What are the odds Carimi & Webb are solid starters this season at tackle?

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Originally Posted by Grizzblue

Even with 2 rookies its better than we have now assuming its cooper/Warmack at lg.

As far as center goes jones would be an upgrade baring his injury haunting him, Frederick and that kid from Cal would be equal or better come week 6

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It's a pet peeve of mine when people assume that starting two rookies next to each other will be better than what we currently have in place going into week 1 of the 2013 season. Nope. If we are upgrading at left guard, I want to leave Garza at center and focus on RG since Louis may not be healthy enough to play. If we are upgrading at center, then I want vets at the guard position. Two oline rookies next to each other is just an invitation for disaster.

It is paramount that a player knows how to play at the NFL level, or has a vet to rely on next to him. Center is very difficult to play as a rookie. To start a rookie left guard next to him will just result in the line looking worse than it currently does.

Assuming Zach is right and they dont tag melton, I'd be up for a FA G like Vasquez or Levitre.
This way, we add a good young vet along side webb and possibly select fluker and let carimi battle
with brown and louis for RG.

I think Webb is improving...1 more year under his belt, and good coaching, I think he'll be ok. With that being said, if we get a chance to land a studly, proven LT, we need to. I thbink Carimi was playing injured. I'm hoping he comes back healthy. If so, he'll be solid.

For the OP's question I would go on percentages for the entire line:

LT Webb 60% to stay
LG 80% to draft one Garza move to LG 60%
C Garza to stay 40% Draft or FA 70%
RT Scott to stay 30%

I don't want to put % on Louis or Carimi recovering but I would say they will recover well.

Believe it or not Webb is a competent NFL starting OT. I just do not believe he is best suited to playing LT, I think he should be a RT in a passing scheme.

Playing LT is like playing CB, you have to be comfortable with being on the island and the focus and mental attitude that comes with that. At LT every failure is magnified because the QB is not going to help you a ton. Webb has way too many mental lapses and has poor focus and technique. He does not have the focus required to use perfect technique and angles against top DEs.

This may make me unpopular, but I think this is what Carimi is at this point. It has been 15 months since initial injury [week 2 2011] and it is not unreasonable that this is all the healing that is going to happen. His knee may not get a lot better and his biggest weakness was his ability to move in pass pro.

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Originally Posted by weneedmorelinemen

It's a pet peeve of mine when people assume that starting two rookies next to each other will be better than what we currently have in place going into week 1 of the 2013 season. Nope. If we are upgrading at left guard, I want to leave Garza at center and focus on RG since Louis may not be healthy enough to play. If we are upgrading at center, then I want vets at the guard position. Two oline rookies next to each other is just an invitation for disaster.

It is paramount that a player knows how to play at the NFL level, or has a vet to rely on next to him. Center is very difficult to play as a rookie. To start a rookie left guard next to him will just result in the line looking worse than it currently does.

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Nobody is going to hand them the job but cooper compared to spencer/Ewill is just not a comparison simple as that

Garza struggled horribly and Jones (or other rookie center) would have to win a battle in camp, and judging by his inability to not get blown up last year is say its not unlikely that would happen.

I know two rookies isn't ideal, but considering the laughable play we've had up front it's nowhere near out of the question

I'm not saying I want them handed the jobs, but it wouldn't be a bit surprising to see them win them

Our line was incredibly bad last season and I would not be shocked if 3 rookies on the line would not have been better.

Our play at LG, RT and towards the end C was deplorable.

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Originally Posted by WindyCity

Our line was incredibly bad last season and I would not be shocked if 3 rookies on the line would not have been better.

Our play at LG, RT and towards the end C was deplorable.

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Completely agree here and assuming cooper/fluker is the starting lg come week 10 Jones/Frederick/Cal C would prolly be a better option than garza

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Originally Posted by Grizzblue

Nobody is going to hand them the job but cooper compared to spencer/Ewill is just not a comparison simple as that

Garza struggled horribly and Jones (or other rookie center) would have to win a battle in camp, and judging by his inability to not get blown up last year is say its not unlikely that would happen.

I know two rookies isn't ideal, but considering the laughable play we've had up front it's nowhere near out of the question

I'm not saying I want them handed the jobs, but it wouldn't be a bit surprising to see them win them

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We do not have the cap room or picks available to just open up competition on the offensive line like that.

I've figured out the disconnect that I am having with some of you. I just read in a different post below this one that Cooper at LG and Barrett Jones at C would be a better option than Garza. Not at first. Not week 1 of 2013. I don't think you guys are remembering how unreliable rookies are. Do any of you remember how horrific the Jets line looked with D'Brick and Mangold in their rookie year? Yes, they are good now, but their rookie year together that line was awful. What happened to DeCastro for the Steelers? Oh yeah, hurt for the first eight weeks of his rookie season.

This is ignoring that we don't have high enough picks to get both Cooper and Barrett. You need to choose one, and settle on a lower caliber rookie for that second slot. Ooh, now that doesn't sound so good, does it?

You have to get through the beginning of the season to make it to the end. I'm sure when the Rams drafted Jason Smith that they were not thinking he'd be traded for a crappy veteran three years later. How's Carimi looked these past two years? He was the Outland winner of his college class. How did Webb look his rookie year? Yet now we are touting he's better than Bushrod. How did Chris Williams look his rookie year? Rookies cannot be relied upon to be healthy or know what they are doing on the line.

You have no idea what a player's health situation is going to be like until they show it to you on the field. Is anyone here afraid Webb is going to go down with an injury? How about Garza? Of those two, no, they will be here every game. Now, when Chris Williams was here, I was concerned for his health every year. Now I worry about Louis and Carimi. Because of what they have shown me on the field.

Here is the most important part. This is Cutler's make or break year. Cutler is what is important, not developing two rookies linemen next to each other. We need to field the best line right now that will protect Cutler, but also one that Cutler knows. He's already got two years of experience behind Garza. You guys want to take that away because he struggled a bit last year? Fine, but it had better not be next to some kid who also does not know what he is doing.

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Originally Posted by weneedmorelinemen

We do not have the cap room or picks available to just open up competition on the offensive line like that.

I've figured out the disconnect that I am having with some of you. I just read in a different post below this one that Cooper at LG and Barrett Jones at C would be a better option than Garza. Not at first. Not week 1 of 2013. I don't think you guys are remembering how unreliable rookies are. Do any of you remember how horrific the Jets line looked with D'Brick and Mangold in their rookie year? Yes, they are good now, but their rookie year together that line was awful. What happened to DeCastro for the Steelers? Oh yeah, hurt for the first eight weeks of his rookie season.

This is ignoring that we don't have high enough picks to get both Cooper and Barrett. You need to choose one, and settle on a lower caliber rookie for that second slot. Ooh, now that doesn't sound so good, does it?

You have to get through the beginning of the season to make it to the end. I'm sure when the Rams drafted Jason Smith that they were not thinking he'd be traded for a crappy veteran three years later. How's Carimi looked these past two years? He was the Outland winner of his college class. How did Webb look his rookie year? Yet now we are touting he's better than Bushrod. How did Chris Williams look his rookie year? Rookies cannot be relied upon to be healthy or know what they are doing on the line.

You have no idea what a player's health situation is going to be like until they show it to you on the field. Is anyone here afraid Webb is going to go down with an injury? How about Garza? Of those two, no, they will be here every game. Now, when Chris Williams was here, I was concerned for his health every year. Now I worry about Louis and Carimi. Because of what they have shown me on the field.

Here is the most important part. This is Cutler's make or break year. Cutler is what is important, not developing two rookies linemen next to each other. We need to field the best line right now that will protect Cutler, but also one that Cutler knows. He's already got two years of experience behind Garza. You guys want to take that away because he struggled a bit last year? Fine, but it had better not be next to some kid who also does not know what he is doing.

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Struggled a bit last year? He was god awful. And if you want to throw rookie names out there what about Peter Konz? That guy from the redskins? Jake long? It goes both ways

And this year isn't about anyone, it's about winning. Garza is going to be even worse this year and spencer won't be brought back. So that means Ewill and Garza will the the lg and c? You want to talk about laughable that's what we have there.

And your right if we have an injury we are right back to where we started only adding one new player

1/2 or 1/4 need to be oline picks depending on who's avail in 2