With all the commotion about receivers and quarterbacks, it's been a real surprise to me that few reports have come out of this unit. Other than Colon getting hurt, I really think this unit is crucial to getting a run game going and giving Geno a running threat and time to throw. This is what I know, but can you guys fill me in here? The 2014 New York Jets Offensive Line Tackles: Breno Giacomini and D'Brickishaw Ferguson. Other than hearing a lot about Breno being very "aggressive", he seems like s a solid veteran, but nothing special. We know D'Brick is coming off a very bad year and has to turn things around big time. Center: Mangold. Don't really need to say more, we're good here. **knocks on wood** Guards: Winters was bad last year though he played better as the year went on. I assume he's starting? I haven't heard anything recent about him. On the right side we have a mix of potential guys taking Colon's spot Oday Aboushi and recently drafted Dozier. **Bonus Fullback/Tight End: These guys block too and I don't think Bohanon or Amaro are good blocking guys. This unit just seems to lot of question marks for me. This unit wasn't that good last year either, do you guys think it will get better in 2014?
It has to get better. I think on paper our OL is much better than last year. I'm really pulling for Dozier, guy is a bull.
There's been assorted comments made by both Jet blog columnists,fans & beat writers primarily on Twitter. I too am most concerned about the OL above everything else..I'll do my best to summarize what's been said. Bare in mind I haven't seen any camp w/ my own 2 eyes. Brick- Not much said..no news is usually good news for a LT. He's reportedly been spending a ton of extra time w/ Ben Ijalana after practice sessions Winters- While skeptical I've read nothing but good things about him. A few different camp visitors have remarked that the difference is night & day from last season.After last season you'd think Cimini/Mehta & Co. would pounce if he was struggling even slightly.Nothing on that front. Mangold- No news is good news Colon- Just removed from PUP..not much else to say at this stage Giacomini- Has displayed impressive reach & push in running game.Has gotten beat a few times around the edge. Aboushi- Rex has raved about him & he's supposively a completely different player from last year. Has handled sheldon Richardson 1-on-1 a handful of times w/ no problems Dozier- Cimini complimented his ability in 1-on-1 drills against the DL. Very strong against the bull rush. Rex remarked that he had a tough day 2 but bounced back very well on day 3 Ijalana- Spending time w/ Brick after practice as noted above. Looks to be pencilled in as back-up swing tackle Freeman- Looks to be pencilled in at back-up center Campbell- Rex mentioned in mini camp that they were high on him. Jet blog columnist remarked that he looks much improved & would make a solid back-up Shlauderoff- Nothing said Summary: They're much deeper than a year ago especially on the interior. Growth from Winters,Aboushi & Campbell appear fairly apparent at this stage. Likely some tough decisions to be made for cut down at guard. Can they sneak a Dozier & Campbell onto the PS? Starting 5 seems solid but depth after Ijala at OT is non existent;Same with Freeman at Center
Mangold's contract will hit critical mass going into 2016, with an $8.6M cap hit that I don't think includes any dead or fully guaranteed money. As great as he has been for the Jets, Mangold will have to prove he is worth that kind of money, or at least worth enough to extend at a lower price. Freeman has a relatively easy path to the roster this season, but his true test begins when the team brings in legitimate backup competition next year. No matter what happens, it's easy to envision sustained success at center. With the emergence of Aboushi as a potential starter before we expected, I actually feel pretty good about the long term prospects at guard between Winters, Aboushi, and Dozier. Those three should be able to compete to produce one starting quality guard this year while Colon is around and two starters in 2015. Campbell is a wildcard here, too, but the roster numbers don't bode well for his chances. It was easy to criticize the decision to let Slauson walk, but the Jets look right now as if they drafted well enough in the middle rounds to set a pretty good foundation well into the future. It's weird to say I'm the most concerned with the tackle position. Ferguson showed signs of aging last year, Giacomini is a new face who has had mixed levels of success in the past, and Ijalana is an injury away from starting. Ijalana had bad luck with his ACL, but he still seems like a long shot to become a long term answer at the position. On paper Ferguson and Giacomini are great guys to have starting, but I don't think it would take much for the scale to tip the other way on them. I expect offensive tackle to be a legitimate possibility early in the 2015 draft.
I'm loving the reports out of camp in general, but saying our OL is much better on paper makes me think you're just randomly mashing your hand into your keyboard.
It'll be hard to put these thoughts down w/o writing a book but I'll try. We all saw our OL struggle last year. To me they were playing defeated, all b/c of the rookie QB back there not having a clue what to do. Each man on the line is a human being that can get frustrated. What the hell is the point killing oneself to create a clean pocket of your dumbass QB runs backwards 10-15-20 yards EVERY SNAP? Plus Geno taking 90% of the snaps from the shotgun instantly puts extra pressure on the OL...your QB is a sitting duck. Fast forward to the end of 2013 and into 2014. Geno has FINALLY started stepping up into the pocket with battles raging all around him. He started gaining confidence in the men up front and just stepping up and going for it. This made a huge difference over the last 4 or 5 games. Our OL finally had something to block for. Having the 5 blockers and the QB on the same page will make a huge difference in the psyche of our OL. I believe we will see the 100% effort return, something that was missing last season.
I agree, we should draft a lineman next year, with hopes that he takes over for D'brick a year later. now, i like D'brick, he's a local guy, hasn't been a major liability and he SHOULD be our starter over the next two years, but he's getting expensive. his cap hit will be a league high 14 million+ in 2016 when he'll be 32 (33 in December). mind you thats a league high for ALL offensive lineman that year, I doubt he's worth that much. I feel that given this fact it would be wise to at least ATTEMPT to move on by drafting a Offensive tackle high next year. thats on the top of the list unless Smith craps the bed. It's about that time honestly. that said I'm fine with most of our starters, Winters i need to see for myself.
I don't want Winters benched for Aboushi If anything cut Colon if those 2 perform well Then have Dozier step up next year at RG and move Aboushi to RT
You may be onto something here, but I do think Winters often looked just plain bad. Don't forget he only got in there because Ducasse was a penalty machine. The OL would have been MUCH better if they had retained Slauson. But... Winters may step up. Some say he did toward the end of last season. I thought so, too, but to be honest not all that much better. He was still the worst starter on the team (after Smith, of course). I've also felt a key for Smith to improve is a big increase in drop back percentage, and playing steady from the pocket. Yes, that will help the OL quite a bit if he can do that. If not, imo the OL will continue to struggle, even if they get better play out of Winters.
As for the contract discussion for Mangold and Ferguson, this is the other side of their getting older. The window is narrowing for building upon these two key but aging vets. Replacing them will take a great deal. I hope their contracts can be retuned to reflect actual value; otherwise the Jets may find having to spend high picks at both positions.
Really? You think so? Theres a lot of young players that are question marks but that doesn't necessarily mean they are good depth. I have concerns. I hope you are right though
I was thinking the same myself before I saw this post. Heading into his senior yr at Virginia, Aboushi was regarded as a top 5 tackle prospect for the draft. You could say that was a way off assessment, but he did have a solid body of work the prior 2yrs playing. So, if there's a chance to get Aboushi ready for RT by giving him time now at guard, - I'm all for it. Cutting Colon actually cuts both ways (no pun intended). Its weighing the balance between getting young players the game experience to accelerate their development vs the cagey veteran who gives some comfort to our still developing QB.
People can debate whether the depth is really there or not, all I know is for the first time in forever we have the possibility of a legitimate backup center/swing tackle/6th man/unbalanced line possibilities. I still have nightmares about the day Rob Turner went down in preseason 2011. From then on we were completely exposed up front. Whatever we have now, it's better than that clusterfuck.
My post actually had two meanings: Our OL Depth has been horrible for as long as I can remember and if the reports are right about Aboushi and Winters; with Colon coming back and I like the prospect of Dozier, I think we finally have some adequate depth.
Thanks for the info guys. It does seem that although our starters on the line haven't really changed, we have much better depth than years past. I get that these are question mark guys, but I how many years have the Jets gone into the season and you're thinking "I hope our offensive line doesn't get injured, because then we're F888ed". Hopefully one of them legit earns the a starting job because in the long term we need to rebuild in this area.
The Jets have gotten through the period since Turner got hurt with some real bumps along the road. Remember Mangold missing time on the field? Yikes. And of course having to play Hunter when they had no suitable backup at RT. Slauson's first year, he was the worst starter on the team. The various problems with Ducasse, who certainly did not provide quality bench play. And Winters replacing him last year with no one else apparently better, the Jets having let an improved Slauson go (they played him when he was bad, and let him go when he got better!). But it could have been much worse. Now it sounds like they might have some worthwhile bench players. But I don't see the depth as more than adequate.
