Bolts need to draft TWO tackles! Check these sack stats!

[andocug]

Originally Posted by Kemp17

I am going to get really sick of seeing mock drafts that have us taking Jake Matthews in the top 10.

Probably Hard to say who will rank as the top OTs between now and April. Hopefully some stud underclassmen OT declare for the 2013 to give us more options.

The draft is such an imperfect process. I've been right on some players and dead wrong on others. All I really hope for is new O linemen next season that stay healthy and dominate the LOS.

[Kemp17]

Mock drafts typically tend to just be the writer having each team take whoever the top player is at the position he's decided is their biggest need. So most mocks are going to have us taking a tackle. Which is fine; I would love a tackle. But when you're picking in the top ten, it better be a top ten quality tackle and Matthews is not that.

[Shamrock]

Originally Posted by Kemp17

One route we might be able to take with Gaither would be to trade him. We wouldn't get more than a late round pick (if that), but that's a means whereby we could get out of paying him.

We still would have the dead space cap hit of his remaining unamortized signing bonus.

I also doubt anyone would trade for a guy that barely played and has a high, guaranteed, 2013 base salary..

[Kemp17]

Probably not. It's just one potential avenue if a team like the Dolphins, Eagles, Bears, or Saints decide they feel like doing something stupid.

[charger1_sj]

Originally Posted by Kemp17

Probably not. It's just one potential avenue if a team like the Dolphins, Eagles, Bears, or Saints decide they feel like doing something stupid.

Wait a minute, did you just call the Chargers stupid?

[Kemp17]

Originally Posted by charger1_sj

Wait a minute, did you just call the Chargers stupid?

Were we stupid for signing Gaither? Meh... hard to say. Probably not. He was the best option at the time at an important position.

But would a team be stupid for trading a pick for him now and taking his salary off our hands so we could turn around and re-invest that money in a much, much stronger tackle class (both draft and free agent)? Yes. Absolutely.

[BoltFanBo]

Originally Posted by Kemp17

Green is actually short. He's only 6'2". And yes, he does have longer arms than one would expect from someone his size, but he's not going to work at tackle. He isn't a starting caliber NFL lineman anyways. We need a new RT, but it isn't him.

Yes I meant his arms and reach, that is desired in a tackle. He doesn't seem to be a power run blocking guard. Hopefully Troutman will fill that role. I just figured with Green's reach and better foot movement than Clary he might be a better option at RT. Maybe a backup jack of all spades. Just trying to find ways to send Cary packing.

[MrNAFTA]

Originally Posted by BoltFanBo

Yes I meant his arms and reach, that is desired in a tackle. He doesn't seem to be a power run blocking guard. Hopefully Troutman will fill that role. I just figured with Green's reach and better foot movement than Clary he might be a better option at RT. Maybe a backup jack of all spades. Just trying to find ways to send Cary packing.

I know we were trying Green at center in camp, that didn't pan out since we resigned Hardwick. If Hardwick retires it could be a camp battle between Molk/Green and another draft pick or FA.

[Kemp17]

Originally Posted by BoltFanBo

Yes I meant his arms and reach, that is desired in a tackle. He doesn't seem to be a power run blocking guard. Hopefully Troutman will fill that role. I just figured with Green's reach and better foot movement than Clary he might be a better option at RT. Maybe a backup jack of all spades. Just trying to find ways to send Cary packing.

I understand that we need to release Clary and find a new RT. Green just isn't it. People seem to be forgetting that he's a FA at the end of this season. I don't see why we would bring him back unless it was for the minimum or close to it.

[flwelshman]

Originally Posted by Kemp17

One route we might be able to take with Gaither would be to trade him. We wouldn't get more than a late round pick (if that), but that's a means whereby we could get out of paying him.

You surprise me here. I agree with a different assessment you made in another post concerning Gaither. We are stuck with that contract, thus him. We also know that when he feels like it, he plays, and plays at a high level, but to expect someone to take his salary and give us a pick as well is really a pipe dream, which you seem to understand.

However, the original post you made that I'm referring to is the one where you spoke about drafting an OT who probably plays OLT in college right now (Joeckel, Lewan, or Fisher) and installing him at ORT now and who might also offer a better option at OLT should Gaither suffer another hangnail injury than Harris.

This is in line with how I've looked at the situation. If, as you suggest here, we were able to somehow sucker someone into a deal like this, then it might be a package deal that includes River, because putting Rivers behind an OL with two rookie OTs, unless were were to get like Jake Long, is likely to turn into deja vu all over again with the OL issues as the youngsters get schooled by veteran NFL DEs and OLBs. And then instead of OT, we can add QB to the top of our draft board.