Who Wins the LG Spot?

Slausons year behind faneca doesn't mean anything to me. Whoever is better will win the job.

My money is on Ducasse

 

I don't think there's that much to playing guard. To me, the fact that Ducasse completely outmatches Slauson talent-wise is enough for me.

Just like with Sanchez last year, I think Rex and Callahan have already made up their minds.

 

I'm going with the Impaler on this one.

 

I think Ducasse has the edge here but I voted for Slauson because I'd like to see him work out at LG and Ducasse eventually replace Woody at RT. As of now it's Vlad's job to lose, but Slauson has potential and a year already in the league, so any hiccups in Ducasse's progress could easily give him the nod.

 

You're not thinking clearly then.

Vlad Ducasse is definitely a better, more physical player with higher upside, but Matt Slauson's spent a a lot of time playing under Bill Callahan.

If Ducasse has trouble adjusting to assignments, audibles, and the speed of the game early on, then Slauson will be the opening day starter.

 

I'd say Ducasse

 

I think that Slauson will be our starting LG and Vlad will end up replacing Woody at RT next season after basically having a red shirt year learning the position. That would give us a very solid YOUNG offensive line that could be together for a very long time.

 

Thank you Mr. E. That's been my point all along on Ducasse, he's very raw with little experience while Slauson has alot of experience playing in Callahan's system. I've always said Vlad was the more talented player, but I still believe Slauson has a slight inside track for Guard this season not because I think he's a better player, just has alot more Football Experience and is very familiar with the system While Vlad has only been playing football a couple of years and at this point has poor passblocking technique at the moment.

I don't think we were ever very far from agreement on this topic.

 

On one side of the ledger, cutting Fanaca and drafting a raw body out of a small football conference in the 2nd round says something about Vlad's potential (and Faneca's pass-protection liability, or whatever).

And on the other side, Slauson, a previous year's late round pick (Neb. coach Callahan's recomendation grab?) might be serving as holding-the-fort down until Vlad refines his skills until he's ready for NFL-level-speed?

Camp's not even open yet. Who knows..

ABinx: no 'offense' (& no pun intended) but there's much to playing every position at the NFL level esp. considering among other things:

1. there's much talent at every defensive position in the NFL, especially on a righty-QB's 'blind side' (oft times a weak-side 'gap blitz' ends up in the QB's face in a nano-second...)

2. coaches like Rex Ryan (and the blitzing schemes they can come up with)

Heaven help the slow-thinking/slow-moving LG without a HB/FB behind him to chip the 'gap blitzer' (while contending with a 'designated-occupying' 4-3 DT) from taking an 'inside' straight-ahead route to Sanchez...

 

The transition to the NFL isn't as difficult for offensive linemen as it is with other positions. It also helps that we have him standing between two Pro Bowlers.

 

I'm not trying to call you out here, man...but you're wrong...again.

Vlad Ducasse has limited football experience and he also played FCS football against inferior competition. It's not ridiculous to say that it may take him a little longer to adapt to the NFL.

The speed of the game, the terminology, the talent level - it's all different. It's all superior and more complicated than anything Ducasse has ever faced in his football career.

I hope that Ducasse picks things up quickly and wins the left guard job, but as of right now, I'm more comfortable with Matt Slauson protecting our franchise player.

 

How are we suppose to know? We can't make that decision if we haven't yet seen them play on the field. We'll all revisit this thread after the preseason.

 

That's why it's a prediction thread. It will be much clearer, if not obvious, during the preseason to see who will win the starting job.

Complaining about this is like complaining about a "2010-11 Jets Final Record prediction thread" and saying "How are we suppose to know? We can't make that decision if we haven't seen them play on the field. We will revisit this thread after week 10."

 

I think the fact that Ducasse comes from the third world, looks like a goon and played for a small school have compounded this myth that he's some sort of grunting Neanderthal that'll have to be taught football in its entirety.

Vlad's gonna start, barring injury.

I'm especially convinced of the outcome since he signed so early. He told the press after mini-camps that his only plans for the summer were to stay in New York and improve his craft.

Plus, even though I think he looks like a mongoloid, all reports are that Ducasse is a very intelligent player. I'm inclined to believe those reports.

So he's intelligent, he's dedicated, he's got far more than the requisite physical skills and he's working overtime to learn the playbook. Unless one of those things is untrue, Ducasse starts.

 

I think you have to go with Slauson here. He is the most experience and you don't want to expose Sanchez to a rookie. Heck even Faneca almost got him killed against New England last year. I think Vlad learns this year and replaces Woody at RT next year. But that is why you have training camp and preseason games.

 

I've gone with Slauson because of that extra years experience - 4 games in could be either, depending on training camp

 

Going with Vlad on this one. Slauson had last season to heal and learn but methinks if he was all that he would have been given the job instead of the Jets drafting Vlad.

Slauson also has learned the other spots on the line in his year experience so he is more versatile in case if injury.