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Castonzo


IrishColt22

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Well during the game he was discribed as the best tackle/linemen the Colts have and described as 6'7" tall and weighing 315 pounds and there is 6 that are his height and weight in the draft order.

 

Ranked in the draft rank is

#1 Luke Joeckel, junior, 6-6, 310

#6 Chance Warmack , 6-2, 322

#11 Taylor Lewan, 6-7, 310

#13 Jake Mathews, 6-5, 305

#14 Jonathan Cooper, 6-3, 310

#28 Eric Fisher, 6-7, 305

 

It's not a question of size, he has the size, How about a new o-line coach, I would be on the phone to the Pats o-line coach at the end of the season, the coach replaced the best of this time LT in Matt Light, Matt Light protected T.Brady's blind side through 12 years and 5 SB, and replaced M.Light with Solder and did a great job, Solder need more practice so instead of letting him sit the last 2 preseason games like the other starters, nope he was the only starter to do so, he needed the experience and it made him a better blocker, Costanzo needs a better teacher like in a new line coach!!!!!  

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I like him. Give him time and he could be pretty good, maybe even great.

And, as far as I'm concerned, pretty good is good enough. When you have a great talent there, it becomes either hard or expensive to keep him around. I'd much prefer to have 5 starting linemen that are all good or pretty good. Much easier to retain the whole group and keep the cohesion in place so that everyone is on the same page. Our best year (the year we won the SB), we had a line that had been fairly consistent for the prior 2-3 years in Glenn, Lilja, Saturday, Scott, and Diem.

I want to see those times again.

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He's good. Not great. Definitely our best offensive lineman on this roster.

That's sort of like saying he's the smartest stooge.

He's good, and he's out there every week. Can we say that about any other O lineman?

That's part of the problem, no consistency on the line.

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Does anyone else miss Tom Zupancic?  I think AC and some of the younger linemen would have benefited greatly from his detail with strength and conditioning (1999 last year as strength and conditioning coach)....we have been injury prone every year since he had moved to the front office/and since departed.

 

BTW, Reitz made some great trap blocks last week....Castonzo is definitely our best lineman......and I hope Shipley gets a chance to compete for the starting center next year.....just have a Jeff Saturday gut feeling......love his mean streak...and I hope he is OK. :thmup:

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He is probably the only one who should be retained after this season. After that embarrassment by the O-line this past Sunday, I think it is clear as day that outside of Castanzo (who has not been great this season, merely above average IMO), there is no one who should be considered a long-term solution on this line. That was just a woeful performance. Not that this is news to anyone.

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Yeah, I kinda think that the left side of our OL is in good hands with Costanzo, Reitz, and Shipley (but not Satele).  McGlynn is not good, and Justice  isn't any kind of long-term solution.  I actually think we've got a great return on Justice, given that we just gave up about 17 spots in the 6th round for him.  He played "Fair" in the 50% of the games that he wasn't injured.  But I'd target that position for major FA upgrade in the off-season, probably in free agency.  (Gosder Cherilus, anyone?)  Justice would be much better as the first OT off the bench in case of an injury.  That would make Linkenbach (if he returns next year) an emergency Plan C at OT or OG.  OG needs to be a 1st or 3rd round priority in the draft, so we can move McGlynn to back-up status.  Did anyone else notice that Hayworth Hicks was cut by NYJ and signed to TB's practice squad?  I'd like to see us steal him back, and mayby cut that 5th WR... 

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He's good. Not great. Definitely our best offensive lineman on this roster.

 

This says it all right here.  I don't think he will ever be elite, but I think he can be very good and reliable.  As of now, he is good and has shown lots of improvement, but there is still lots of work to go for him.  He is the best O-lineman on the roster, which I thought would be Satele at the start of the year.  However, if Ijalana can come back completely healthy next year, I think the coaches should strongly consider moving Ijalana to LT and Castonzo to RT.

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Ijalana to LT?  From what I understand, the Ijalana to RT experiment didn't even work out very well.  If he has a future with this team at all, it's at OG...

 

Ijalana played left tackle in college, and did well. He played for us at tackle last season, and did well. There were questions about his height, but he has long arms that might make up for it. I don't know that he's better than Castonzo; some think he would be. Either way, I just hope he's healthy. I'd rather see Castonzo stay at left tackle, and work Ijalana in somewhere. But I wouldn't pigeon-hole Ijalana as a guard. He did fine at tackle.

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Ijalana played very good at RT as a Rookie. He was doing good at LT while replacing an injured Castonzo before he was hurt. More of a RT/RG I would think.

There was some suggestion that the current coaches were not satisfied. He probably came back a little early and may have had issues learning as fast as they would have liked. The playbook should not be an issue next season, lets hope he comes back 100%. If so, he should be good at RG OR RT.

On Moore`s goal line fumble, Castonzo let Watt beat him to the inside. Knowing it is a quick hitter up the middle, I don`t understand how it is possible Castonzo isn`t making his 1st move to the inside making Watts move IMPOSSIBLE. Watt is Exceptional I understand, but that burst inside is the ONLY thing Castonzo had to prepare for. If his mind and body are to slow to make that block, he IS a RT. JMO

It was pitiful watching LINK against Watt. I don`t know why they bothered putting Watt anyplace else.

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Ijalana played left tackle in college, and did well. He played for us at tackle last season, and did well. There were questions about his height, but he has long arms that might make up for it. I don't know that he's better than Castonzo; some think he would be. Either way, I just hope he's healthy. I'd rather see Castonzo stay at left tackle, and work Ijalana in somewhere. But I wouldn't pigeon-hole Ijalana as a guard. He did fine at tackle.

This is correct!

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Ijalana played left tackle in college, and did well. He played for us at tackle last season, and did well. There were questions about his height, but he has long arms that might make up for it. I don't know that he's better than Castonzo; some think he would be. Either way, I just hope he's healthy. I'd rather see Castonzo stay at left tackle, and work Ijalana in somewhere. But I wouldn't pigeon-hole Ijalana as a guard. He did fine at tackle.

Well said.  And, in fact, many people had him pegged at LT coming out of the draft

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Ijalana played left tackle in college, and did well. He played for us at tackle last season, and did well. There were questions about his height, but he has long arms that might make up for it. I don't know that he's better than Castonzo; some think he would be. Either way, I just hope he's healthy. I'd rather see Castonzo stay at left tackle, and work Ijalana in somewhere. But I wouldn't pigeon-hole Ijalana as a guard. He did fine at tackle.

 

 

I had similar thoughts about Ijalana as you and others. What dampens my expectations was the talk about him needing to step it up when training camp started to avoid being cut. Maybe this was not talk coming from the coaching staff but often where there's smoke , there's fire. Just thinking there is a chance the new coachig staff was not high on him. In any event , we shouldn't even figure a guy with two ACL tears in two years and a hip surgery to boot , into the equation a whole lot. Also no team was willing to risk 500K to wait a year and see if he was a player or not. I sure hope he pans out but I think another Chris Polian dagger.

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I had similar thoughts about Ijalana as you and others. What dampens my expectations was the talk about him needing to step it up when training camp started to avoid being cut. Maybe this was not talk coming from the coaching staff but often where there's smoke , there's fire. Just thinking there is a chance the new coachig staff was not high on him. In any event , we shouldn't even figure a guy with two ACL tears in two years and a hip surgery to boot , into the equation a whole lot. Also no team was willing to risk 500K to wait a year and see if he was a player or not. I sure hope he pans out but I think another Chris Polian dagger.

 

 

We had to waive him to put him on IR, but put a claim in to store him on IR. He's under contract for another year, from what I understand, so I figure he'll be in camp next year.

 

As for putting this on Chris Polian, I don't agree. Ijalana is a good prospect who got hurt while playing.

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To read the steady stream of Linkenbach sucks posts,  one would think that JJ Watt is terrible, and Link is so bad that he made Watt look like an All-Pro.

 

Guess what?     Watt IS an All-Pro.    He's a Football God!    He's been making lots of lineman look terrible all year.   His great play didn't start this past Sunday.     We talked about it all last week, and sure enough,  it happened.

 

It's week 16 now.   Injuries happen.   Link isn't supposed to be a starter.   He's a back-up.   He got abused.   OK,  that's what happens when back-ups face an incredible talent like Watt.

 

All this outrage....      :excited:     :panic:

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Wow, I hope you guys are right about Ijalana. My impression is that the current staff considers him a lost cause. I even remember some uncharactistic candid Peyton Manning (mis?)quote about Ijalana that was something like, "Something was missing from that guy." I thought he played well his rookie season in his only action, given that he hadn't practiced at LT. However, after missing both of his first two seasons with injuries, I have to look upon his potential as a starting OT (or even OG) with scepticism, and Grigson would be wise to make other plans.

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We had to waive him to put him on IR, but put a claim in to store him on IR. He's under contract for another year, from what I understand, so I figure he'll be in camp next year.

 

As for putting this on Chris Polian, I don't agree. Ijalana is a good prospect who got hurt while playing.

 

 

Yes , we put him IR to save a spot on the 90 man roster and it was unlikely that some other team would waste a spot and 500K on him. If he were a better prospect , it would have been risky. You're also right that he will be in camp next year , providing he's healthy. What bothered me was it seemed like the new coaching staff was pretty down on him before he tore the ACL. Now that could have been all bad journalism ... dunno.

 

As far as Chris Polian , I was just pointing out that all the drafts under him were very stinky. I thought it was obvious that we don't know how Ijalana would have panned out. But I have no problem giving him a pass on this pick , he still was a total disaster.

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Wow, I hope you guys are right about Ijalana. My impression is that the current staff considers him a lost cause. I even remember some uncharactistic candid Peyton Manning (mis?)quote about Ijalana that was something like, "Something was missing from that guy." I thought he played well his rookie season in his only action, given that he hadn't practiced at LT. However, after missing both of his first two seasons with injuries, I have to look upon his potential as a starting OT (or even OG) with scepticism, and Grigson would be wise to make other plans.

 

 

 

Yea... agree here. That's what I remember , stuff coming out that was pretty negative on his ability to be a good player. But could be all nonsense .

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Yes , we put him IR to save a spot on the 90 man roster and it was unlikely that some other team would waste a spot and 500K on him. If he were a better prospect , it would have been risky. You're also right that he will be in camp next year , providing he's healthy. What bothered me was it seemed like the new coaching staff was pretty down on him before he tore the ACL. Now that could have been all bad journalism ... dunno.

 

I think that all came from Stampede Blue, with very little confirmation from anywhere else. And thinking back, most of that skepticism was attributed to Howard Mudd and Peyton Manning, two guys who never worked or played with Ijalana. I didn't buy into that story at all.

 

The current staff said Ijalana had some work to do, but I don't think they were as negative as it was perceived or "reported."

 

I'm not claiming Ijalana is going to be the savior for our line play, but I do think he was a good prospect, and I hope he can get healthy and contribute next season.

 

As far as Chris Polian , I was just pointing out that all the drafts under him were very stinky. I thought it was obvious that we don't know how Ijalana would have panned out. But I have no problem giving him a pass on this pick , he still was a total disaster.

 

I like the 2011 draft, for the most part. Chris Rucker isn't on the roster anymore, but the other four look like good picks. Carter is decent for a fourth rounder, Nevis is a really good player, Castonzo is really good, and Ijalana looked good in the ten minutes he was on the field last year.

 

Other than that, there's not a lot of positive to say about the last few years of the Polian regime. I'm not sure who was pulling the strings over those last four years or so, but it doesn't matter. They're both gone now.

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To read the steady stream of Linkenbach sucks posts,  one would think that JJ Watt is terrible, and Link is so bad that he made Watt look like an All-Pro.

 

Guess what?     Watt IS an All-Pro.    He's a Football God!    He's been making lots of lineman look terrible all year.   His great play didn't start this past Sunday.     We talked about it all last week, and sure enough,  it happened.

 

It's week 16 now.   Injuries happen.   Link isn't supposed to be a starter.   He's a back-up.   He got abused.   OK,  that's what happens when back-ups face an incredible talent like Watt.

 

All this outrage....      :excited:     :panic:

 

 

I think most of the damage was done inside , so certainely this can't be blamed on Link. You're right about this guy being great all year but what he did Sunday was insane. This remark fron Rudd sums it up nicely.

 

“I’ve watched [Watt] since I’ve been here,” Ruud said. “His bad games are better than anybody else’s good games. It’s pretty impressive. ...It’s almost comical how much he took over this game.”

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I think that all came from Stampede Blue, with very little confirmation from anywhere else. And thinking back, most of that skepticism was attributed to Howard Mudd and Peyton Manning, two guys who never worked or played with Ijalana. I didn't buy into that story at all.

 

The current staff said Ijalana had some work to do, but I don't think they were as negative as it was perceived or "reported."

 

I'm not claiming Ijalana is going to be the savior for our line play, but I do think he was a good prospect, and I hope he can get healthy and contribute next season.

 

 

I like the 2011 draft, for the most part. Chris Rucker isn't on the roster anymore, but the other four look like good picks. Carter is decent for a fourth rounder, Nevis is a really good player, Castonzo is really good, and Ijalana looked good in the ten minutes he was on the field last year.

 

Other than that, there's not a lot of positive to say about the last few years of the Polian regime. I'm not sure who was pulling the strings over those last four years or so, but it doesn't matter. They're both gone now.

 

 

Yes , 2011 was better than the 4 previous to that. I think how nepotism works would be that many of these bad picks were guys that Chris liked. I can honestly say that the only one that this was made public was Tony Ugoh. You are correct in saying they are gone so it doesn't matter who was most responsible. I would guess that Bill couldn't get that horrible without some big help from Chris as his tract record was good for a lot of years. As you say .. it doesn't matter . I was just throwing in the fact that much went wrong in the drafts and Ben I was a player we traded up for in the second round. At this point in time , he is part of those failures. For what ever reasons...

 

I would be thrilled if he turned out to be a viable player. What I think he has going against him is the following.

 

1) He played very sparingly in his rookie year on a tea that had a terrible O Line. No huge deal here as he was said to be a bit of a developemental player.

 

2) Just never heard anything positive come out of what was said about the guy. I have no idea if we are over or under stating what we heard before trainling camp started.

 

3) Two ACl's and a hip surgery in two years.. ugh..

 

IMO , he's the definition of a longshot.

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He is very good and could be a top 5 tackle.  I think it is hard to judge him a little bit because everything around him is so bad, he is asked to maintain blocks much longer, and Luck moving around sometimes can lead to the QB not being where the LT expects him and then sacks.   He has all the tools.  Smart, great feet, great wingspan, speed, power.

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1) There is no chance Ijalana beats out Castonzo for the LT spot. None. Castonzo's the more talented, better, more proven LT. Ijalana wasn't even guaranteed to make the final cuts. I'd love for Ijalana to somehow make it back healthy and salvage his career with us, but it won't be at LT.

 

2) Castonzo's developed quite well from last year and shows no signs of peaking yet. His pass blocking's improving and he's a real weapon run blocking on the perimeter. 

 

3) All in all, I see AC having a Glenn-like career. He's not going to be Joe Thomas, perennial All-Pro, future HOF good, but he's got the ability to make a few Pro Bowls by the time his career's over. Being on that second tier of excellent LT's for years to come works out fine for us. He's the long term solution at LT, now we just need to put some better pieces up front with him. Especially if we're going to keep emphasizing the vertical passing game.

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Look.  Ijalana was a top prospect that we paid quite a bit to get.  (We traded up in the 2nd round.)  Most draftniks considered him an OG, even though he played OT LT at Villanova.  However, after his injuries, it seems unlikely that he will have the ability to play outside anymore.  Something about two ACLs and a hip injury in two years tells me that he may lack the lateral agility to handle outside pass rushers and get out in front of the sweep plays.  To me, he's just another OG prospect with an outside chance of becoming a decent starter, along with Jeff Linkenbach, Justin Anderson, Tony Hills, and Hayworth Hicks (who's sitting on the Buccaneers' practice squad - I'm just sayin'...)  With an injury-prone Joe Reitz at LG, a crappy Mike McGlynn at RG, and this collection of nobodies looking to fill back-up roles, we really need to add a starting RG and a solid back-up this off-season.  We really need a new starting RT for that matter.  It seems like we've gotten the best we could have hoped for out of Justice this year, and he still missed half the games and played Fair when he was in...

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