
We can probably sneak Tavares Washington and Crommey on to the practice squad and have added depth close at hand that way. Washington is the one working at guard with the second unit right now.
Sean Taylor was one of a kind, may he rest in peace.