Jared Gaither a possibility at LT?

[spudstr04]

NFL Network's Jason La Canfora suggested on Total Access Monday that the Redskins could make a play for restricted free agent LT Jared Gaither.

La Canfora used the words "don't be surprised if...," so this wasn't really a report. However, Gaither would make a lot of sense in Washington as a native of the Baltimore/D.C. area (he went to Maryland) and a need-filler at left tackle. La Canfora suggests a trade for the Skins' second-round pick.

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/clubhouse_relatednews.aspx?sport=NFL&majteam=WAS


I don't know if I would give up the 2nd rounder, but he is only 24 years old. He grew up in DC and went to Maryland. May be he could help bring out the best of his former teammate, Stephon Heyer. If this were to happen and the Skins traded their 2nd rounder, it would leave the door wide open for them to draft a QB in the 1st or trade down for more picks.

[chiefhog44]

smoke screen

[Redskin in Canada]

smoke screen

Maybe. Not sure. maybe a possibility under certain scenarios in the Draft.

So, if Okung does not come our way , I can see this happening.

[1niksder]

Gaither: "My dream is to stay with the Ravens"

Jared Gaither confirmed he would report to the Ravens’ offseason workout program Monday, saying this should remove any doubts about his commitment to the team.

Gaither, the starting left tackle the past two seasons, indicated that his preference is to strike a long-term deal with the Ravens.

“It would be my dream to stay with the Ravens and stay with the team, winning multiple championships,” Gaither told The Baltimore Sun. “I’d be more than happy to remain here.”

Gaither’s absence for the first week of the voluntary conditioning program became widely known last week, when Ravens coach John Harbaugh expressed disappointment in the no-show by the former University of Maryland player.

Harbaugh said Gaither wouldn’t gain any “leverage” for a long-term contract by skipping the workouts.

“I really believe Jared is going to be a premier offensive tackle in this league,” Harbaugh said at the NFL owners meetings. “The thing we need him to do is to get up there and start working on it. I talked to [Gaither’s agent] Drew Rosenhaus and he tells me he’s getting Jared in shape. The last time I checked Drew Rosenhaus doesn’t coach the offensive line in the National Football League. Jared needs to be in our weight room with our players with our offensive line, becoming the player he can become.”

A day after Harbaugh made these comments last week, Gaither announced he would be reporting to the weightlifting program.

Gaither, 24, said he wasn’t there for the first week because he was rehabilitating a right ankle injury that slowed him late last season.

“I didn’t want to abruptly stop it,” said Gaither, who didn’t need offseason surgery. “I’m done, and I’m going to get back with the team. I’m still rehabbing the strength more. The injuries I had last year just stripped me in those areas. That’s really what I was doing.”

There has been speculation this offseason about the Ravens’ commitment to Gaither, a restricted free agent.

No team official has said the Ravens would trade Gaither for a high pick, but the team seemingly announced it would listen to offers by giving Gaither a first-round tender as a restricted free agent instead of the high one (which would require teams to give up picks in the first and third rounds).

The Ravens have options at offensive tackle because first-round pick Michael Oher looked solid at left tackle when he replaced an injured Gaither for five games in 2009.
Harbaugh said he doesn’t know if teams have contacted the Ravens about Gaither.
“We don’t want to lose Jared Gaither,” Harbaugh said. “We need Jared Gaither as a Raven. I really like Jared. I think he’s going to be a great player. I just want to work with him. We want to get him in and work with him. I know he wants to work. I know he’s working hard right now. The other stuff will take care of itself.”

Gaither has consistently had to deal with these types of questions. After he was selected by the Ravens in the fifth round of the 2007 supplemental draft, Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen expressed his concern over Gaither's work ethic -- which led to him losing his starting job with the Terrapins.

"Sometimes he wouldn't work," Friedgen said in 2007. "I think I have to have some credibility there with my players. ... There were some days he didn't feel like practicing.”
Gaither said he hopes his return Monday should quell any doubts with the Ravens.
“I believe my coach and the rest of the staff understand I’m committed,” he said. “And I’ll be happy to be back.”

Gaither has been put in an unenviable role of replacing Jonathan Ogden, the 11-time Pro Bowl left tackle who retired in 2007. He is considered a developing player who has valuable experience (26 starts the past two seasons) and unique ability (a 6-foot-9, 340-pound lineman with skills).

Asked if he was surprised that Harbaugh called him out last week, Gaither said, “I’m not sure if ‘surprised’ is the best word for it. It was never a problem. He has said that to all of his guys. He wants all of us there. I’m not surprised. I had intentions on being there anyway. There was never any conflict.”

[1niksder]

Gaither needs work to be better than average

Enough of the Jared Gaither talk. Too much is being made of an offensive tackle that hasn't proven to be anything but average.

Gaither is young, and has great potential, but he didn't do himself any favors by not showing up for the start of the off-season training session. In fact, it just added to his reputation coming out of college where there were concerns about his work ethic.

If I were Gaither, I'd be in the weight room every minute because there is a guy on the other side named Michael Oher who played better than me last season, and might take my position in the future.

If the Ravens can get Gaither to work and improve, they have a chance to build a really good offensive line. Instead of his agent and those around him telling Gaither to be concerned about getting a new, long-term contract, the best advice they could give him is that if he plays really well in the next two years, there will be a lot of teams bidding for his services.

Right now, a lot of teams are questioning his durability and his work ethic.

[CanesSkins26]

smoke screen

how is it a smoke screen if it's pure speculation by a reporter?

[fleetus]

At 6'9", he's always going to have problems with certain types of pass rushers, IMO. Add some possible work ethic issues and I'd say a 2nd rounder would be a steep price. I'd rather draft a tackle in the 2nd round so the Skins can coach him from day one, rather than pay a 2nd rounder to the Ravens for a question mark of a player.

Now if they would take a 3rd or 4th rounder, maybe. Then it becomes a split-hair decision that the coaches have to meet with Gaither about to see what kind of person he is and if he fits a system that will use some zone blocking schemes.

[washington53]

Now if they would take a 3rd or 4th rounder, maybe. Then it becomes a split-hair decision that the coaches have to meet with Gaither about to see what kind of person he is and if he fits a system that will use some zone blocking schemes.

If the Ravens were to accept a 4th rounder then this could be a steal. You dont get a starting caliber LT thats is 24 years old with starting experience everyday. Yet if the Ravens are looking to trade him, then it seems that there are issues beyond work ethic and maybe we should keep our picks and draft our own linemen.

[Wahoo McDaniels]

You all are crazy. If this guy is available for a 2nd round pick, you take him. He is a proven commodity who has started and played well at Tackle in the NFL and he's 24. So, what's to consider? Unless he is hurt or has been hanging out with Ben Roethlisberger, you snatch him up quick.

I'd rather have someone I've actually seen line up against a pro DT than the potential next Tony Mandarich. This also gives the Skins the ability to have some flexibility with their 1st Round pick without feeling like they have to pick Okung.

BTW, unless you are assured of getting Boselli, Ogden or Hutchinson, I am extremely pessimistic on taking an O-Lineman at #4. I have confidence in Shanny with QBs. If he says that he wants Bradford at #4, I say it's a good move. I for once (since Beathard) trust our player personnel guys.

[Manchester_Redskin]

if we are looking to draft either bradford or Clausen then Gaither would make sense.

If we are looking to draft Okung then Gaither would make sense (play okung at RT)

Either way, Gaither makes sense

[markshark84]

This makes total sense. While I am not a fan of giving up a top 40 pick for him, he is still young and has a ton of years ahead of him. I also think that becuase Gaither is proven, he is a safer pick than what we may get out of a OL in the second round. He may be more expensive, though. This way, the FO has options on their first rounder.

[Warmother]

I think the 4th pick in the 2nd round is to high for a player with a questionable work ethic. The Ravens coach has already complained about Gaither missing the first week of offseason work outs.

[fleetus]

Yep, there's a reason the Ravens are willing to let him go. Both his college and NFL coaches have complained about his lack of work ethic. Besides that, he is not that great of a tackle yet. He has the potential to become one, but he hasn't shown 2nd pick worthy skills yet. So you give up a valuable pick for a guy who has potential, but isn't known for working very hard. Bad combination.

Skins don't have a shot at Bradford, so you might as well stop talking like it is an option.

[Countertrey]

I think the 4th pick in the 2nd round is to high for a player with a questionable work ethic. The Ravens coach has already complained about Gaither missing the first week of offseason work outs.

Ummm... it's the 5th pick in the second round. Not sure that makes it any better.

I'm just sayin'


(we were statistically tied with the Chiefs, but because we lost head to head, we get the lower pick in the first round, then alternate with them after that. In round 2, the Chiefs pick first. In round 3, if we had a pick, we would pick first [well... we already did, actually] and so on...)

[markshark84]

Skins don't have a shot at Bradford, so you might as well stop talking like it is an option.

hhhmmmmmmm..........

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft10/n ... id=5043722

[bwdjr]

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 10:00 AM

By Rich Tandler
Redskins Correspondent


Our old friend Jason La Canfora of NFL Network suggested on the air the other day that the Redskins might be a trading partner with the Ravens in a deal involving offensive tackle Jared Gaither. Although the report seemed to contain more speculation than inside information it is an intriguing possibility.

Gaither, a restricted free agent, carries a tender that calls for first- and third-round picks for a team wanted to sign Gaither to an offer sheet. But the Ravens can choose to take less than that and LaCanfora believes that they might accept as little as a second-round pick for Gaither’s rights.

The Redskins hold the fifth pick of the second round. They also happen to be in desperate need of a quality left offensive tackle.


Gaither fills the bill. The Ravens tabbed him in the fifth round of the supplemental draft in 2007. In 2008 he was the starter at left tackle for a team that played for the AFC title. Last year he started 11 games at left tackle, missing two games with a neck injury and three more with an injured foot.

Despite the missed games, one has to think that the Redskins should seriously consider making a deal for Gaither if LaCanfora is right and the price is a second-round pick. They certainly will not find a better player than Gaither with the 37th overall pick.

The Redskins have taken a lot of heat for trading away high draft picks for aging veteran players and rightfully so. They would not be doing that if they dealt for Gaither. He just turned 24 this month. By comparison, another potential left tackle solution for the team, Russell Okung, will be 23 in September.

So what’s not to like? Since the Redskins have to come out of the draft with a starting left tackle, why not get a proven commodity? They would be free to improve other positions with the fourth pick. In the unlikely event that they should get an offer to trade back in the first round they could do so knowing that their biggest draft need has been filled. Or Mike Shanahan could go ahead and draft Okung with the fourth pick and know that he won’t have to worry about the tackle position for the entire length of his five-year contract.

It almost seems too good to be true so that means that the Redskins have to be very wary of making such a deal. Teams just don’t let young, competent left offensive tackles go for modest compensation. Perhaps the Ravens want to move Michael Oher, their first-round pick in 2009, from right tackle to left tackle. Gaither will be an unrestricted free agent in 2011 and it’s possible that the Ravens want to get some compensation for him while they still can. Still, you have to wonder if the Ravens know something about Gaither that nobody else knows—a long-term injury, an attitude problem—that makes them want to deal him now.

It’s also possible that Shanahan doesn’t think that Gaither would be a good fit in his zone blocking scheme. At 6-9, 330, Gaither is a classic power blocker. But Shanahan earned his reputation by molding his system to the talent available so perhaps he could make Gaither work in what the Redskins will do.

If a deal does take place it probably would have to happen before the April 22 draft. The Redskins need to know where they stand at left tackle before going into the draft plus it would be a good idea for them to at least discuss contract terms with Gaither’s agent before giving up a high draft pick.

We’ll keep an eye on this over the next few weeks.

[fleetus]

I agree with Tandler, If Gaither is such a proven commodity at only 24 yrs old, why would the Ravens take a 2nd round pick for him? A proven commodity LT who is only 24 yrs old will bring higher picks than a 2nd rounder every time.

The reason is simple. Gaither is not a proven commodity. I think the Skins will have better luck choosing a from the many tackles available in the draft. Shanahan and crew can find the guy they like the best, who fits their system and not worry about another teams baggage.

[Warmother]

I think the 4th pick in the 2nd round is to high for a player with a questionable work ethic. The Ravens coach has already complained about Gaither missing the first week of offseason work outs.

Ummm... it's the 5th pick in the second round. Not sure that makes it any better.

I'm just sayin'


(we were statistically tied with the Chiefs, but because we lost head to head, we get the lower pick in the first round, then alternate with them after that. In round 2, the Chiefs pick first. In round 3, if we had a pick, we would pick first [well... we already did, actually] and so on...)

The 5th pick in the 2nd round is also to high. IMHO

[brad7686]

The main thing is that the Ravens can move Oher to left tackle and have no issues. That way a high second round pick for a guy they can replace and may not like makes sense. Exactly why we should try and move ey. It would be a good move really, it would free us up to draft whoever in the first round without worrying about OT. It would really open up the possibility to draft Berry/Spiller/McCoy/Suh if they don't want Okung or Clausen.

[VetSkinsFan]

The main thing is that the Ravens can move Oher to left tackle and have no issues. That way a high second round pick for a guy they can replace and may not like makes sense. Exactly why we should try and move ey. It would be a good move really, it would free us up to draft whoever in the first round without worrying about OT. It would really open up the possibility to draft Berry/Spiller/McCoy/Suh if they don't want Okung or Clausen.

Good thought process on Gaither.




There can be a trade talk without ey in it. You should try it.

[yupchagee]

if we are looking to draft either bradford or Clausen then Gaither would make sense.

If we are looking to draft Okung then Gaither would make sense (play okung at RT)
Either way, Gaither makes sense

You don't use the #4 overall pick for a RT.
While Gaither is a known quantity, some of what is known isn't good.

[Skinsfan55]

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/fa?playerId=10705

Grade-

84 (Outstanding Player 80-89)

Expert's Take-

Gaither was banged up during the 2009 season but continued to progress on the left side of the line. He is a young left tackle who has tremendous size, particularly with his extreme height and overall length, to man the blind side. However, there are times when his high center of gravity works against him. Gaither remains a work in progress as a pass-blocker but is a punishing finisher in Baltimore's power-running game. His hand placement and understanding of what it takes to be a successful left tackle has improved over the past two seasons. He is best when he engages defenders early in the play as quick counter moves still give him problems. His length and height makes it tough for him to maintain great pad level at times and more consistency in this area will improve his overall play. Gaither is a player who has a great upside and all the tools to continue to develop as a left tackle.

KC Joyner- http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/insider/ ... id=5046443

The first of these is Baltimore Ravens LT Jared Gaither. Gaither has been a starter for the past two seasons, and in that time his metrics have been nothing short of superb. He has allowed only seven total sacks in 27 games and only one of these was a "one-on-one sack" (defined as when a defender beats a blocker in a one-on-one environment and tackles the quarterback in the pocket within three seconds of the snap).

That illustrates Gaither's dominant pass-blocking skills, but his run-blocking numbers are also quite notable. Gaither was at the point of attack (POA) on 300 running plays the past two years, and he won his block 255 times, or 85 percent of the time.

That is a solid number on its own, but his 2009 POA win rate of 89.0 percent is even more noteworthy. To put that total into perspective, consider that in a typical NFL season, fewer than one out of 10 offensive linemen will crack the 90 percent POA win mark. Gaither was on the precipice of that mark last year despite battling injuries.

Put these two factors together and it equals a truly elite blindside blocker. Add to this the question marks surrounding many of the left tackles in this year's draft and it means Gaither is hands down the best choice in the market at his position, especially since acquiring him reportedly will cost only a second-round pick.

So, Scouts Inc. calls him an outstanding player (Marcus McNeill was ranked at 84 last season, putting him in company with Jammal Brown, 82 and Jordan Gross, 81) and KC Joyner, one of the most innovative talent evaluators in football today writes a glowing article about his talent.

I can literally see NO downside to getting Jared Gaither. He's from the area, is 24, has elite size and has been VERY good so far. He's a win-win option. Also, it's only for a 2nd round pick. The odds of getting someone who is even 3/4ths as good as Gaither in the draft are incredibly slim. Trading for him is a no brainer.

[fleetus]

I can literally see NO downside to getting Jared Gaither. He's from the area, is 24, has elite size and has been VERY good so far. He's a win-win option. Also, it's only for a 2nd round pick. The odds of getting someone who is even 3/4ths as good as Gaither in the draft are incredibly slim. Trading for him is a no brainer.

If there was no downside, the Ravens (one of the best Personnel offices in football) would not be trying to move him. It takes two good tackles to compete in the playoffs. so while the Ravens have Oher, they would obviously rather keep a young star LT, like Gaither than trade him for a 2nd rounder. The Ravens are ready to compete now. why woulld they give up a key player who is only 24, to start over with a rookie in the 2nd round?

does the saying "you don't get something for nothing" ring a bell here? You don't get a Pro Bowl ready 24 year old LT for a 2nd round pick. What you get, is a guy who skips practices, doesn't work hard, is maybe too tall to face some speed rushers and may not fit Shanahan's zone blocking scheme.

We have a good coach with the ability (I hope) to develop our own stars from the draft. We need to stop looking for fools gold from other teams and use our draft picks for the future.

[Skinsfan55]

The Ravens have two left tackles... you can't just move one to RT. They have an abundance at one position and we can capitalize and give them a very good 2nd rounder. It's a swap that would benefit both sides.

[fleetus]

The Ravens have two left tackles... you can't just move one to RT. They have an abundance at one position and we can capitalize and give them a very good 2nd rounder. It's a swap that would benefit both sides.

You may be right, I don't know. What I've seen of Gaither was nothing to write home about. But it's not like I've watched tons of game tape on the guy, just parts of some games.

But I've read some glowing reports here and there. So, I'm beginning to wonder if I missed something on this guy. Work ethic issues, 6' 9" tall, a power blocker, may not be suited to zone blocking...

Yet, there are scouts who talk as if he is borderline top tier talent. I'm on the fence.

Wonder if the Ravens would take L. Landry in a trade? He could pair up with his brother at safety.