Offensive Line Breakdown: Who stays, who goes? - The Orange Mane

Requiem · 05-26-2006, 03:13 PM

After hearing that Erik Pears was selected to the All NFL Europe squad, it got me thinking about how our line looks right now, and how it looks for the future. I've gone through the roster, looking at who we have at each position on the line, and I must say, I'm quite impressed with the depth at the "position".

Everyone is aware of the starters like Tom Nalen, Matt Lepsis, Ben Hamilton, Cooper Carlisle and George Foster, but behind them it seems like we have some great youth and depth.

This past draft, we took two lineman who fit our system perfectly in Chris Kuper and Greg Eslinger. Along with them, we have second year player Chris Myers, who has played multiple line positions throughout his career and looks to be developing into a solid player. As I mentioned earlier, Erik Pears. Now that's what I call preparing for the future.

On top of that, we have all of these other players:

Taylor Whitley
Martin Bibla
Dwayne Carswell
Rob Hunt
PJ Alexander
Chad Mustard (Converted from TE)
Javiar Collins
Cornell Green

Now some of these players are questionable, but the depth is certainly there. The question is, out of these, who all makes the roster?

The Broncos carried eight lineman on the active roster last year, having Cornell Green and Taylor Whitley take up multiple spots, along with Ben Hamilton as the second string center.

With all these players and talent, we obviously can't keep everybody.

Now where they're no lock to make the team, I have a hard time believing Chris Kuper and Greg Eslinger wouldn't make the roster, or atleast the practice squad, but I'm not sure if another team wouldn't pick them up. It's a certainty that Nalen, Lepsis, Foster and Hamilton make the squad. I'd say the same for Cooper, although I feel there will be some strong competition between him and Chris Myers for that starting job this year.

Yet again, I ask, who will make the final roster, how many guys will we keep?

Keep in mind, we'll probably keep three quarterbacks, and we have a lot of guys at receiver and tight end too.

At any case, it seems like the Broncos have a solid line for now, and even solid potential for the future.

Victor · 05-26-2006, 03:29 PM

Who can concentrate on offensive linemen when the prom pictures from Flint have been developed?

Arkansas Bronco · 05-26-2006, 03:33 PM

I think some of the women in those pictures can play OL.

BroncoBuff · 05-26-2006, 03:51 PM

I think the sad part is that House is probably fighting a very tough uphill battle to make the team.... I think SHanny kept only 7 initially last year, and later moved Myers from practice squad to active.

There's just so little room, especially with Cornell Green playing half-time at RT, he's like a "6th starter."

So, if they keep EIGHT, as I voted, then ONLY TWO of the following make it:

Chris Myers
PJ Alexander
Eslinger
Kuper
Mustard
Whitley
Bibla
House

Now THAT'S depth.

Requiem · 05-26-2006, 03:54 PM

Odds are one of the rookies makes the team, the other goes to the Practice Squad.

ludo21 · 05-26-2006, 04:06 PM

Starers - as of last season
Cooper
Foster
Nalen
Lepsis
Hamilton

Bench
Eslinger
Myers
PJ

Maybe even Pears will stick if PJ doesnt.

O yeah, Green played well too, man another TC BATTLE!!! Awesome. This team rocks.

eddie mac · 05-26-2006, 04:16 PM

Green is a lock for the back-up Offensive Tackle spot and a possibility for starting RT if Foster still has ****ling injuries that drop his performance levels.

yavoon · 05-26-2006, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ludo21

Starers - as of last season
Cooper
Foster
Nalen
Lepsis
Hamilton

Bench
Eslinger
Myers
PJ

Maybe even Pears will stick if PJ doesnt.

O yeah, Green played well too, man another TC BATTLE!!! Awesome. This team rocks.

whats this green played well too? green outplayed foster.

eddie mac · 05-26-2006, 04:21 PM

I'd go with

T Lepsis, Foster, Green, Carswell only if he's 100% and still will be used as a goal-line threat as a TE/Eligible OL

G Hamilton, 2nd string center, Carlisle, Myers, back up guard, 3rd string center

C Nalen

PS Kuper, Eslinger, Pears dunno if we can place him there again? IR anybody

Dos Rios · 05-26-2006, 04:49 PM

There was a thread on this a few week's back:

http://www.orangemane.com/BB/showthr...56#post1102356

I think it's one of the more interesting plots going into training camp. OL has been the consistent factor in Shanahan's era. Nalen's pending retirement is sort of a generational turnover from the Super Bowl years. Without him calling the shots, and even with a pro-Bowl caliber player like Lepsis, does the OL become ordinary?

Lepsis has turned into a rock, but he's 32. Hamilton looks like a fixture, although unclear if it's at LG or center. Cooper is probably a Diaz-Infante type journeyman/stopgap (anybody think otherwise?). Foster has all kinds of potential, but it's not yet clear he's going to reach it (and whether he'll do so at RT or LT).

That said, I'm really hopeful that the team finds a way to keep more than the traditional 7-8 OL players this year. Given the hope for at least 2 or 3 of Myers, Eslinger, Kuper, Alexander, Pears and Green to into starters, I can't see a place for House this year. The team seems to have done a great job nabbing and grooming some of these younger guys in the last couple years. It would be nice to see that work pay off.

DeusExManning · 05-26-2006, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ludo21

Starers - as of last season
Cooper
Foster
Nalen
Lepsis
Hamilton

Bench
Eslinger
Myers
PJ

Maybe even Pears will stick if PJ doesnt.

O yeah, Green played well too, man another TC BATTLE!!! Awesome. This team rocks.

Add Pears and Carswell, Shanny likes Carswell for his flexibility.

cutthemdown · 05-26-2006, 04:59 PM

I thought had PJ alexander not gotten injured last yr he would have started over Carlisle. With Meyers progressing Eslinger may get stuck on practice squad. Cornell Green will hang around as a backup for sure. I think the only big question will be Carlisle hanging onto his spot. Maybe even Kyper if he progesses fast could take some snaps at RG.

Sodak · 05-26-2006, 05:00 PM

This is one of the advantages of using smaller, athletic, linemen is having more choices "tweeners" to choose from that get overlooked by most teams. Most teams are looking for the lard asses for their linemen.

View Poll Results: How many lineman will we carry?
8	6	35.29%
9	8	47.06%
10	3	17.65%
Other	0	0%
Voters: 17. You may not vote on this poll

05-26-2006, 03:13 PM	#1
Requiem ~~~ ~ ~ ~ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Earth Division Posts: 19,541 Adopt-a-Bronco: Gilgamesh	Offensive Line Breakdown: Who stays, who goes? After hearing that Erik Pears was selected to the All NFL Europe squad, it got me thinking about how our line looks right now, and how it looks for the future. I've gone through the roster, looking at who we have at each position on the line, and I must say, I'm quite impressed with the depth at the "position". Everyone is aware of the starters like Tom Nalen, Matt Lepsis, Ben Hamilton, Cooper Carlisle and George Foster, but behind them it seems like we have some great youth and depth. This past draft, we took two lineman who fit our system perfectly in Chris Kuper and Greg Eslinger. Along with them, we have second year player Chris Myers, who has played multiple line positions throughout his career and looks to be developing into a solid player. As I mentioned earlier, Erik Pears. Now that's what I call preparing for the future. On top of that, we have all of these other players: Taylor Whitley Martin Bibla Dwayne Carswell Rob Hunt PJ Alexander Chad Mustard (Converted from TE) Javiar Collins Cornell Green Now some of these players are questionable, but the depth is certainly there. The question is, out of these, who all makes the roster? The Broncos carried eight lineman on the active roster last year, having Cornell Green and Taylor Whitley take up multiple spots, along with Ben Hamilton as the second string center. With all these players and talent, we obviously can't keep everybody. Now where they're no lock to make the team, I have a hard time believing Chris Kuper and Greg Eslinger wouldn't make the roster, or atleast the practice squad, but I'm not sure if another team wouldn't pick them up. It's a certainty that Nalen, Lepsis, Foster and Hamilton make the squad. I'd say the same for Cooper, although I feel there will be some strong competition between him and Chris Myers for that starting job this year. Yet again, I ask, who will make the final roster, how many guys will we keep? Keep in mind, we'll probably keep three quarterbacks, and we have a lot of guys at receiver and tight end too. At any case, it seems like the Broncos have a solid line for now, and even solid potential for the future.

05-26-2006, 03:51 PM	#4
BroncoBuff *************** Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 25,433 Adopt-a-Bronco: QUANTERUS SMITH	I think the sad part is that House is probably fighting a very tough uphill battle to make the team.... I think SHanny kept only 7 initially last year, and later moved Myers from practice squad to active. There's just so little room, especially with Cornell Green playing half-time at RT, he's like a "6th starter." So, if they keep EIGHT, as I voted, then ONLY TWO of the following make it: Chris Myers PJ Alexander Eslinger Kuper Mustard Whitley Bibla House Now THAT'S depth.

05-26-2006, 04:16 PM	#7
eddie mac Ireland's No1 Bronco Eddie Mac 87 gone but never forgott Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: IRELAND Posts: 15,572 Adopt-a-Bronco: Rod Smith	Green is a lock for the back-up Offensive Tackle spot and a possibility for starting RT if Foster still has ***ling injuries that drop his performance levels. Last edited by eddie mac; 05-26-2006 at 04:22 PM..*

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05-26-2006, 03:29 PM	#2
Victor The Dude Abides Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Wheaton, IL Posts: 724 Adopt-a-Bronco: Eric Decker	Who can concentrate on offensive linemen when the prom pictures from Flint have been developed?

05-26-2006, 03:33 PM	#3
Arkansas Bronco Ring of Famer Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Arkansas Posts: 5,237 Adopt-a-Bronco: Ryan Clady	I think some of the women in those pictures can play OL.

05-26-2006, 03:54 PM	#5
Requiem ~~~ ~ ~ ~ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Earth Division Posts: 19,541 Adopt-a-Bronco: Gilgamesh	Odds are one of the rookies makes the team, the other goes to the Practice Squad.

05-26-2006, 04:06 PM	#6
ludo21 RIP Darrent Williams Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Glendale, AZ Posts: 17,901 Adopt-a-Bronco: Paul Ernster	Starers - as of last season Cooper Foster Nalen Lepsis Hamilton Bench Eslinger Myers PJ Maybe even Pears will stick if PJ doesnt. O yeah, Green played well too, man another TC BATTLE!!! Awesome. This team rocks.

05-26-2006, 04:21 PM	#9
eddie mac Ireland's No1 Bronco Eddie Mac 87 gone but never forgott Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: IRELAND Posts: 15,572 Adopt-a-Bronco: Rod Smith	I'd go with T Lepsis, Foster, Green, Carswell only if he's 100% and still will be used as a goal-line threat as a TE/Eligible OL G Hamilton, 2nd string center, Carlisle, Myers, back up guard, 3rd string center C Nalen PS Kuper, Eslinger, Pears dunno if we can place him there again? IR anybody

05-26-2006, 04:49 PM	#10
Dos Rios Solid Starter Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 249	There was a thread on this a few week's back: http://www.orangemane.com/BB/showthr...56#post1102356 I think it's one of the more interesting plots going into training camp. OL has been the consistent factor in Shanahan's era. Nalen's pending retirement is sort of a generational turnover from the Super Bowl years. Without him calling the shots, and even with a pro-Bowl caliber player like Lepsis, does the OL become ordinary? Lepsis has turned into a rock, but he's 32. Hamilton looks like a fixture, although unclear if it's at LG or center. Cooper is probably a Diaz-Infante type journeyman/stopgap (anybody think otherwise?). Foster has all kinds of potential, but it's not yet clear he's going to reach it (and whether he'll do so at RT or LT). That said, I'm really hopeful that the team finds a way to keep more than the traditional 7-8 OL players this year. Given the hope for at least 2 or 3 of Myers, Eslinger, Kuper, Alexander, Pears and Green to into starters, I can't see a place for House this year. The team seems to have done a great job nabbing and grooming some of these younger guys in the last couple years. It would be nice to see that work pay off.

05-26-2006, 04:59 PM	#12
cutthemdown A verbis ad verbera Zimm to HOF Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Long Beach Posts: 32,443	I thought had PJ alexander not gotten injured last yr he would have started over Carlisle. With Meyers progressing Eslinger may get stuck on practice squad. Cornell Green will hang around as a backup for sure. I think the only big question will be Carlisle hanging onto his spot. Maybe even Kyper if he progesses fast could take some snaps at RG.

05-26-2006, 05:00 PM	#13
Sodak Clueless... Who stole my avatar? Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Black Hills of Dakota Posts: 3,080	This is one of the advantages of using smaller, athletic, linemen is having more choices "tweeners" to choose from that get overlooked by most teams. Most teams are looking for the lard asses for their linemen.