Ranking the 10 Best Free Agent O-Linemen/PFF

[Loyal]

A recent picture of Kevin Demoff, practicing his negotiating tactics for NFL Free Agency...

 

[Snaz]

I like Leary as OG, Tretter as either G or C, and figure out a T to go opposite Havenstein.

 

[Ram65]

I didn't know he had a couple of injuries including knee surgery this off season. It's a gamble and 6 year contract has to be out. Snead got to make the free agents count! Snead has to dig deep on this and other injuries. Went to an Ivy League college in Cornell. I guess he is smart and Rams could use that on the offensive line.

http://lombardiave.com/2017/01/20/j-c-tretter-green-bay-packers-free-agent/
C. Tretter Free Agency: Re-sign the oft-injured center?

by Paul Johnson1 month agoFollow @thegoodgreatsby
J.C. Tretter, the Green Bay Packers center, underwent knee surgery on Tuesday, suggesting another setback in a short career plagued by injuries.

McCarthy: "JC Tretter actually had surgery Tuesday. He won't be available this week" #Packers
10:55 AM - 20 Jan 2017


Tretter hasn’t seen action since suffering a knee sprain in Week Seven but was never placed on IR. He’s been listed as a full participant in practice and “questionable” before multiple games, suggesting staff thought he was close to returning.

The surgery suggests either a new setback or a misdiagnosis of the original injury.

The young lineman has shown flashes of brilliance when healthy, and appeared to be another Ted Thompson mid-round steal, but he’s missed the majority of games in three out of four years.

As he enters unrestricted free agency, and the Packers face tough choices keeping the core offensive line together, should Tretter still be a part of the Packers’ plans?

Let’s consider that question …

NEXT: Tretter: Backup or starter money?

.C. Tretter: Back-up money or starter?
The Green Bay offensive line has been elite, and it’s easy to forget Tretter was the starting center the first half of the season as the line’s performance was a bright spot for the team during a shaky start.

The Packers’ faith in his potential looked to be rewarded this season as he took the starting center job from Corey Linsley.

Head coach Mike McCarthy had also planned to make him the starting center back in 2014 before his second major injury in as many years.

The Cornell graduate missed the 2013 and 2014 season with ankle and knee injuries and worked hard to prove himself in 2015.

He appeared in all 16 games and was valued for his versatility, spending time as a back-up center, left tackle, and special teams blocker.

The Packers are better when he’s healthy.

But after a strong start to 2016, injury struck again, and after four years in the league he’s missed two and a half seasons to injury and has only started 10 games.

During that time, left tackle David Bakhtiari, another Ted Thompson fourth-round steal from 2013, has started 62.

The Packers’ staff have complimented Tretter on his work ethic while recovering from each injury as well as his attitude in accepting any Band-Aid offensive line role. It must be difficult for the young lineman to miss out while the team has delivered such a magical season.

He now enters the off-season with an existing injury and the Packers probably won’t get a chance to test his recovery on the field.

His health makes him too unreliable to bring back for starter money.

Part of the logic in letting Josh Sitton leave was the looming 2017 free agency of linemen David Bakhtiari, T.J. Lang and Tretter.

Bakhtiari was extended in September.

Lang probably got more expensive as he delivered his first Pro Bowl year.

Tretter may be the odd-man out.

 

[TexasRam]

If I am les Sneed, I need two of these guys.

I am hitting free agency hard with my first two signings on the Oline.

Before free agency opens I am going on NFL network and telling the world my priority is to rebuild my offensive line for my franchise QB and that I'm willing to pay handsomely.

I'm perking up the ears of the agents so I get first crack at some real Olineman that can move piles and change the game.

 

[hotanez]

I get so excited when I see you have posted...I think the photo above your username may have something to do with that.
That would be the reason for a very short one year contract to remove that very grave concern. No long or moderate term contract period.:huh:
Do not sign Tretter with the intentions that he is to be your main fix @ center. Instead I would approach the signing of Tretter to be highly involved in the LT or either OG starting competition. Now you let the natural competition work it way through to find where Tretter can help this Rams 2017 OL improve. If he happens to win one of the 3 starting posts I mentioned above & gets hurt gain the Rams do have other OL'ers to fill in during this period. If things work out & Tretter proves to a good starter & a iron man then he has earned a very nice pay day in 2018.

A with a very low salary cost plan like this..... #1-continue to go with Barnes & get him back fully healthy & let Kromer work with him. #2-Move the 6-5 320 3rd season OG Cody Wichmann to center position to compete in this one single post. #3-Draft a ready to go (no project) center in the draft. #4-Keep last season's reserve center a 4th yr player Demetrious Rhaney as our 4th center to compete. With this plan you should improve & upgrade the center post cadre from the last 5 or 6 past season. Bottom line this is a serious cap friendly plan!

The only thing Bonifay is I don't think you can sign him to a low salary one year contract. It's a weak Center FA group and I think a team will overpay for him. I don't want the Rams to be that team. Now IF you could sign him to a low cost contract with big incentives tied into his playing time I would be all for it but it would need to have very little guaranteed money.

 

[BonifayRam]

The only thing Bonify is I don't think you can sign him to a low salary one year contract. It's a weak Center FA group and I think a team will overpay for him. I don't want the Rams to be that team. Now IF you could sign him to a low cost contract with big incentives tied into his playing time I would be all for it but it would need to have very little guaranteed money.

Your right throwing long term big salary cash chunks at an OL'er who only started 10 games in 4 seasons is not a bright. Then when you toss that his knee was misdiagnosed & he just had major surgery on it last month & Snead & McVay did go that direction would make the new duo Mgt. team look notably stupid & lacking in good judgment. The only season he played 16 games was 2015 and he was a reserve OL'er who did not see too much action. I am a one season prove it contract or nothing at all.
http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/jc-tretter-player-injuries

8/27/2013-Placed on the Physically Unable to Perform List (Ankle)
9/03/2014-Placed on Injured Reserve (Knee)
1/21/2017-Placed on Injured Reserve (Knee)

 

[ReddingRam]

C - Sullivan and the best G we can sign ... thank you

 

[JackDRams]

If we can only pick two, I'm going with Warford and Wis. For the simple reason that they're younger. I'd like to build a solid line around Goff that will stick around for a while. Enough 1 year deals for Wis. He can play. Warford because he's a young talented guard who should only get better. I'd be ok with going into next season with those two with Havenstein, Forest Lamp and Robinson. Saffold either cut or kept for depth.

 

[TheDYVKX]

I want to bring John Sullivan in. Familiar with McVay, protection calls should remain the same since both Kromer and McVay learned from Bill Callahan, he brings veteran experience and leadership for a young OL, and he's good when healthy.

All those other guys would be great too though.

 

[Legatron4]

I want Leary and Warford. I think we can get a C in the draft.

 

[tomas]

If I had my fantasy pick it would be LT Andrew Whitworth. A short 2 yr contract to buy McVay time to get is plan together for a new long term answer to protect Goff blind side

Bingo!

 

[jrry32]

Not only the knee but he's never played a full season. It will happen again he's made of glass.

I'll take that risk if I can get him at the right price. The reward is worth it. He wouldn't be the first guy who struggled staying healthy to turn it around. Also, he played all 16 games in 2015.

 

[hotanez]

I'll take that risk if I can get him at the right price. The reward is worth it. He wouldn't be the first guy who struggled staying healthy to turn it around. Also, he played all 16 games in 2015.

2015 doesn't really count in my opinion since he wasn't a starter or played a lot. At the right price I would also take the risk like I posted before but considering the weak FA center group I think some team will over pay.

 

[bubbaramfan]

The Rams current OL lack experience. They have a collective "OL IQ" of about zero. No savy. Part of their bad play is just plain "getting schooled". Whoever they bring in needs to be someone who "knows the ropes" and can be a coach on the field for the youngsters.. Saffold is the veteran and he seems to be pretty much worthless as a leader and veteran presence.

I'm not sure of the OL FA's who that is, but this Rams OL badly needs a veteran or two who knows all the tricks of the trade and can be a steadying influence. Garrett Reynolds was that guy a couple years ago. His influence had the Rams OL progressing. It backslid after he was gone.

Going to be a very interesting FA period. What the Rams do (or don't do) with regards to the OL will give us clues on what Kromer has in mind for the OL.

Waiting for March 9th.

 

[Ramrasta]

Settle for the best deals you can get. We have a terrible history with FA OL signings so I want any salary hits to be minimal in the long term. I trust the draft more for this position group.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Trotter is injury prone. I would not want the Rams to use valuable cap space on him, despite being a possible answer to the center position. I would prefer they draft a good center. So, sign the cheaper Wisniewski and let him compete with Barnes and Rhaney. Kromer may get something out of one of them that nobody has seen before. If they are able to draft a guy like Pocic, then they don't have much invested by signing a lesser regarded player.

I disagree with some of you on Wiz. He graded well last year. This idea that he didn't make his team's win is not sound reasoning. That could be said for a third of the players in the league. With that line of thinking you could say that Aarron Donald didn't help the Rams win. Not that I am saying they are at the same level. Just making a point. Wiz has not played on a good OLine. He is a serviceable veteran. He is a smart player that has been well coached. He isn't as athletic as the NFL prefers. The real question then is, does Kromer think Wiz is an upgrade over Barnes.

I think Wiz is an upgrade over Barnes but I don't see him being the physical type of mauler that Kromer seems to prefer. He could be an affordable band aid. A band aid the team could have signed three years ago to bring a veteran presence to the OLine.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

If I were to target one player it is probably Warford. I liked him in the past. Fisher, or Snead liked him supposedly. Kromer likes strong physical linemen. Warford seems like a fit. If Snead preferred Warford more so than Fisher, or just as much, then we may see him push for him. One thing that I have noticed is GMs keep an eye on players that they preferred in the draft. It's a logical bias.

 

[bubbaramfan]

Do any of the FA guards have experience at center?

 

[BonifayRam]

If I had my fantasy pick it would be LT Andrew Whitworth. A short 2 yr contract to buy McVay time to get is plan together for a new long term answer to protect Goff blind side. Having a solid effective veteran OLT in here would permit both Saffold & Robinson to work for the open interior OL positions. Robinson might be a decent starting OLG next to Andrew Whitworth. Saffold could return to work the right side posts. But sad to say chances of Snead getting Andrew Whitworth under contract would be highly doubtful.

Just saw his news
http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/new...m6nwqyq?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Unless blown away by a massive contract offer from Bengals management, something he's unlikely to receive, Andrew Whitworth is poised to at least dip his toe into the free-agent waters..........“At this point in my career it’s about the challenge, the excitement of trying to win that Super Bowl. I want to make sure wherever it is, and hopefully it’s in Cincinnati, that team is prepared to try and fight for that trophy.”

Based off his own words you will not see Whitworth in RamHorns. Snead/McVay/Kromer stands to not be able to come up with a valid UFA to resolve the largest issue/problem on our 2017 OL(that will sure get the very large "Bash Tim Barnes Action Committee" throwing their home furniture around & foaming at the mouth). If may be better here in 2017 to just go out & address the closest post to the LT & suck it up & sign the best UFA Left OG available. Making the LG post strong could help whomever our starter is @ LT ....may be the best we can do right now.

I might also consider signing a low cost ex Jet starting UFA LT Ben Ijalana (6-4/335) who was a starter @ LT for the Jets last season. I would plan to try to convert him to the interior OG & have him around just in case as a emergency LT. Ben Ijalana did rate much higher than GRob in 2016. Since most members think GRob will be miraculously healed by Kromer magic touch then Kromer may save some of that touch for Ben Ijalana.
http://www.nfl.com/player/benijalana/2495174/combine

 

[Snaz]

Figured that. Whitworth would go to a contender, possibly the Giants to replace Ereck Flowers