How many rookies do we really WANT starting on the OL?

[DalTXColtsFan]

Barring injury Castanzo is our LT.  Thornton, Mewhort, Reitz, Holmes, Harrison, Good - how many of those guys can we really cut?  How comfortable would we really be with Castanzo and four rookies?

[Colts_Fan12]

4 minutes ago, DalTXColtsFan said:

Barring injury Castanzo is our LT.  Thornton, Mewhort, Reitz, Holmes, Harrison, Good - how many of those guys can we really cut?  How comfortable would we really be with Castanzo and four rookies?

When did Mewhort become a rookie?

[James]

As long as the right side of the offensive line is better I don't care if we lined up with three rookie (Kelly - rookie - rookie)

 

Not that I think that will happen. I still think Thornton has the RG spot come week 1 and then it's either Reitz or Good for RT.

[GoColts8818]

I doubt more than two start day one if that.  Now by the end of the season that number might go up.

 

i think AC, Mewhort, Kelly and then two of Reitz, Good, and Clark start.  The one that gets beat out stays for depth.  From there Harrison, Holmes, Thornton, Haeg, and, Blythe compete for two maybe three spots.  Since three of them are really Centers probably one of them stays and then either Haeg or Thornton gets the last spot unless an undrafted kid earns a spot in camp.

[aReggie7]

I think 9 offensive lineman is a safe assumption to have on the active roster.

 

So something like this:

 

T: Castanzo/Good/Clark/Haeg

G: Mewhort/Reitz/Thronton

C: Kelly/Blythe

 

Maybe Blythe doesn't make it and the Colts keep Holmes or Harrison. I have doubts about that though because Holmes and Harrison have been pretty bad and Blythe has a lot of experience.

 

Kelly is might be the only one to start this year out of the rookies. The fact that depth is mostly rookies is not ideal but I think it will be worth the investment. Who knows who actually makes the cut come training camp though.

[IndySouthsider]

Well they could platoon like NE a few years ago did to success.

[stitches]

I think besides Kelly there will be maximum of 1 more starting rookie on the offensive line. From what I'm getting about Clark - he will take a while before he's ready to play. Haeg played in a pro-style offense so he will probably be closer to being ready to play, but again - I don't think he will start. I think all of those players (with the exception of Kelly) will be depth pieces at this point.

[MTC]

IMO:

 

LT: Castonzo, Haeg

LG: Mewhort

C: Kelly, Blythe

RG: Clark, Thornton

RT: Reitz, Good

[dgambill]

I think Kelly is the only starter. Blythe I think is depth but has enough experience to start if he had to. I think Haeg and Clark need a year of strength and learning. I can see Clark starting the following year and give Haeg and Blythe a chance to fight it out with the remaining guys for that last guard spot. Who knows maybe all these guys coming in will spur someone we have out of desperation to get better....but I'm in no hurry to rush anyone out there too soon. A whole side of the OL as rookies I think would be asking for trouble and DCs would certainly test them.

[akcolt]

Kelly is the only starter 

[AZColt11]

If they're better than what we have now, then all of them.  That includes Castonzo and Mewhort.  If there is someone better, they should play, regardless of what year they are.

[Bluefire4]

I don't care how many rookies start if they actually deserve the starting job. We'll find that out in training camp and preseason.

[BlueShoe]

1 hour ago, DalTXColtsFan said:

Barring injury Castanzo is our LT.  Thornton, Mewhort, Reitz, Holmes, Harrison, Good - how many of those guys can we really cut?  How comfortable would we really be with Castanzo and four rookies?

 

It is very early, so my thinking is only based on the hypothetical. 

 

I believe we will have two rookie starters on the offensive line on opening day.

 

Last year we kept 10 offensive linemen on the final 53.

 

LT - Anthony Castonzo, Joe Reitz
LG - Lance Louis, Robert Myers
C - Khaled Holmes, Jonotthan Harrison
RG - Todd Herremans, Hugh Thornton
RT - Jack Mewhort, Denzelle Good

 

I believe 9 roster spots are sealed, although the positions are up for grabs. It could be something like this:

 

LT - Anthony Castonzo, Joe Reitz
LG - Jack Mewhort, Hugh Thornton
C - Ryan Kelly, Austin Blythe
RG - Denzelle Good, TBD
RT - Le'Raven Clark, Joe Haeg 

 

We could easily switch Good and Clark. I do believe Clark will be a starter on day one though.

 

 

 

[Qcolts]

No more than 2

[Carlos Danger]

I think 1... Ryan Kelly... Hopefully Clark can start as soon as 2017, but I doubt this year... Having a capable Center is going to be a huge improvement in itself. Any other rookies that crack the starting line-up (due to talent as opposed to injury) will be gravy... 

 

[BlueCollarColts]

I am perfectly fine with having two rookies start on the OL if they're good enough. We all know Kelly is going to start, but if Clark or Haeg prove good enough, then start them. Don't sit them on the bench simply because they are rookies. 

[Dark_Indy]

Castonzo - Mewhort- Kelly - Holmes - Clark would be my spicy pick. I know the office likes holmes' cerebral abilities. 

[Happy2BeHere]

2 hours ago, DalTXColtsFan said:

Barring injury Castanzo is our LT.  Thornton, Mewhort, Reitz, Holmes, Harrison, Good - how many of those guys can we really cut?  How comfortable would we really be with Castanzo and four rookies?

 

Aside from Castanzo aren't all those other guys you mentioned rookies as well..I mean after all most of them seem to play like it

[Gavin]

LT-Castonzo......Backup competition

LG-Mewhort...... backup competition

C-Holmes/Kelly these two will have an open competition I think. If Holmes gets hurt then I think that opens the door for Blythe to make the 53...Otherwise I see him going to the PS and Holmes making the final 53. Harrison will eventually be cut. But I expect if Holmes stays healthy he makes the final 53 as a backup to Kelly either right off the bat or at some point in the season

RG-Thornton..... backup competition

RT-Reitz.....Good

 

 

I think these 9 make the final 53:

Starting 5

Castonzo

Mewhort

Kelly

Thornton

Reitz

 

Backups (make the 53)

Holmes

Good

Haeg

Clark

 

PS

 

Blythe

Graf/Van Dyk/Britt

 

 

[UKColt13]

At least 2 (Kelly, Clark) possibly 3 (Haeg, Blyth).

[Mr.Debonair]

Interesting. Sorry * Veteran or potentially good Rookie. I'll go with the latter

[BOTT]

Kelly

[jbaron04]

15 hours ago, DalTXColtsFan said:

Barring injury Castanzo is our LT.  Thornton, Mewhort, Reitz, Holmes, Harrison, Good - how many of those guys can we really cut?  How comfortable would we really be with Castanzo and four rookies?

Umm I won't mind 

Lt- constanzo 

Lg- mewhort 

C- kelly 

Rg- goode 

Rt- clark 

The rookies are inexperienced but the other just flat out suck. Easy decision guys who u know can't play or guys who maybe can't play

[jbaron04]

7 hours ago, UKColt13 said:

At least 2 (Kelly, Clark) possibly 3 (Haeg, Blyth).

2 is say

 

Lt- constanzo 

Lg- mewhort 

C- kelly 

Rg- goode

Rt- clark

[crazycolt1]

What difference does it make if they are doing the job?

[John Dee]

Competition is good..   let chips fall where they may.   No more free rides.   

[CR91]

I fully expect our line to be AC Mewhort Kelly Clark Reitz. with haeg good thornton and holmes as the backups. Blythe will go to the PS

[MasterCrief]

As many of them that earn a starting job. If our week one OL is Castonzo-Mewhort-Kelly-Clark-Haeg because they just flat out beat the veterans for those jobs, then I'm fine starting three rookies. However, I don't think Haeg will beat Good out for the RT spot, and I wouldn't be surprised if Thornton beats Clark for the starting RG job.

[Archer]

Starting Training Camp:

 

Costanzo,  Clark, Graf

Mewhort, Harrison

Kelly, Blythe, Holmes

Thornton, Haeg, O'Brien

Reitz, Good

 

Everyone gets mixed up during TC, so the possibility of Clark competing at RT is there (but I think he need a year in a Pro System, and OG is a better immediate rookie spot for him).

[B~Town]

Different coaches different scheme just wonder how many players the coaches think fit the new scheme . I feel that there is more to how many lineman we brought in via draft and udfa than just protect luck .

[Clem-Dog]

I really believe Philbin will have this unit humming out of the gate because he is a great line coach.  I am good with whoever he starts.

[Smonroe]

To start the season, just Kelly.  By the middle with Thorntons history, I won't be surprised if he's out.

 

And by week 10, no one is a rookie.

 

[KB]

I'm thinking we give most of the rookies time to develop.

AC, mewhort, kelly, reitz, good w/ heag, Clark and Blythe as backups.

Maybe put heag at RT in move good to RG with reitz as the solid backup they like him to be.

[richard pallo]

We have an extra preseason game which can help sort it out.  I think two could start. 

[RomanianColtsFan]

I doubt Blythe is going to be the backup Center, he may not even make it. I can't see Clark coming anywhere close to being a starter, needs 1 year to learn the pro style of offense.

[LockeDown]

Thorton has lost a lot of weight and is probably coming in with guns a blazing.  However, I think Reitz and Good and Thorton fight it out for starting positions our 1st game.  Kelly is the only rookie starter.  Reitz will play fine, but if Good shows his inexperience or Thorton his inconsistency, then Clark will grab that spot.  I think Haeg rides the pine a while.  Blythe is interesting to me.  He is center depth but he plays guard too.  Blythe and Holmes battle it out for center depth and guard depth.  Harrison is gone.

[Kyle]

based on our oline being horrible last year, and us not signing any oline FAs, I really WANT 3-5 rookies starting on the oline.

[PeterBowman]

Of course time will tell, but could this be the turning point with the OL going from a liability to a strength?

[chrisfarley]

all of them if they beat out the competition. Prediction:  I would say two rookies will start in first reg. season game. 

[Fishes]

1 and that's Kelly... I think Clark and haeg need at least 1 year to develop into starters but I have a good feeling about all 3 of those rookies and I also believe Blythe can develop into a very serviceable back up.