This is just a thought, could Vilma do better as OLB becaue he didn't do much on the inside in the 3-4.
Because he was drafted #2 overall as a Guard in 2001. He has the versitility to play Tackle or Guard, which is what makes him great. He's 380 pounds... He can't not be a good run-blocker. He held up at Left Tackle last season. That's very impressive for a guy his size. Sign him up if the price is reasonable. He'll start at either RG or RT.
He played LT on the Arizona line last year and it shows you how unimportant the LT overall is to run blocking. Of course he has a role, but the guards and center are going to be the ones who have to pick up the most slack for inside running. The tackles mainly just have to hold their ground and keep the ruching DEs from penetrating while the center or the line plows the road ahead. Of course the tackles do have to do their fair share to open up holes on the outer parts of the line, but they're not as important to the running game overall.
I like the idea of bringing in Davis as in IMO we need that run anchoring type guy on the right side.... but acouple things... 1. He isn't gonna come cheap. He's the premier OT available in FA...and w/ teams like Houston(from his home state) and Oakland desperate to upgrade their OL...he will get a big time offer. Additionally, a team will be willing to pay him LT money to stay on the blindside, which we will not and should not. 2. For whatever reason, for the last several years our Front office has not been high on the bigger mauling type of O-linemen. Bradway pretty much refused to sign/draft any linemen above 310 lbs, and when mangini was brought in...it was said he too preferred lighter more athletic linemen. I'd love to think Davis could be a possibility for us...but unfortunately I just don't think it will happen. W/ that said, Eric Steinbach maybe a possibility. He would fit our line very well, and would provide a pretty good "pop" in the running game. He's also very athletic and would work ell w/ Brick and Mangold whom are also ultra athletic.
His draft position was as an LT. Many argued he didn't have the athleticism to play that spot, but nonetheless that was his natural position coming into the league. He ended up playing RG his first 2 years as the Cardinals already had 2(at that time) well thought of OT's in LJ Shelton(former top 10 pick) and ironically Anthony Clement. he was only moved to LT when Shelton seeked employment elsewhere, and the Zona FO decided that Davis' high salary pretty much forced him into playing LT.
Even though Seattle lost their LG, Hutchinson, they still run behind Walter Jones a lot. Why? Because he can run block as well as he pass protects. I think as a general rule, it's safe to say that most teams don't run behind the LT mostly because they tend to be athletic fast guys who protect the QB's blind side, and as a by product, aren't good run blockers. Plus, that is the weak side, while running to the strong side you have a TE to help out. I agree with Kurt.... as much as I would love Davis, I tend to think this FO's philosphy os more geared towards a smallish finesse offensive line, not the road grader type. I don't agree with it, but it does appear that way, despite my most important opinion! LOL... although, they do appear to like Blanton, and he's more a road grader than athlete type, so go figure. Kurt, on the other hand, I dont see a team signing Davis to be a LT, I just don't. He's far to big and slow now to handle a speed rush. Should a team sign him to be a LT, they better have depth at the QB spot. Steinbach is probably more along the lines of what this regime might look for, but I think he'll be more expensive than Davis will be. I'd love to get either one of them.
I actually decided to check out the board today because I saw the news that Arizona was letting him go. Also, that Buffalo was probably parting was with Clement. I like your idea on Davis. He could upgrade either RG or RT
Wow, a lot of folks enamored with Leonard Davis, I'm not one of them. I never thought he was a great run blocker as mentioned here, and the pedestrian numbers shown when they run to his side back up that opinion. IMO, he's okay in that department but no more so than Anthony Clement. As for playing him at guard, it may work but I think he will expect more money to play tackle for some team in need. Also, this guy is a penalty machine; in the last two years alone he has had 25 penalties including 21 false starts, that is unheard of. There are many reasons why the Cards are willing to let him leave. I, for one, don't see Davis as an improvement, now Steinbach on the other hand I would sign in a heart beat...
I think you under rate Davis... in order to be able to run the ball, you need more than one O lineman that can block. AZ hasn't been able to run the ball much at all for years now. I do think he's a significantly better run blocker than Clement. As far as his offsides penalties go, yeah, he jumped a lot because he didn't have the quickness to block speed rushers. At G or RT that shouldn't be as big a problem. If the Cards wanted to tag him, they would have to do it at the going tag price for a LT, and he isn't worth that much money. I really doubt any team will sign him to be a LT. He's just not fast enough.
I'll pass, even coming out of Texas many of the draft experts cited his laziness and lack of work ethic as a possible problem, and these seem to have come to fruition. He has made about 40 million since joining the league and I continue to see "team officials" complaining about his "lack of motivation and intensity". I'd rather resign Clement for less money, go after Steinbach and then draft a young RT late in the draft. His lack of work ethic is well known, but here are just a couple of places it's written. http://archive.profootballweekly.com/content/archives/draft_2000/scoutingreports_ol.asp http://www.azcentral.com/sports/cardinals/articles/0216cards0217.html The quotes from Cardinals fans who watch the team all of the time at the end of that article are damning to a player IMO....
T-Bird, funny thread from an Arizona Cardinals board on the "Big Lazy" as they like to call him. http://forums.azcardinals.com/showthread.php?t=19161 A few agree that he may be better off at guard, but I still wouldn't take a chance on him when there are much better FA guards available. I also don't buy all the false starts being because he is too slow footed, that is just lack of discipline, and from what I am reading from Cards fans they always seem to happen in big spots. By the way, his last two years at LT he gave up less sacks then Brick did this year :smile: Oh well, we will know in a couple of weeks if the FO is interested or not...
baamf, You could well be right. In his first two years in the NFL he was pretty good at the G position. He didn't play well at RT, and was even worse at LT. AZ screwed him up by moving him around so much. I think he is in for a big surprise when no one offers him LT money. As far as being lazy... that doesn't worry me too much on a Mangini team. I think he'd get straightened out quickly enough. But, I not sure Mangini is willing to take on a problem like that just yet.... depends on whether or not he thinks he's established the work ethic firmly enough. We saw what happened to McCariens. We tend to also forget Teague will be back. I'm not sure how he will fit, but I read in the USA today team reports that he might miss mini camp, but be ready for TC. Then, there is Blanton. He's sort of a wild card left in the deck. Still, I really hope we can upgrade the O line at least a little in FA. Bad LT's get a lot of off sides penalties, like Pettitgout. But, frankly I haven't see enough AZ games to have a strong opinion on the guy. As far as Cards fans.... I didn't know there were any. :grin: Seriously though, Davis is a lot like DRob, a top five draft pick that never lived up to his slot, but that doesn't mean he puke, either. Guys like that get a lot of abuse from fans.
