The Blind Side a great book. Easy read. I third the recommendation.

As to your question, I think LT will continue to be a priority. Beggars can't be choosers, and the market dictates that guys agile enough to prolong your QB's career and strong enough to add a few more decimal points to your RB's YPC go very high. It's that effect on multiple positions that really dictates a franchise LT's value.

If anything, I think some of these LT types will be moved inside. Teams are increasingly sliding DE's inside on passing downs (the Justin Tuck effect), requiring interior guys be quicker and more agile. And the guys who are able to handle the quicks usually aren't able to hold up against the bigger DT's.

And those big guys are also in demand; scouts have been complaining that there haven't been a lot of good 300+ DT prospects in the past few drafts - you could call that the Albert Haynesworth effect.

So with all the strength and athleticism inside, interior offensive lineman are going to have to get stronger and more agile.

That's why a guy like Michael Oher may end up moving inside. As a LT, he's inconsistent and sometimes struggles with speed rushers. If you move him inside, he can use his incredible physical skills in a smaller area, holding the point against Haynesworth and containing Tuck's pass-rush.

As an OG, Oher could be a Shawn Andrews-type player. As a LT, he's Flozell Adams. And with interior guys becoming more important, maybe you use him as an Andrews instead of an Adams.

The Left Tackle is an important position, and that is recognized by the draft and the $ that these guys command. It is also documented in a great book called The Blind Side, a true story about Michael Oher that played for Ole Miss and will be a 1st round pick this year. Guys and Gals, if you love the NFL and true stories like Brian's Song or any of those, then you NEED to read this book. It mixes Michael's story with the emergence of the importance of the LT position. It features the duals that developed in the NFL between the genius of Bill Walsh and the skills of Lawrence Taylor.

The book explaines how Lawrence Taylor changed the game (BTW, i hate typing his name out because i'm a four fingered typer, but the title of this thread refers to Left Tackle which, unfortunately for me, has the same abbr. as Lawrence Taylor). Anywho, Taylor truely changed the game and turned his opponent player, the Left Tackle, into a draft and money winner.

What i've been wondering is whether the NFL Offensive Coordinators have caught up and that position is overrated. Don't get me wrong. i love Joe Thomas and i'm glad he's on our team, but is that particular position as important as it was when Taylor and other animal LB's were changing the game? Appreiciate your thoughts.........

@standish said:

Yep. That site's a treasure trove of info.

Some of their stuff gets out when journalists use it in their articles. For instance, the Jets were the worst team in the league last year running behind their left tackle.

D'Brickashaw Ferguson just isn't strong enough to be an effective run-blocker. Considering that he's struggled to keep his weight over 300 lbs., I'm inclined to blame that on poor scouting, not OL coach Bill Callahan.

Aloysius said:

Everyone should check this out. Really interesting stuff.

No problem, i just pulled it off the walterfootball.com forum, did you find it at the same place?

Everyone should check this out. Really interesting stuff.