I think we all know that this teams biggest need is a veteran LG who can fill that hole for us next year. I know it will probably cost a lot of money but I think it's worth it to solidify the left side of the line. Bell has good size and moves well. He's a solid run blocker who can get to the second level. I know we need a right tackle but I don't believe Stacy Andrews is the answer. I watched him in the first quarter closely against Cleveland he got blown up on a running play for a loss and later got let a rusher run right past him which caused Palmer to hurry and throw a pick. One player later he was benched. If we knew for sure that Jake Long would be available at 6 I would say wait until the draft but we can't count on that. Whatever they this off season they have to fill the LG and RT spot if they want to be competitive next year.
filling those positions r a must, but as far as d-brick goes, i dont see how the hell an o-lineman can degress, not having a good lg has to be the reason for d-bricks degression this season
Brick is the LT, his problem is that he doesn't have the physical size of an orlando pace or Jonathon Ogden to just maul any pass rusher so he has to beat them with technique. Players like Vanderbosh and Jared Allen are veterans who know how to beat people with technique. I think eventually he will be a top left tackle but he's never going to be someone who can rely on his size and speed to get by.
I like Andrews. He's a better pass blocker than he is a run blocker sure...but he's not bad there. I wouldn't use a couple plays in one quarter in one game as a reason not to sign a guy though.
I don't think giving a huge contract to Faneca is a great idea. Maybe you get one or two more years out of him and then his contract becomes a burden. If we are going to give out large contracts it should to be players under 28.
Bell would be a decent addition for the right price, but more than ever offensive linemen are getting vastly overpaid. Bell's a solid guy, who would certainly be an upgrade over what we have, but I'd like to sign a guy like him to a mid-level deal, draft a guard in the first 3-4 rounds, and have them battle for the spot.
I don't think we can afford to take that chance. The rest of the team has enough talent to be be competitive but the offense line ruined one season and we can't take a chance it will ruin a second season. The money has to be spend to get solid starters.
I agree with spending more in free agency this year to fix the holes on OL and DL, but Bell would have to make a jump to the next level to justify a big contract. If not, we'd just be vastly overpaying a band-aid for a bullet wound.
Bell is solid and starting to reach his prime. He can play LG or RT and you know what you're getting. He's not going to be the next Steve Hutchinson but he's an above average starter on a great run blocking line who would drastically help make the Jets line much better.
A lot of the wrongs on the OL would be fixed with Bell and Andrews being brought in as Free Agents to play BOTH Guard Positions. Then drafting Long to play RT.... Andrews and Bell both bring a Mangini quality that can not be overlooked, they both bring versatility as the can both play G and T. I know we gave Moore a contract bump this year but....1. Competition is always a good thing and 2. We would have excellent depth at a relative cheap price...although I'm not sure what he is due to make but for this reason and this reason alone I would keep Clement around as well. Signing Faneca to me is not the answer. He is on the wrong side of 30. He will demand HUGE $ and the fact that Wissenhut and Grimm (both were in Pitt last year) are in Arizona, I think he would be more apt to go to the Cardinals. The one thing he will provide is the Leadership that our OL needs. Mangold is still 2 years away from providing that, he has not been through enough battles yet..
I don't understand why everyone hates Moore. I tivo a game and go back and watch the line play and he is always one of the bright spots. He always creates leverage and drives players off the line.
The problem with Moore isn't so much his play but rather he seems to occasionally come up with some kind of boneheaded penalty.
How come more of you do not mention Jordan Gross of Carolina he is an excellent player. He would be one hell of an addition at RT.
Jacob Bell is not out of the equation by any means. He signed a 1 yr tender offer of 1.85 $M to get him through the 2007 season. The Titans have to sign Haynesworth, too. The only thing I see messing this up is the Titans are well poised in terms of Cap space to keep both without much of a problem. I think one person we should focus on is Faneca. I sound like a broken record, but at 30, the guy is in his prime and gives the line much needed leadership and experience. Lilja is a guy to have on radar, too. There is also a couple of others that will fill in nicely. Don't worry; the Jets will clearly have the opportunity to sign at least 2 new starters in FA to their maligned offensive line. If Jake Long is available at #6, I'd take him, too as depth and spelling other players on the line. We learned this year that the offensive line can never be too good, and we must go into the draft with the offensive line under control because it sets up our direction for th entire draft.
The guard market is tough. I think I'd rather spend the money on a tackle and draft a guard, a little higher than typical if needs be. Faneca and Bell are very nice players, but I think we need a real mauler type. I think we should spend the money on Andrews. If only for depth, we need to spend the great majority of our picks on linemen in general. -X-
