Football Outsiders: Ranking the OLs 1-16 - The Orange Mane

dragondawg · 07-20-2007, 06:33 AM

10. Denver Broncos (1) Can left tackle Matt Lepsis return to form after a torn ACL cut short his 2006 season? That's the biggest question facing the offensive line in Denver. Lepsis hadn't missed a game since 1998, and the Broncos greatly missed him when he went down for the season in the sixth game. Mike Shanahan's decision to draft Notre Dame left tackle Ryan Harris in the third round this year is an indication that he doesn't plan on having the 33-year-old Lepsis around much longer. Harris started all 45 games of his Notre Dame career and should be ready to play as a rookie, though not at the high level the Broncos have come to expect from Lepsis.

Center Tom Nalen is 36, and he can't last much longer either. The departure of Nalen and Lepsis will mark the end of an era for Denver, which has had one of the league's best offensive lines for most of the last decade but is starting to decline up front. The ideal scenario for Shanahan would be having Nalen and Lepsis continue to play at a high level for at least another year, allowing Harris to start at right tackle as a rookie before moving to left tackle when Lepsis retires. If Harris isn't ready to go right away, the Broncos will resort to starting Adam Meadows — who has played just three games in the last three years — at right tackle. That could be trouble.

Ben Hamilton has started every game at left guard the last five years and will be back again in 2007, but Cooper Carlisle, who started every game the last two years, signed with the Raiders in the off-season. Chris Kuper and Montrae Holland will compete to replace Carlisle at right guard.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7036746

Drek · 07-20-2007, 08:22 AM

Yet another crap article by national press.

Meadows only started 3 games the last three years because he retired and only just came back last year. Despite that neither he nor Ryan Harris will start at RT. Pears started 10 games at LT last year, did a very good job, and is a natural RT.

Apparently he has no insight into our actual depth chart either, since he doesn't mention that we have third year man Chris Meyers, a G/C combo who has a lot of experience in our system now behind Nalen in case he drops off, and a former Rimington award winning C in Eslinger who's game is tailor made to replace Nalen's returning from a strong campaign in NFLE.

07-20-2007, 06:33 AM	#1
dragondawg All Pro Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 2,009	Football Outsiders: Ranking the OLs 1-16 10. Denver Broncos (1) Can left tackle Matt Lepsis return to form after a torn ACL cut short his 2006 season? That's the biggest question facing the offensive line in Denver. Lepsis hadn't missed a game since 1998, and the Broncos greatly missed him when he went down for the season in the sixth game. Mike Shanahan's decision to draft Notre Dame left tackle Ryan Harris in the third round this year is an indication that he doesn't plan on having the 33-year-old Lepsis around much longer. Harris started all 45 games of his Notre Dame career and should be ready to play as a rookie, though not at the high level the Broncos have come to expect from Lepsis. Center Tom Nalen is 36, and he can't last much longer either. The departure of Nalen and Lepsis will mark the end of an era for Denver, which has had one of the league's best offensive lines for most of the last decade but is starting to decline up front. The ideal scenario for Shanahan would be having Nalen and Lepsis continue to play at a high level for at least another year, allowing Harris to start at right tackle as a rookie before moving to left tackle when Lepsis retires. If Harris isn't ready to go right away, the Broncos will resort to starting Adam Meadows — who has played just three games in the last three years — at right tackle. That could be trouble. Ben Hamilton has started every game at left guard the last five years and will be back again in 2007, but Cooper Carlisle, who started every game the last two years, signed with the Raiders in the off-season. Chris Kuper and Montrae Holland will compete to replace Carlisle at right guard. http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7036746

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07-20-2007, 08:22 AM	#2
Drek Ring of Famer Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 12,315	Yet another crap article by national press. Meadows only started 3 games the last three years because he retired and only just came back last year. Despite that neither he nor Ryan Harris will start at RT. Pears started 10 games at LT last year, did a very good job, and is a natural RT. Apparently he has no insight into our actual depth chart either, since he doesn't mention that we have third year man Chris Meyers, a G/C combo who has a lot of experience in our system now behind Nalen in case he drops off, and a former Rimington award winning C in Eslinger who's game is tailor made to replace Nalen's returning from a strong campaign in NFLE.