Since day-one of Free Agency I've been clamoring for the Front Office to invest in an elite veteran Left Guard & there were several available @ the time. However, this was not the road taken when the opportunity presented itself to the regime. Now, we find ourselves in a difficult situation along the front line. Is there still viable, if not elite veteran help available? The Miami Herald reports: ...the Dolphins remain a possible landing spot for free agent C Shaun O'Hara. O'Hara visited Miami a week ago, and is said to still be "mulling his options." The Dolphins are the only team O'Hara is known to have visited since being released by the Giants on July 26. If he's waiting on a better offer, there's a good chance he's doing so in vain. Aug 7 - 9:52 AM http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/995/shaun-ohara from another source: both O’Hara and Pouncey being able to play multiple positions, it would give the Dolphins some much needed flexibility on the interior of their line, with multiple players, including Richie Incognito, being able to play numerous positions. http://www.nflgridirongab.com/2011/08/01/dolphins-talk-to-former-giants-center-shaun-o’hara/ any other ideas? what do you think? any options available?
without new blood in the line-up I'd like to see a different look: Long-Pouncey-Inconito-Jerry-Carey (or Murtha) with O'Hara in the line-up: Long-Pouncey-O'Hara-Inconito-Carey (or Murtha) or Long--Inconito-Pouncey-Ohara-Carey (or Murtha) the answer to Murtha & John Jerry: coaching & some playing time, both have the ability to compete the answer to right tackle is competition, Carey could turn the corner competing for his old position
Having O'Hara at guard would benefit Pouncey, IMO. Vet center who would be able to help him with some line calls.
IF the Fins front office does not do something about the OL we are going to be in for a very long season... AND Colombo is NOT the answer.
Been wondering that too. Odd that nobody has picked him up. I mean, I'm sure he has something left, but it makes you wonder when we're all clamoring for a guy that appears to be unwanted by the rest of the league. I'm all for signing him, but I'm worried it might not upgrade our line all that much in reality.
I suspect that we will see Miami sign a veteran lineman after week 1 when the contracts are not guaranteed.
I'd like to see Gurode here. Good run blocker, ok pass blocker that has that position versatility the regime likes. Plus he is a cowboy so that always helps lol.
Second vote for Brian Waters. Day one starter at LG if we get him ASAP. Then they can do what they want at C-RG with a combo of Incognito/Pouncey. We're screwed at RT, but 4/5 ain't bad.
Pay O'Hara the $$$$$! We need any help. If Henne really does start throwing more accurate passes and has better touch, I'll be extra pissed if the O-Line screws it all over.
At this point it doesn't look like Henne is the problem, but the potential victim of the offensive line. Nothing is going to work on offense without a fix up front, not the run, not the pass. Bad judgement, lack of planning, miscalculation, it doesn't matter, this error is so elementary it constitutes dismissal of a head coach. He better fix it & fix it right, the buck stops with Sparano...
The Colombo move was a complete joke. Said that from day one. The RB situation is a joke. TE they didn't even care about. The JT move to "solve" the pass rush issues was weak IMO as well. I have lost a ton of confidence in Ireland this offseason.
We'll see, and I do like Waters for us, Sparano has been steadfast with this Oline group so I do not expect a huge shakeup. If anything I can see Murtha for Colombo by gm #3, as for carey, who knows?
This post has absolutely nothing to do with this thread. I hope we sign one of Waters, Gurode or O'Hara. I think we'll be screwed no matter what at RT, but like BPK said 4/5 isn't so bad.
OK I'll Bite! Why is O'hara being thrown out as the savior? The guy has been on the market for a while, why is no one else biting on this chum? I'm sick of retreads, while i see the need for the oline to get consistency whats O'HARE have that we are missing? little bit off sarcasm here but it is a real question?
My guess is because he is 34 and coming off an injury, and teams want to offer him a 1 yr deal and he wants a multi-year deal? He is more than just chum if he checks out medically. He's been voted to the last 3 Pro Bowls and before 2010 he was very durable throughout his career.
My first idea is I'd cut Carey immediately. While Colombo is no more than mediocre, Carey is far worse of the two, when I go back and watch the OL on a 2nd replay. Then, I'd either insert Berger or Garner at RG...or, if we are going to sign another player, Waters, Gurode, O'Hara or Davis, in that order.
If you think about it to get that 14th ranked number we were talking about (up the middle running) with a crappy RG all year, Incognito-Berger were probably not a bad combo together as far as in-line blocking.
It has everything to do with this thread. You guys think the same crew that decided to "upgrade" need positions the way they did with the moves I outlined are now going to decide to seriously address them? It's too late. Murtha will overtake Colombo at RT and not because he's a good one either. Murtha will be an upgrade over Colombo but we will still be suffering at RG. They decided to upgrade the Guard position by going after a bad RT. They should have focused on finding a player at the position of need.
As for PFF I assume? Here is O'Hara according to them: He was ranked the 18th overall C with a grade of +0.5. 19 center out of 34 had a positive grade btw. He played 407 snaps and allowed two sacks, two hits and 5 pressures. He played 6 games as he battled a foot injury all season. He played weeks 1 and 2, then 6 and 7, then 15 and 16. So to me that's good that he kept trying to come back, rather than shut it down for the season after he first hurt it. I see guys go on IR for things like thumb and wrist injuries and I think wtf? Larry Wilson, former Cards safety back in the day, played with casts on both hands, and still made some ints during that time. Old timers like Kooch, or Youngblood, have to admire guys with an old school attitude like O'Hara, and Colombo too for that matter. In 2009, O'Hara was ranked as tied for the 3rd C with a grade of +21.6. He played 1079 snaps and allowed 1 sack, 4 hits and 10 pressures. In 2008, he was ranked the 6th C with a grade of +8.6. He played in 1074 snaps, with no sacks, 2 hits and 4 pressures.
Wouldn't be a bad addition in that sense as the RG. Really it's just about achieving at least a solid level of play all over the line. I hate having weak spots. If you sign O'Hara you have a little depth with Berger. It's RT then that becomes the issue. I'm not convinced Vernon Carey would be done at that position if he gave a **** again. The situation's not as bad as it seems. It's just this right side has to be blown up.
The way i read this it seems as many teams would want this guy with these stats the injury has to be the issue. I love Sparano, but on o-line he wants big *** mofo's! sparano should know the bigger ya get the slower they are lol. DO NOT like the idea of moving Pouncey to guard what a way to crush a promising career IMHO. EDIT: I work with young kids all the time in a resturant setting, but taking them out of there element for your bennifit is not the way to go ANYONE think Sparano saw Carey getting soft and he wanted to light a fire? guess a pay cut was a bit to much fire but i could see Carey outside again?
No, it didn't. He started the thread to ask who's available. Your post had NOTHING to do with that. All you did was complain, like you've been doing for quite some time now.
I don't believe it would crush Pouncey's career if he played G as a rookie. He showed such flexibility in his time at Florida and it never slowed him down.
Many centers move to guard get experience understand line calls etc.. then move on but pouncy is a top 15 pick with the pedigree. It would crush him confidence wise, and the only thing i see wrong are his high snaps , guess im questioning the Pouncey doubters. With all the o-line talk and people wanting to move pieces i see pouncey as a good deal! Some want incognito, or Gardner, pouncy has a chance to solidify the line at center not be a journey man. JMO EDIT: He did let a few guys better him against Tampa but so did the whole line (sad)
I spotted the developing problem from the get-go & was all over the board lobbying for an elite pro-bowl caliber Left Guard from the first day of free agency doesn't do us much good now, does it? what to do? who's available to buttress this offensive line? if the ultimate answer is no one I would slip John Jerry & Joe Berger into the line-up & may the best man win @ RG. then move Carey to RT & allow Murtha to compete for the start. this is an obvious formula that should have been followed by an experienced coach from day-one of mini-camp. we'd be in much better shape today if it had been employed from the beginning. it takes time to meld an offensive line into a viable unit. then Sparano has to do his job: coach, coach, coach
Gurode looks like he will either be cut or traded in Dallas. Here's a 5 time pro bowler and the Cowboys would rather let him go for cap space (speculation). Another veteran C that could play Guard and be a big help to Pouncey. Go for it in my opinion.
He did and played there for a couple of seasons early in his career with the Boys. I'd be happy to see us get him, but if we did IMO he should play C and let Pouncey move over to RG.
there appears to be a number of possibilities still on the table. hope Ireland & Sparano are on the same page & actively pursuing this end.
I still think Murtha at RT- so Henne doesn't get killed- and Garner at RG. Hopefully sign Brian Waters asap. A few questions: Do you think that Garner can handle RT? What was your assessment of Donald Thomas? Would you have drafted Carimi over Pouncy? And lastly, over the long haul do you think that Pouncy will be able to handle the middle and the more beastly NTs out there?
I prefer Garner at OG rather than OT. He did not do well at RT in the Atlanta game IMO. I thought Donald Thomas was a pretty good run blocker who struggled at times in pass protection. I think we gave up on Thomas too soon. I don't think I'd have drafted Carimi at 15. At that point if we went for a tackle, I preferred Anthony Castonzo. IMO, over the long haul, Pouncey has the potential to be as good as his brother. Quick, athletic Cs can handle NTs if they are good enough. Most of the top centers aren't much bigger than Pouncey. Only really huge Cs I can think of are Gurode and Jason Brown. The 1st team All Pro C is Mangold who weighs a little less than 300. Maurkice was 2nd team All Pro as a rookie and of course he and Mike are basically identical. Most top Cs are in that 295-305 range.
I'd be happy with either combination of Gurode and Pouncey at C/G. Then Murtha at RT will be an issue, but not a huge one if 4/5 positions are solid and 5th is mediocre.
