A reminder how Boudreau made his last 2 OLs

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2006

The last time Boudreau had a good line with the Rams that was not crippled by injuries was 2006 (the injuries were 2007). 2006 started out rough--they lost Pace, Linehan wanted Incognito at center, and they later lost Timmerman. It took a while for that OL to settle in. On top of it, there was disarray with the playcalling. Then 2 things happened. Linehan handed the playcalling to Olson, who was better at it than Scott was, and then at the same time they did the final reshuffling of the OL, and it gelled.

It gelled very nicely.

So nicely in fact that if you extrapolated from those 6 games and did the numbers across 16 games, that offense would have led the league in redzone efficiency and would have been 2nd in avg. points per game.

That period in 2006 also included the best consecutive series of games Jackson has had as a Ram.

For Jackson, that was 151 carries for 717 yards (4.7 avg.) and 3 TDs. Extrapolated across an entire season, that would be 1900 yards.

The line back then in those games, remember, was

Steussie Setterstrom Romberg Incognito Barron

That was Boudreau, working with an old free agent reject, a rookie, a bounce-around UDFA, and 2 head cases.

2008

He goes to Atlanta and manufactures a good OL out of disparate parts in year one of his arrival. For those who have never look at this, that was a combo of

LOT. Todd Weiner. Before Boudreau in 08, a right tackle.
LOT. Sam Baker. 2008 1st round pick.
LOG. Justin Blalock. 2nd year player, 2nd round pick.
OC. Todd McClure. 8th year, good veteran center. Very comparable to Wells.
ROG. Harvey Dahl. 3rd year UDFA, first as a starter.
ROT. Ryson Clabo. 3rd year UDFA, 2nd year at OT, first year as a full-time starter.

2012

They have at least 3 candidates for LOG that we even know about, including Mattison, who played well last year in chaotic circumstances. Smith and the concussions and other injuries is a worry but then replacing a right OT just is not that challenging. Either way, Boudreau has a knack for making OLs up out of nothing.

Arguably, a line consisting of

Saffold (Mattison? Watkins?) Wells Dahl Smith

is every bit as talented on paper as a line consisting of

Weiner/Baker Blalock McClure Dahl Clabo.

Don't hold me to it, but there's at least reason to be optimistic.

 

[Username]

That's a damn good post. Puts me a little more at ease. Still worried about the health of our tackles though.

One thing I believe this staff will do is focus on the lines (as well as the rest of the teams) strengths. If our team isn't designed to run 17 step drop 9 wide passing plays, then I don't think we'll run them on a consistent basis.

 

[DR RAM]

Yeah, zn did a nice job, but Saffold is still not healthy, Smith has still not proved himself. I see a couple guys that can step in at RT, but if Saffold isn't the man at LT, then Houston, we have a problem. I am not worried about the interior at all, which is great.

I read that my boy, Hughes was getting the reps at LT. This will really help his development as well as him being coached by Boudreau. I still think Hughes best spot may be at Guard, but I wouldn't mind seeing him play a little RT (he played there in college a couple seasons) if needed. He does have "good" arm length at 34 1/2" . I can't wait to see him after a year in the weight room--hopefully.

 

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I'm not worried that much either unless there's significant injuries again. Then I'm worried. I know it's impossible to have quality depth across the line at this stage of the game, but I'm a little gun-shy now. Last year was just week after week of, "Uh, well, according to Reggie....."

 

[Sum1]

I still think Ojinaka is a good shot for LG...especially with Barry Richardson being brought in.

Heck, could Richardson even be tried at guard?

 

[Juice]

That was a good post by zn. Besides Dahl, where are those other o linemen from the Falcons 2008 squad? Are they still playing? Still, though, out of four second round draft picks we can't get an offensive linemen. I know we have a lot of holes, but...

 

[Username]

I still think Ojinaka is a good shot for LG...especially with Barry Richardson being brought in.

Heck, could Richardson even be tried at guard?

Richardson is basically the equivalent of Alex Barron to me.