At RG? Does this mean that we get to talk him up like Donald Thomas?

 

I hope not. :no:

 

I don't think that'll stop Rio from giving him a nickname regardless :lol: In all seriousness though, the trifecta has been pretty bad in drafting linemen going back to Dallas. Thankfully they've been excellent in finding them through other means.

 

This could be insurance as Smiley has another surgery on the knee.

 

Jake Long? :wink2:

I don't think it is fair to say the "trifecta" has been bad. For all we know, Ireland has been pretty good. He's drafted two starters so far out of 3 picks.

 

My sister could get around his blocks:lol:

Just kidding:hi5:

 

ROFL I don't even know how they could have messed that one up.

 

Give me a second and I'll go back through the years. I did this before but I lost the file :(

Alright, when in Dallas they drafted 5 linemen - only two are still with the team and that's Pat McQuistan (who is a special teamer) and Doug Free, who's currently their starting RT because Colombo is out for the season. He didn't even play in 2008.

***LATE EDIT***

Forgot to mention that Thomas was demoted towards the end of the year as well.

***LATER EDIT*** Colombo is back and Free is back on the bench tonight.

 

Depth.

 

TBO though Jerry Jones is a pretty active Owner as we are all aware. So who really knows how many of those picks were his or Parcels.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dimitri_Tsoumpas

6'4" 315, picked second overall by the Stampeders in the 2008 draft.

I'll take two. :yes:

 

If he becomes an all-pro, can we start a group called...The Tsoumpa-Loumpas?

 

Not to mention chronic shoulder problems.

 

I'm sure there will be a lot of "fans" who flippantly discount this signing as merely camp fodder. Those would be the same kind of fans who did this in regards to Mark Dixon back about 14 years ago.

 

So Mr.Clean, do you think this guy can make an impact? Maybe letting us release Justin Smiley and maybe start him at G?

 

Honestly I'd just call it a day and say that we have a full starting line and backup line. No reason to cut anyone, no one's salary is all that ridiculous even Smiley's salary is not too unreasonable.

 

never heard of him..... :escape:

 

Look at this signing strategically Ashie, he was a CFL all pro, doesn't cost much, has great size at 330, and they have 4 months to work with him before Rookie Mini Camp opens it's doors.

Plus, he has 2yrs starting experience in the CFL ontop of starting at ID, and he is only 24 with a full two seasons of practice squad eligibility available, so if he does make it he can be stashed on the practice squad roster with a ton of starting experience already making him a really good depth play.


I'll compare him to the Wake signing only in the sense that he fills a need for high quality camp bodies and he has nice measurables.

 

first everyone on Donald Thomas needs to relax, as many have said including Tony, they boy hit a wall. remember he was out all last year, his rook year and then spent the year rehabbing and learning all over again. He was basically a rookie, and needs teh exp and cond learning pass blocking. he was raw out of college.

 

Anything is possible. Throw him into the mix and see what happens. If we release Smiley though, it puts Garner as the favorite to be the new full time starter at LG. IMO, in his first season, Tsoumpas will most likely be no more than a backup. Anything is possible though, and he could be more NFL ready than most expect him to be.

 

When they were healthy and together they were a good unit, but the o-line was full of injuries and can be improved...this signing is a good thing.....Smiley, Thomas, Grove......all guys that were on the bench injuried when they need them the most..

 

I really like this signing. We could use some solid depth on the line and this certainly helps.

 

this is what I've been waiting to hear
was really concerned after Dimitri (6'5" 315 lbs & quick)
fell off the radar after his work out w/ the Dolphins
Tsoumpas (the Thumper) is a shoe-in @ RG
can play LG & Center too, excellent @ pass & run block

the 2010 Pod: long, smiley, grove, thomas, carey, berger, garner, dimetri & murtha

Awesome!:dolphin:

the Orca-5 are set w/ seven potential starters in the trenches & a reserve. I think they will carry eight. suddenly, serious competition amongst the KillerWhales :yes: & that is a very good thing; let them compete

 

from a (currently running) post:
3) looking forward to getting a look @ LyndonMurtha this training camp
had hopes we might (still could) snare Dimitri Tsoumpas from the CFL
kind of fell off the radar after we had him in for a workout, we'll see
I'm sure there will be more surprises along the offensive line in 2010

 

Sparano will not allow that to happen again, of that I'm certain of.

 

Exactly whom I was going to mention!!!

Great call Clean.

Dixon was tough as hell, and a great great blocker for us. For awhile, he was playing better than all our other linemen. Then the accumulation of injuries seemd to catch up with him.

When you get top guys from the CFL, they can often become decent starters in the NFL.

 

True that. We don;t tend to repeat mistakes here.

 

That reminds me of something I've been thinking about: I wonder if Sparano will run as tough a training camp as he did this past year. These guys were dead on their feet and I don't know if they really got their legs under them enough for the start of the season.

 

The good thing about this is that is one position we can scratch off the list during the draft. So we can focus even more on the D and WR. Hopefully we continue to find other gems like him and Wake without using any draft picks. That's like finding free money.

 

once the foundation is properly put in place you can build anything you want
it all begins in the trenches, they set the pace :yes: & direction for the rest of the team
if you can win the line of scrimmage the running game develops. if you can run the ball,
the passing game opens up & you dominate the PlayClock. the opposition can't score
if they're not on the field & your defense is rested & @ their best when playing on the field
once the foundation is properly put in place you can build anything you want

 

:up:
I think our head coach knows that better then most being an OL coach himself.

 

just maybe that's why Bill Parcells elected to go with him

 

I was sold on Cam Wake because I could watch him, this cat I'm not as sold on, the one thing I think, sight unseen, is he can anchor and pass block well as the CFL requires G's who can do that well.

Mark Dixon was a G in the CFL.

 

only have seen the trailers & read what has been written
(all good, better & extensive, tried & true)
the guy appears to be the RealDeal @ RG, the best the CFL has to offer
if he passed the mustard w/ the FrontOffice, he's probably a serious piece
two things: he didn't come cheap & they know the trenches
will only know when we see him in a game, that's the nature of the beast

 

:dunno:

I do know that with CFLers, the signing bonus is a great indicator of what the team who signs them thinks about their future with that organization.

 

He didn't come cheap? Do you know that for sure? I mean Cameron Wake was the best CFL has come out with in years and he came pretty cheap.

 

i think they had something worked out after he came in for his workout, but they didn't want to have to release anyone - OL wise .... so they had him hold out for 2 weeks.

i do think they want to have a solid dependable starting 5 ..... the Orca-5 ....

outside of unbalanced lines, i don't think they want or plan on rotating OL in and out of the game. it was just a necessity this year with Thomas, injuries, etc ....

with Thomas, Garner, Tsoumpas, Hartline, and Feinga (even Murtha - albeit i want him as depth at T) ... that gives us 5 to make 2 -- with Thomas and Garner being the favorites right now .... and Smiley gone ....

this will only give us 1 'injury prone' OL in Grove ... with Berger as a capable back-up -- maybe Garner or one of these others could step up as well ....

i still believe Carey is a possibility as trade bait - bringing a 1/2 on draft day .... but that is wholly dependent upon where Gardner / Murtha are ... and i think we will draft another T project again this year ....

i like where we are ... and where we are going with the OL .... it will be around for several years .... and be very young !

 

Wake's 1. something million dollar signing bonus is the record paid to a CFL to NFL player.

Redskin's Brad Sellers is probably the "best' non Qb to have played in the CFL.