Yeah not sure how they could let him walk now. Very concerned about the pash rush for next year. They must have a lot of confidence in Turay.

Bet he will be cheap!

I’m sure they have a plan, must like the depth a Tackle and pass rusher in the draft

I like it that whoever they draft will have Nelson and Buckner to lean on in those position groups

They are pretty much forced to draft those two positions now.

I’d say at this point Ballard isn’t concerned about “tipping his hand” IMO the first pick has to be used on LT at this point that’s more valuable then a pass rusher

I’m not so sure. I actually think they will try to trade down. But it will likely depend who is available, with all the QBs someone will fall to 21.

Jaelan Philips, the other DE from Miami. Scored a 9.99 Ras. That puts him 3rd in athletiscm off all DE’s drafted from 1987 to 2021. He has had a lot of injuries though.

https://twitter.com/mathbomb/status/...262577664?s=21

I agree with chrome, it depends on who is there at 21. Since LT is supposed to be so deep, if there is a DE they love at 21 then they take LT with second pic.

Maybe they trade back from 21 to pick up an extra 2 or 3 and grab their LT with their first pick.

Maybe they take someone at 21, the move up in the second

Lots of options.


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I’m just saying LT is an every down guy needed right now, you can get a situational pass rusher later. Not having a pass rush lost us a playoff game, missing Castanzo costed us a few regular season games this year

And while neither have shined yet, the Colts do have Turay and Banogu on the roster. The team has options at DE.

The team has zero options at LT if we don't draft a good kid. Signing a vet for a season becomes the only option.

It comes down to determining the difference between the LTs available late first round and second round. Seems a lot of reviews think they are pretty similar. We’ll see what the binder thinks.


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I'm stoked that we are finally addressing our depth at offensive line. I'm not worried about LT because I have faith in our ability to draft one.

For us to get to the next level Ballard has to hit on a pass rusher and soon. Maybe Turay or Banogu will start to develop. It happens so I can hope.

I want the offensive line fixed first. You may lose games without a pass rush, but we have seen that you can lose your franchise QB if you cannot protect him.

We aren’t going anywhere until the pass rush improves.

You can draft a situational guy in any round, or bring in a “pass rush specialist “ vet. LT is more important right now

LT they will obviously use one of the top two picks on a rookie. That will be the likely starter. Or Nelson/Smith and the rookie is a replacement at their position. You can get by with a rookie if he is competent.

Pass rush you can’t throw a rookie at and just improve. And good pass rush prospects go early. There is no situational guy left that is going to move the needle. Resigning Houston is not going to fix it. It’s been one of the biggest reasons we are not winning more games and progressing in the playoffs. It is holding this defense back. This defense faded down the stretch and QBR went up the more the season progressed.

Clowney Kerrigan,and Aldon Smith are still available

Overrated, old and old. But we won’t sign any of them. Just throw more draft capital at the position.

This. So very much this. Well said, Oldcolt.

Even if theres no difference between the LT at 21 vs 2nd round?

I definitely want a LT with one of first two pics, but am not yet convinced it has be at 21.

I would love to get a good edge at 21, then spend a lower round pic or so to move up a bit in the 2nd and get a LT.

But my guess is Ballard moves back from 21 to early 2nd round and grabs a LT while gaining another pic.


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I wouldnt be shocked if Smith got moved if they could have the rookie play RT. BTW, Smith wasnt a first rounder but played like one. I believe Smith did play some LT in college, so its not that big of a stretch to move over.

Smith is going to get paid like a LT when his contract rolls over, might as well play LT

2021 NFL Free Agents: Top available at each position
 

^^^ I would rather see this than moving nelson also.


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Yeah, every tackle and QB are really worried about those two!

Ojulari and Eichenberg/Radunz would by itself be an epic good draft.

I do like Eichenberg seems like a great fit next to Nelson

Tevan Jenkins is a guy I’ve been watching lately. He is just nasty mean. He drove Ossai all the way off the field and into the bench in the Texas game.. He would be so much fun to watch next to Nelson. D-lines would hate to play us. He’s a good technician too.

Smith was only a couple picks out of the first. I think the teams think in terms of tens than rounds. But yeah, he should have been a top 20 pick and Leonard top ten. We will see if he can do it. If he can they can go DE with their first pick and tackle with their second. Jackson Carmine of Clemson would make a good RT. Or maybe Alex Leatherwood.

Teven Jenkins is a mauler who has some tape that's so dominant it's funny at times. The game against Ossai is a great example of that. He just had some reps where he drove him off the screen and into the ground. The two concerns I have with him are that he's a RT for sure IMO, necessitating Smith or Nelson to move to LT, and I think he missed quite a bit of time last year with an injury ge suffered in the Oklahoma game. Maybe I'm wrong and he can handle LT (I've actually had that thought watching his tape at times), but between the position and injury uncertainty, he scares me quite a bit despite absolutely dominant film, quite possibly the most dominant film in this class of any OT not named Rashawn Slater (because when you make Chase Young a non-factor in a game, you win the dominant film contest).

You could go 10 deep on starting quality OTs right now in this class:

1) Rashawn Slater
2) Christian Darrisaw
3) Liam Eichenberg
T4) Dillon Radunz
T4) Samuel Cosmi
6) Teven Jenkins
7) Alijah Vera-Tucker
8) Jalen Mayfield
9) Jackson Carman
10) Penei Sewell

That's my order on preference for the Colts and there's no way that not one of those guys makes it to 54.

Good time to be in need of a LT


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Very good list, but you have Sewell at 10 and Vera-Tucker at 7 in your order of preference? I know we most likely won't get Sewell or Vera-Tucker.

In my rat's ass of an opinion, here is my order of preference.

1. Sewell
2. Vera-Tucker
3. Slater
4. Darisaw
5. Leatherwood
6. Eichenberg
7. Jenkins
8. Cosmi
9. Mayfield
10. Carman
11. Radunz

I posted it in the Draft thread, but Brett Kollman just made a video hyping up Jenkins. The idea of putting him next to Nelson and having 2 technically sound mauling/pancaking players on the left side of the line, oh man...

You're right, I'd forgotten Leatherwood, I'd take him over Sewell as well. I don't like Sewell, his technique is shit and he's a waist bender who gets beat way too often. There's a reason he's sliding, and it's his film. He's got a TON of potential, but there's so much technique he needs to learn. He is in no way NFL ready, and that's what the Colts need. My comp for him is Nate Solder and that's because of how unpolished he is. I'd rather have just about any of them over Sewell.

Brett loves Teven Jenkins, so does the guy he does his podcast with. They were actually where I found out about Jenkins, on their podcast. Highly recommended listen if you like football and the draft.

Wow! If you are right about Sewell, you need to apply to an NFL front office as a scout, because most of those who are paid to do the job would disagree with you.

And not saying you're wrong here, because I don't know enough about OL technique and breaking down every nuance to think I know better. But when I watch Sewell's tape, he just explodes off the line and destroys guys. He also gets to the second level really well.

We'll see though. It will be an upset if he's not the first OT off the board, and unless Ballard has something up his sleeve, we won't have to worry about him in the Horseshoe.

What tape did you watch? I watched 3 games from 2019 (from what I can tell he sat out 2020). The biggest thing that stood out to me was that he struggled against Bradlee Anae quite a bit, lost a lot of the reps against him. He also lunged at opposing pass rushers quite a bit, mostly by bending at the waist, all of which caused him to get off balance and made it easy for a technically sound pass rusher to beat him. To me he's basically a big body that needs a lot of coaching, much like Nate Solder was. It worked out for Solder, but to me the bust factor is huge.

I have to wonder if there seems to be so many good LTs this year because all of the good pass rushers went last year, making it a mirage.

Technique is technique. You can see if someone can kick slide, mirror, what their reaction to speed is, what their reaction to power is, how they recover when beat initially, how well they anchor, how well they recognize blitzes and pick them up, etc. Good or not, speed is still a problem for less athletic OTs. Vera-Tucker is an example of that. His kick slide looks belabored, and a pure speed rusher wins reps against him frequently, see the Oregon game. I don't know who #5 is on Oregon, but he's fast, and he gave Vera-Tucker fits.

Being reported we are signing Chris Reed OG last played on Panthers to a one year contract. Offensive line depth is becoming a strength. Not sexy but nice team depth building going on here.

I think I read that ballard saw his OL depth as a fail last year and doesnt want that to happen again.

If you can find tape of it, look at Arizona State from 2019.

And remember, he's only 21, and the kid won the Outland Trophy at age 19! He only played two years of college ball, so yeah, he has some rough edges, but with NFL coaching, he's going to improve that technique.

Again, if you're right, then huge props. I am not betting on him to fail though.