Who do we look at for RG?

[SaturdayAllDay]

With our recent o line issues it appears as though we need to shore up the right side of the line. Cherilus seems to be a solid piece for at least another season (assuming he comes back from injury without any issues). That leaves us with a glaring hole at RG that can't seem to be filled. What do you guys think our plan of attack should be this offseason?

 

I personally think we have two options. The first would be to draft a high/mid round player (2-4th round) who could compete with Thornton (who I think still deserves a chance at a starting spot). That being said I haven't done enough homework on the prospects for OG this year (as of yet) and was wondering who everyone thought would be a good fit for us?

 

The second would be to look at Free Agent options. I have noticed so far that the predominant options seem to be Orlando Franklin (Denver), Mike Iupati (San Fran) and Clint Boling (Cincinatti). I also think we could for James Carpenter (Seattle), although for the price we might have to pay we might as well try for Iupati. I am not sure who else I would go with, unless we are just looking at stop gap players for a season or two. Anyone I am missing that would help us shore up this unit and help us get the running game we need to help Luck out?

[BOTT]

I would look for a vet like Jahri Evans, who may get cut and draft one if that's the way the draft falls. I would prefer to draft a RT than a G, but the draft doesn't always go according to plan.

[21isSuperman]

A few guys I've looked at available in free agency are Clint Boling, James Carpenter, and Orlando Franklin.  I feel like Carpenter would be the cheapest of the 3 and Franklin the most expensive, but both Carpenter and Franklin can play RT too if need be.  I don't know who the good RG prospects are in the draft

[BOTT]

A few guys I've looked at available in free agency are Clint Boling, James Carpenter, and Orlando Franklin.  I feel like Carpenter would be the cheapest of the 3 and Franklin the most expensive, but both Carpenter and Franklin can play RT too if need be.  I don't know who the good RG prospects are in the draft

Well, you get what you pay for. I think carpenter is a decent player, but he can't stay healthy.

[SaturdayAllDay]

A few guys I've looked at available in free agency are Clint Boling, James Carpenter, and Orlando Franklin.  I feel like Carpenter would be the cheapest of the 3 and Franklin the most expensive, but both Carpenter and Franklin can play RT too if need be.  I don't know who the good RG prospects are in the draft

 

Looking at current salaries Carpenter makes the most, and with him being a possible two time SB Champ OG for one of the best Rushing attacks in the league I just dont think he will come cheap.... I could be wrong but I think his agent has a lot of ammo to use to get his price up. I think Carpenter and Franklin will both be more expensive then Boling, especially when they can be used at RT. That being said I think they might be our best options, because they will cover us in the event that Cherilus doesnt come back at 100%

[SaturdayAllDay]

I would look for a vet like Jahri Evans, who may get cut and draft one if that's the way the draft falls. I would prefer to draft a RT than a G, but the draft doesn't always go according to plan.

Evans is someone who I didnt consider. He is probably going to be cut. He could be a good addition for a few years, giving us time to develop Thornton/ whoever else we draft to replace him Evans down the line.

[21isSuperman]

Well, you get what you pay for. I think carpenter is a decent player, but he can't stay healthy.

 

 

Looking at current salaries Carpenter makes the most, and with him being a possible two time SB Champ OG for one of the best Rushing attacks in the league I just dont think he will come cheap.... I could be wrong but I think his agent has a lot of ammo to use to get his price up. I think Carpenter and Franklin will both be more expensive then Boling, especially when they can be used at RT. That being said I think they might be our best options, because they will cover us in the event that Cherilus doesnt come back at 100%

I haven't followed Carpenter too much.  I do remember him being drafted and everyone (including Nick Saban) being surprised at the reach the Seahawks made with that pick.  Just looking at what Roto has on him, he's had some trouble staying in shape and some trouble staying on the field because of injuries.  I think potential is there, but he needs more development.  That's why I thought he'd be the cheapest.  Franklin is well establish and Boling is shown himself to be a very good player when healthy

[krunk]

Honestly I have a concern as to what the future is going to be at Right Tackle.   Cherilus likely will not cut it, and I would like to know what the plans are if we let him go. Who can we pick up in FA, and who would we be looking at in the draft?

[SaturdayAllDay]

Honestly I have a concern as to what the future is going to be at Right Tackle.   Cherilus likely will not cut it, and I would like to know what the plans are if we let him go. Who can we pick up in FA, and who would we be looking at in the draft?

Cherilus seems to be doing good for us so far, and if we use him for another season or two it will give us an option to draft and develop before he needs to see the field. That being said we should be prepared in the event he doesn't come back up to form. Hence why I said to look into players such as Carpenter or Franklin who can be used at RT if needed. That way we can upgrade a position of need (RG) while still covering a possible liability (RT).

 

Realistically I think the plan should be to sign one of those to two to play RG while we also look at drafting a mid round (3-5) OG as a backup.That way, if Cherilus doesn't work out next season we have contingency plans in effect. We can move either our FA RG or Mewhort over to RT, while leaving our Rookie OG to battle it out with Thornton/Nixon/Reitz/Louis/John for the other spot. I think that is a way better plan then paying for two starting RTs, or cutting the one player Grigs signed that still has dead money if we cut him.

[Defjamz26]

So is everyone just giving up on Thorton at RG? I mean I know he probably isn't ready to start and needs to learn, but why is everyone saying draft a guard too? We need to bring in a vet until Thorton is ready.

[SaturdayAllDay]

So is everyone just giving up on Thorton at RG? I mean I know he probably isn't ready to start and needs to learn, but why is everyone saying draft a guard too? We need to bring in a vet until Thorton is ready.

I am all for giving Thornton a chance. As I said in the OP, I think one idea is to draft a player, let him and Thornton play it out to see who is better. That way, if both of them pan out, we have either a quality backup for when (not if) injuries come, and if we really need to we can swing Mewhort out to OT and still have a serviceable interior line.

 

I believe Thornton can be at least a solid 6th lineman, and has potential to be a solid starter in our system, I just don't think we should put all of our eggs in his basket. Better to be safe then sorry. I am not saying our 1st round pick should go to OG. I think a mid pick for another potential starter is a good thing for our line, especially since it seems to go through a lot of bodies every season.

[COLTS449]

Personally I think we need to go the free agency route to find a guard. I think we do need to get one of Franklin, Iupati, Boling, or Carpenter, and of those guys I prefer Iupati. We need an immediate fix for the O Line and the right free agent would provide that. I don't think we should consider drafting another G early and not be sure what we're getting. I believe Cherilus will be fine at RT next season when he's 100%, and I think with more time Holmes is the answer at C. So here is my hope for the line week 1 next season........           

Castanzo-Iupati-Holmes-Mewhort-Cherilus.

[COLTS449]

We could even get creative and bring in say Iupati then a vet like Connolly or Evans if the saints cut him. We would cut Cherilus and roll with this....Castanzo-Iupati-Holmes-Connolly-Mewhort. Then have Reitz, Thornton, Harrison, and John as backups. Again though, I believe Cherilus will be himself again next season and have a good year. I'm just throwing out another possibility.

[hoosierhawk]

Draft Laken Tomlinson in the 3rd if he is still there.

[esmort]

Personally I think we need to go the free agency route to find a guard. I think we do need to get one of Franklin, Iupati, Boling, or Carpenter, and of those guys I prefer Iupati. We need an immediate fix for the O Line and the right free agent would provide that. I don't think we should consider drafting another G early and not be sure what we're getting. I believe Cherilus will be fine at RT next season when he's 100%, and I think with more time Holmes is the answer at C. So here is my hope for the line week 1 next season........           

Castanzo-Iupati-Holmes-Mewhort-Cherilus.

 

I think if we go this route we need to have a GOOD plan B, ready to go in case Cherilus ins't 100% (his knee worries me).

[COLTS449]

I think if we go this route we need to have a GOOD plan B, ready to go in case Cherilus ins't 100% (his knee worries me).

 

Yeah I agree. Plan B would most likely be Mewhort at RT and Thornton at RG.

[esmort]

Yeah I agree. Plan B would most likely be Mewhort at RT and Thornton at RG.

 

I would not feel comfortable as that as our primary backup plan ... we would be crossing our fingers and hoping that Mewhort would be able to handle playing RT at a high level all year and also that Thorton is ready to step up his game at RG (which I am not convinced of).  We could easily end up right back in the same situation as this past season with our line again. 

[Mr.Debonair]

J. Harrison

[dw49]

Reitz is no sure thing to be a Colt next year....

[esmort]

Reitz is no sure thing to be a Colt next year....

 

I think they will bring him back, he is a good back up and his injury history will make him cheap.  We just have to improve our OL depth so we aren't forced to use him as a starter for multiple games.

[dw49]

I think they will bring him back, he is a good back up and his injury history will make him cheap.  We just have to improve our OL depth so we aren't forced to use him as a starter for multiple games.

 

 

Hope you're right as I think he's a valuable player

[Track Guy]

Honestly I have a concern as to what the future is going to be at Right Tackle.   Cherilus likely will not cut it, and I would like to know what the plans are if we let him go. Who can we pick up in FA, and who would we be looking at in the draft?

 

We could draft a guy like Jake Fisher or Daryl Williams. I really like what Fisher did this year at Oregon.

[wig]

I'd love to see Fisher start at RG and possibly move to RT in the future. He might be around in the second.

[arkana04]

Jamil Douglas ASU

AJ Cann SCAR

Rob Havenstein is my personal Fav played RT at wisky but is a much better fit at Guard in the NFL. 

[Gavin]

Jamil Douglas no question. athleticism. nasty streak, can flip his hips easy and turn his man out of the hole. needs a little coaching but really like him

[krunk]

Without having done a whole lot of research, but having watched the Senior Bowl I liked what I saw out of

Kuandjo the guard from Alabama.  I thought he did a pretty good job on Danny Shelton.   I'll have to research

a little bit more but he seems like a really good guard prospect from what I saw.

[Coffeedrinker]

I think the Colts will look at Hugh Thornton, next to a solid center, if he's recovered from his injury, he is a good guard and has the burst and athleticism to become a very good guard in the NFL.

[krunk]

I was impressed with the Guard that was blocking Shelton.  Kuandjo from Alabama.

 

Dane Brugler, a senior NFL draft analyst for NFLDraftScout and CBS Sports, said Kouandjio is a "tough son of a gun."

"I love the way he uses his length to extend and meet rushers to take on the block and dispose of them," Brugler said. "He's the type of guy that's going to take your lunch money and not feel bad about it. He's a mauler upfront. I like the way he extends, but keeps his base square to deliver contact at all times. He just looks for someone to hit."

 

"More times than not, you see the ability to be a powerful, drive blocker," Brugler said. "Latching on and driving defenders out of the play. He's just kind of been a bully this week.

"He entered the week in that conversation to be one of the top guards drafted in this class. I think he's only helped himself in that regard."

http://www.montgomer...ndjio/22181855/

 

The kid does have someprevious knee injuries that cause some concern though.

 

[Valpo2004]

Reitz is no sure thing to be a Colt next year....

 

Not a sure thing but considering he's pretty much our 6th lineman and he won't cost a lot of money, I can't see them letting him walk.

[dw49]

Not a sure thing but considering he's pretty much our 6th lineman and he won't cost a lot of money, I can't see them letting him walk.

 

 

At first glance , you're right but if he doesn't think he's being treated right here , he's a good candidate to test the market. The Colts will most likely offer him something like you're thinking , something less than starter money. He really doesn't have a lot to lose by see if there's a better offer out there. IMO ... he's often rode the bench behind a player he's better than. If he feels that was and resents it , why would he stay ?

[BOTT]

At first glance , you're right but if he doesn't think he's being treated right here , he's a good candidate to test the market. The Colts will most likely offer him something like you're thinking , something less than starter money. He really doesn't have a lot to lose by see if there's a better offer out there. IMO ... he's often rode the bench behind a player he's better than. If he feels that was and resents it , why would he stay ?

Staying healthy is his biggest problem

[dw49]

Staying healthy is his biggest problem

 

 

No doubt about that one.