These are two names I have heard mentioned quite a bit over the last several weeks. Both are being projected to go somewhere in the mid to late first round IIRC. I believe Wisniewski is a center whereas Pouncey is a guard, but he has some flexibility (i.e., he can play center too?). At any rate, here's where I'm going with this. If you're Ireland, and you're focus is on drafting an OL with an early pick (whether it be at #15, or with a later first round pick, the result of trading back), who would you draft, and why? In other words, who's better, and/or where is the greater need...C or G?
I'd take Pouncey and let him try LG and C and see which one he's better at. I'd presume he's probably got a knack for G having played it longer. I think he's more mobile than Wisniewski is, though I'd be happy with either. I believe Wisniewski also played G as a senior. I think Pouncey, while not quite as athletic as his brother, is mobile enough in his own right to be very effective at G or C, so I'd take him.
Since we need a LG, I'm going with Pouncey who IMO has a bigger upside. 15 would be too high for Wis, and he'll probably be gone before our 3rd. If we trade back and pick up a 2nd, it might be wiser to use it on a potential RT who can begin at LG (Ijalana or Franklin) rather than a G who won't be moving outside.
Thanks guys. I appreciate your input. I guess part of me posting this was me wondering where the greater need was...C or G? I'm guessing Incognito, Jerry and Berger play big parts to this puzzle? Can you project a preferred starting Oline with either Pouncey or Wisniewski wearing aqua and coral?
My guess would be: LT - Long LG - Pouncey C - Berger RG - Jerry RT - Carey That's assuming there's no one brought in with free agency since there is none at the moment. I think you have to let Jerry develop and he can be an effective RG. Berger, if he can get his play back to where it was in 2009 is the best bet at C for right now. Incognito...I can't understand the fascination with him has he just frankly wasn't that good at all. I think he's solid depth with his versatility, but that's it.
Long-Pouncey-Incognito-Jerry-Carey. Wisniewski will prefer to play Guard over Center from what I've heard, and Pouncey is a better LG than Center...... so no matter how you slice it, I think Incognito is the Center (unless you want to play him at RG and Berger at C depending on Jerry's development). ....if we draft Wisniewski to play Center, then we're still missing a true LG. ....so in my mind Pouncey is the clear choice here since he's the best LG on the board. Depending on how Sparano feels about Jerry, I wouldn't mind drafting Pouncey and then adding Harvey Dahl in FA to play RG. Long--Pouncey--Incognito--Dahl--Carey would probably equate to the top Oline in the league IMO. Then we could groom Jerry as Carey's replacement. ?????
I thought Richie played very well at center vs Detroit before the injury forced him over to guard. He was blowing guys off the line IIRC. That can really be taken out of context.
Incognito was primarily a G in St. Louis, though he did play one season at C. He was also a RG for his brief time in Buffalo. He was a LT for 2 years at Nebraska. He's played pretty much all over the line, and I think he's one of those guys that's serviceable at everything, pretty good at nothing. I'd play him at RG if I could, but I think that's where they'd want Jerry. However, if Jerry really picks up his game, I could see something like this, as they tried Jerry at LG last year in rookie-camps. LT - Long LG - Jerry C - Pouncey RG - Incognito RT - Carey
If you get Pouncey, you put him at LG. The problem with this OL is that they're so damn slow. They suck *** at the second level. They gotta find SOMEBODY that can move. Pouncey would be one. Watkins potentially two.
That "may or may not" scares me. There's a part of me that wants to wait on him to develop, and there's a part that wants to nail down the line and be done with it, even if it costs a few pennies. Thoughts on Jerry grooming at RT since he played there in college?
Long-Incognito-Wisnewski-Carey-Carimi..... Trade down to 24 pick up a 2nd go OL first 2 picks, sign D.Williams...all of a sudden Henne is a 90 QB rating. Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk
Thanks for all the input guys. I'm starting to get a better idea of what direction we need to go as far as the Oline goes. Even with the different viewpoints. Safe to say we only have one anchor, and that's Big Jake. But, I'm wondering what they're going to do at center. Will it be Berger, Incognito, or a draft pick like Wisniewski or Pouncey? And, to me, a lot of what they do in the draft will dictate to a certain extent how the rest of the line will unfold. Honestly, I think at least one of our first three picks is going to be an Olineman. Maybe our first. Funny you should ask that, because I was wondering the exact same thing, simply because of Carey's injury issue/status. Question...has Jerry ever played T (right or left)?
I would rather draft Pouncey and have the other two guards compete for spots, along with Berger/Incognito up the middle. Use FA to add a starting RB, the draft for a 2nd RB, and free agency again for inexpensive speed WRs and athletic TEs.
I agree with Henne's QB rating greatly jumping up with a great ground game like you're imagining, although I'm not die-hard fan of drafting a guy to play a position that he doesn't want to play (Wisniewski). IMO Incognito at LG doesn't maximize our ability at the position. If you want to take Carimi at RT, IMO you're better off just trading Carey for whatever we can get, and then using his salary on a solid FA guard like Harvey Dahl or Davin Joseph. Then you'd have Long--Dahl--Incognito--Jerry--Carimi, which isn't too shabby.
Draft Pouncey at 15 and Robert Gallery in FA. Killer offensive line. Long - LT Poucey -LG Incognito - C Gallery - RG Carey - RT Resign Ronnie Brown or go after D. Williams or Micheal Bush.
Name I haven't seen mentioned much about on here is Will Rackley out of Lehigh. We need to either trade back in the first or pick up a 2nd to get him but I would love him here to compete for the LG spot. Also, I would like Moffit here somehow competiting for the OC position. Him and Incognito would provide a nice edge that we havent had in the run game for awhile.
Pouncey is gonna go higher almost for sure. The highest slot for him seems to be us at 15. Wis seems more in play around the mid 2nd. IMO he won't get past Oakland with their 2nd rounder. I still think if we are making OL and RB our priorities, try like hell to trade down to the 24-29 area and pick up an extra 2nd. We may still get Pouncey if we are at about 25 and if not Watkins is a nice 2nd option who may turn out to be even better. If we took Gabe in the late first, IMO, you move Carey inside, not trade him or move Gabe inside. In the really late 1st throughout the 2nd, Hudson would also be a nice choice with the idea of moving him to C. The one OL I'd be all over at 15 and not move down except for a really great offer would be Castonzo. You put him at RT, kick Carey over to LG and with either Berger or Richie at C, that would be a heck of a line IMO. If we moved down to say Seattle's pick at 25 and got their 2nd rounder along with it. I'd go likely OL with the first two picks, then RB and TE next, with an extra RB after that. Would you rather have 25 and 57 than just 15? I would. We may lose out on Pouncey, but maybe not. Even if we did, how about Watkins at 25 and Hudson or possibly Wis at 57? I've seen some mock drafts with Kyle Rudolph available at 57. That would be another way to go, then get our 2nd OL in the 3rd and go RB in the 4th and 5th. If my boy Jacquizz Rodgers is on the board in the 4th, I'm creaming my jeans and making that pick in about 2 seconds. I may even grab him in the 3rd so not to miss out. You combine Ingram's vision, Ray Rice's lateral quickness, and Emmitt Smith's leg drive and you got Rodgers. This mock draft with a Seattle trade down seems realistic to me for the first 5 rounds and one I could live with: 25: Watkins/Pouncey 57: Hudson/Wisniewski 79: Rodgers 111: Luke Stocker 146: Daniel Thomas
