Originally posted by NCommand:
It's a luxury when you already have Jones, AA, Bosa and Ford, plus Warner, Kwon and Greenlaw when veteran 3T's are cheap on the FA market annually...and we're a top 5 front 7 without Buckner.
That is true, we are a top 5 front 7 without Buckner. But with Buck/Kinlaw, we were/ will be the BEST DL/ front 7 and the difference when Dee Ford played was nite /day. The point is the top front 7 is one heckuva bigger deal than being in the top 5 front 7. Without Dee, we were a good DL, front 7. But we weren't great. The QB still had time to get the ball out and did, and against truly great Os(Mahomes et al), without Dee, we were exposed.
So with Kinlaw now and Dee, if healthy, we will be able to stop any O out there, and for losses to boot. So the difference between the top DL and top 5 DL on the field was massive. With Dee in we stop a Mahommes in his tracks. With a top 5 DL, we don't .,,and that's the difference. A top 5 doesn't stop the great Os. THE top DL #1...does.
I also am a believer in having a great lOL. And i advocated for it. But when our turn came at #14, and we take Javon, that means we can count on our D stopping opponents O routinely. But kyle has methodically built up the hands guys in the O, and anyone of them can take the ball and haul azz. But even with a phenomenal QB like Jimmy, who can make his reads and get the ball out in under 2.5 seconds, we still need interior OLs that can help give him that time. So heck yeah, I would like us to get ourselves a better interior. Protect our FRQB, but just as important, give him time to make more than 2 reads and get the ball out. Jimmy is quick but he has to have more than 2.5 /2.75 seconds to go thru a complete 4 reads. 2.5 secs is barely getting to the 2nd guy. So instead of a wonderfully planned 4 read pass play, JG gets time for 2 reads and has to get rid of it quickly. See SB, in last 7 mins.
If kyle wants that entire read done he has to give jimmy more time. It isn't that JG dawdles, it's just that you can't read 4 guys instantly, 2 but sure wiht not much OL blocking. But at 2.5 seconds, those fancy drawn up plays of kyles' are going to have to be extended. Ok, how to ? Well, for starters, get another IOL that can PP like a mutha, adn give jim some more time to make his 3rd and 4th reads. He is plenty fast but you can't just call him out for not going thru all 4 reads given an OL that just doesn't bloc that long.
Re: Kinlaw, at #13 (then became #14) we could have gotten Wirfs. But he was nowhere near the talent as Javon at #14. He was better than one of our OGs(altho an OT), but he wasn't a Javon type talent. He was just a good OL. Javon was a barn burner DL. So we take Javon. Next is #31 (moved up to 25-26) and took a WR which was also in play for JL/KS at#14...still there. Compared to the OGs( not a great item this draft to begin with) available at #31/ #26, Aiyuc was a whole lot better BPA than the OGs (or OTs) at that time. So i may have really wanted that OG, but value wise, Aiyuc was the pick and he was the correct one...much as i wanted to improve at OG...i am not sure we would have at #26 .We surely did at WR with Aiyuc and we had just lost to FA Sanders.
If i had a change to make it would have been to look harder at OGs in FA. Problem there was we were up against the wall cap wise. So, i can see not pursuing an OG there. Also, i think even that early (JL already knowing Joe S was retiring which none of us knew), KS/JL had to have had big Trent already in their plans which replaced one all pro OT with another but 4 yrs younger and not dinged up. So another reason for not going OG early was likelihood of TW at OT, and Richburg supposedly healthy. McG comported himself well last yr, altho could improve on PP.
So i don't think JL/KS shorted us at OG, they just figured a younger , bigger Joe S at LT, healed up Richburg( I hope there is such a thing), and McG at RT. Plus Brunskill played very well last yr including PP and he played everywhere but C (unless he snapped a few too). And he played well. At RG, chances are excellent for much improved PP.
Put all that together in a basket, wrap a red and gold bow around it and we DONE GOOD. We got BPA at first two picks, really really great players (in college) , got Big Trent, and Brunskill coming on. Javon on the other Line, makes it #1 in the league, almost surely.
So NC , be of good cheer, we DID get better on OL, tho not as good as we could have gotten, but every other place you look, we got better...best being DL. But that helps the entire team, O and D if Javon can live up to his billing. And we all are pulling for the guy. Aiyuc the same, TW goes without saying, and Brunskill with a very good showing last yr. That to me looks like a W/W solution, and i wanted the OT who went out #4 pick ....gone long before we had a shot at him. And HE was the only guy i would have taken over Javon, and i'm Not even certain i would have taken him over Javon now, having seen film on both. We got better bud. Revel in it, and accept the DL is going to help our O also, as will Aiyuc.
Finally, don't sell McKivitz (sp?) short. He very well may be the dark horse OL this yr and can play well anywhere plus he is mean as a badger in heat once on the football field.
[ Edited by pasodoc9er on May 16, 2020 at 3:41 PM ]