Projected team strength and weaknesses

Where do you think we stand now?

I think our strengths are:

Running the ball - we have quality and depth in the backfield and should not be forced to use a back who is a street free agent. We have what should be our best OL ever. Whale is probably the best lineman we have ever had. Our run blocking should be very solid.

Pass defense - we have qualtiy and depth in our secondary and should be hard to throw on. Our pass rush should be good once again and other teams will not have all day to throw.

I think our weaknesses are:

Pass offense - Jake is still a quality QB but we have not really replaced Moose and Smith has some questions about him. We do not have any quality depth. Our OL's pass blocking will probably not be equal to its run blocking, a lot depends on Wharton handling LT. If we work Freddie Jones into the passing game then that will help.

Run defense - We do not have a big run stuffer ala Burton to plug things up. Morgan is fragile and when he goes down our run defense suffers. What we do at SLB could have a big impact on how good our run D is.

Any thoughts? I know this is just restating the obvious to most on here but it is slow in here right now......

 

If the line can gel quickly, and if someone grabs the RG job, and if Wharton is an NFL caliber LT, then yes I agree with you. I'm optimistic that these things will happen.

I think a lot of this will depend on if we've learned do defend the screen pass to a RB or TE, but in general yes you're right.

Wharton has always been a better pass blocker than a run blocker, so either you're wrong on the run game being a positive or you're wrong about the pass blocking. I think the receiving game will be better than expected. Smith has looked in mini-camp to be back to his old self, and Colbert has another year under his belt. That plus an upgraded O-Line will make a world of difference IMO. While there may be some slip as compared to last year I don't see it being a big enough slip to make a major difference, and the improved run game should offset the slip totally.

You really don't like Morgan do you? And what's sad is he's probably our best linebacker we've had for the last 3 years.I agree there needs to be a big DT run stuffer, and I'm hoping the guy they drafted 3rd round could do that. Though I will admit I think he's a year or 2 away from being where we need him to be, but at least Jenkins is back and that should help some. If we are wanting to defend the run I think Draft or Short would be our best bet at SLB, but if we're more concerned with the pass I'd look to Davis to move to LBer, but like I've said before I'd rather have the #1 SS in the draft than drafting a guy before the #1 LBer and attempting to turn him into a LB. At this point I'd let Draft and Short battle it out to see who can be the other starting LBer.

 

I do not see the LT being critical to run blocking. I think Wharton could be only adequate at LT and we would still be able to run pretty well.

 

Interesting pre-draft read on Wharton:

Glenn "Travelle" Wharton - South Carolina
6-3 1/2 | 312 | 20 | 1.75 | N/A

Wharton is an established left tackle who I think will be a good G prospect at the next level because he doesn’t have the speed to handle duties at LT. He also was very disappointing when played at RT during the Senior Bowl practices, where he was embarrassed on a daily basis outside, but looked much more comfortable covered up. Although his performances improved in Indianapolis, I fear the dye has been cast.

A 90+% blocker during his entire career at Hillcrest High, Wharton stayed in state and signed with the Gamecocks, snubbing Maryland, Georgia and Clemson. He flashed excellent pass protection skills as a true freshman and was so impressive that he was plugged in at left tackle and started 10 of the 12 games that season, earning Freshman All-America honours (the two games he missed were because of an ankle injury). Travelle played so well that people were comparing him with the great Art Shell, another South Carolina state product who played at Maryland State-Eastern Shore. He followed that up with solid sophomore and junior campaigns in 2001 and 2002, starting 22 of 24 games during that period, missing one game each year again with ankle problems.

Voted team captain for his senior year he started every game and has only given up 1 sack during his career and that came in his 2nd ever start. His skill is in pass protection, as he gets off the ball well, gets good leverage and plays with great technique, doing a nice job of keeping his feet apart and his body square when facing onrushing ends, using really long arms to keep his opponent at bay and sliding out well to seal off the quicker pass rushers. As a run blocker he can get out in front quickly and is very physical, displaying nice leverage and good strength to get his man out of the lane, or to re-direct him out to the sideline. I like him as a mover in the interior which is why I think he can be a good G. He has nice feet and rarely falls off blocks. He’s a finesse style blocker but has the requisite toughness to play the inside.

He needs to work a little in the weight room – he had very little definition at the Combine weigh in and had a severe case of ‘man breasts’. And I don’t see him as an immediate starter. Technique may get him a shot at LT, but I think he could be very useful at G. He is also somewhat shorter than coaches like to play at the key left tackle spot. But his versatility will mean he gets looks late on day 1, early on day 2. And the St Louis Rams are very keen on him apparently. In terms of Miami, if I was looking at a converted T I would go with Hall over Wharton. But he has enough upside to potentially start down the road in the NFL.

http://www.finheaven.com/seasonal/og/og4/index.php

 

This may be the dumbest thing you've ever written. I'll do my best to pretend it didn't exist.

 

I know you have to have a decent LT to run but the LT earns his money in pass blocking. I could see Wharton being ok on running plays since he is asked to do less but struggle on pass plays where he is asked to do a lot.

 

I believed that too, and while I think he wasa damned good guard, he did player pretty damn well at LT last year in the preseason. That mixed w/ a year starting at guard may make him pretty good. I'm hoping.

So far I agree 100% with this

:upshirt

 

He excels in pass blocking. That's one of the things I can't understand you've yet to catch on to.

 

He excelled at pass blocking as a guard. He has not proven he can excel at it playing LT in the NFL.

 

He excelled at pass blocking as a tackle in college. That was his strong point coming outta college. He was also solid in preseason at LT in pass protection. I understand that isn't as high a level of competition, but you get my point. That's what I'm trying to say. Why haven't you got that? Your strong pont doesn't just swap from pass blocking to run blocking when you enter the NFL.