Free Agency Preview: Centers

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Originally Posted by soulman

Where do you see Carimi as a backup G? Assuming he gets himself back in playing shape this offseason (and I think that's reasonable to assume) he'll be starting at RT. Carimi is not an OG and it would be a big mistake to play him there. He ended up there because we had no choice for about the same reason Louis ended up taking his place at RT the previous year and we can clearly see that neither does the others job very well.

MP has a point about Garza in that he does give us a vet option at RG in the event that Louis is still recovering next fall but for that to happen we have to have another OC from somewhere. EWill, the draft, or FA. Plus the guy is never injured and that's a good thing given all the injuries we've had.

As far as Brown is concerned we still don't know what his best position is. He was a LT in college and a fairly good one albeit at a small school and that still may be his best position if he can play at 310-315lbs. He has both the athletic ability and the long arms you look for in a LT. And then again he could be nothing more than another OMG.

Contrary to Rics belief LT and OC are NOT our biggest problems. Those guys are under contract, healthy, and can play well enough not to totally embarrass themselves. Even Webb. There are bigger question marks at RG and RT if our two studs over there don't overcome their injuries and begin to play like they're both capable of again.

Our biggest problem is at LG. Why? Because we don't have one!!! I can't see them taking Rachal back unless we're forced to and Spencer is not an good option either. Both of those guys are RGs trying to play LG and they both failed to do it well. We'd have been far better off leaving CWill there thank you very little Mike Tice. Brown is little more than a rookie who'd still have to learn the position and Gabe Carimi is not a LG no matter what anybody thinks is possible.

Whatever we do in FA and the draft we do need some experienced LGs. That much I'm sure off.

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I like Carimi as much as you do Soul, but so far he hasn't shown much as RT. Healthy or not, he lacks the footwork to be a RT Pass Blocker. Carimi is a great run blocker. Carimi has good size and would have good strenght when healthy. Trestman likes to use big guys as guards, look for oversized players. I doubt he wants to draft a player with 6'3. More like 6'6.

I liked Carimi as Guard better in his limited time. Speedy pass rushers made him look like a fool. That's why I want him as Guard or Swingtackle at best. We need to solve our problems and RT is a problem. Good RTs can be had and won't cost as much as good LTs. Why not fill the hole you can fill this offseason? Draft Cooper or Jones or Warmack and sign Vollmer to be our RT. We would solve 2 Problems with 2 signings.

Webbs stats tell he is a solid LT, Cooper would be our LG, Garza gives us some leadership for 1 year, Louis was good until the injury and Vollmer is a Top5 RT. That line would be good enough to win the SB with.

Carimi never fully recovered from his injury before the season started and yet Tice tried to play him into shape and it didn't work. He played well under his normal playing weight and had neither the strength or the confidence he'd shown in the past but we needed a RT so he played the best he could. Pretty well as a run blocker and poorly as a pass blocker.

Now before I depart from these conversations entirely I'll just leave a few facts behind. Carimi can pass block. You may not follow college football much there but Carimi was a four year starter at Wisconsin. He took over for Joe Thomas as a Freshman and played LT all four years. Even though the Badgers are known as a running team they still throw the football. Russell Wilson was their QB in 2012. Carimi won the Outland Trophy as a LT his senior year as the best OLineman in the country. He had to be able to pass block at least a little to have won that award.

In his entire college career he never played a single down of college ball at OG so to even assume that he could just step in a do a passable job in the pros is a giant leap of faith. He played two games at RG last year he was not in any way special. Carimi survived but to say that he played well is wrong. He didn't play any better or worse than he'd played all year at RT. Carimi is about as much a prototype RT as you'll ever find and he is as far from being a prototype OG as Webb is. Neither is built to play effectively inside on a full time basis.

Since all I could possibly do now is repeat myself I'm outta here. Kromer and Trestman can run the show and I'm just gonna watch. It's not my call anyway.

I read somewhere that Carimi may be a guy, that only will be good on the left side of the line. Not sure if you did play sports, but it's always the same. Some guys will just be better on one side. I think I read that Carimi will only be "Good" on the left side. Still think he should tested as LT when healthy.

No I read the CBA and didn't see one word about pirates so Emery sure do this.

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Originally Posted by JustAnotherBearsFan99

Maybe Emery can try the old methods used to procure pirate crews. Find a good prospect for the oline & offer to buy him a friendly drink. Next thing the poor OL guy wakes up in shackles at Halas Hall. It would be a "cap friendly" method too.

Or would this violate the players CBA?

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...rew-thumb2.jpg

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Our line should look like this at the first of the year.

Webb Louis Draft FA Carimi if Louis isn't ready then Garza

5. Fernando Velasco
2012 Grade: +12.9
2012 Snaps: 1,025
Summary: The highest rated center on this list, Velasco emerged as one of the best at the position in 2012. His +12.9 overall grade ranked 12th among all centers and his 98.3 PBE tied for seventh. If there’s a caveat to Velasco’s performance it’s the five-game stretch in the middle of the season where he graded at +15.6, including +12.7 as a run blocker. Though it was an impressive run, he was otherwise below-average and any team willing to invest in him long-term may be risking the addition of an inconsistent, streaky player. Regardless, Velasco is the best center on the market and his breakout season should make him a coveted option for center-needy teams.


there we have our new OC
Now sign Levitre too and we draft a TE high.

Few thoughts...

It amazes me how some people want carimi benched but think Ewill is the future center when garza tanks. Seriously? Centers and gaurds are not a position you can just plug anyone into. I get really tired of hearing the logic "ah hell well find someone to play center but we can't waste a high pick on it." If that's the case, you don't understand the core dynamics of how an offense works.

As for carimi this guy had amazing potential and he is NOT A OG

Center an LG need to be the focal point of this offseason. Somehow some way we need upgrades in both places

Ill keep it short and leave it at that

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Originally Posted by Grizzblue

Few thoughts...

It amazes me how some people want carimi benched but think Ewill is the future center when garza tanks. Seriously? Centers and gaurds are not a position you can just plug anyone into. I get really tired of hearing the logic "ah hell well find someone to play center but we can't waste a high pick on it." If that's the case, you don't understand the core dynamics of how an offense works.

As for carimi this guy had amazing potential and he is NOT A OG

Center an LG need to be the focal point of this offseason. Somehow some way we need upgrades in both places

Ill keep it short and leave it at that

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BINGO!

Carimi is not a G and EWill is not a starting C. Simple as that.

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Originally Posted by MPBears68

BINGO!

Carimi is not a G and EWill is not a starting C. Simple as that.

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absolutely correct, the only place Carimi may go is to LT but i seriously doubt that