Offensive Guard competiton for the Jets

[faba]

By Darryl Slater | The Star-Ledger 
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on July 15, 2014 at 6:00 AM, updated July 15, 2014 at 6:05 AM

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Brian Winters, thrust into a starting job as the Jets’ left guard last season, did not have the most productive of rookie years.

That makes him not all that different from most rookie offensive linemen. As the Jets’ former third-round draft pick prepares for Year 2, he expressed confidence this offseason that things would go better for him in 2014.

“Next year is going to be a whole different story,” he said.

The Jets’ offensive line coach, Mike Devlin, remains cautiously optimistic about Winters, who saw significant action at right guard this offseason, because Willie Colon was sidelined after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery.

But Devlin emphasized that assessing Winters or any developing player “is hard for me without putting on pads.” The Jets won’t do that until their first training camp practice, July 24 in Cortland, N.Y.

Winters and fellow second-year pro Oday Aboushi (a converted tackle who didn’t play last year) both got a lot of reps during organized team activities and minicamp, since Colon was out. Half the time, Winters worked at left guard, and Aboushi at right guard. The other half of the time, Winters manned the right side, Aboushi the left.

Colon, who is entering his ninth NFL season, echoed Devlin’s sentiments when asked to assess the two young guards.

“Obviously, Winters got the nod last year because we feel like he was the most ready,” Colon said. “But now, Oday, he’s come to fruition. He’s making a push. He’s making an honest bid to kind of crack the lineup. That’s what you want in a room. You want competition. I never feel settled. As long as I’ve played, I always feel like I have something to prove. I think from their standpoint, they’re trying to figure out where they stand. Going into camp, it’s going to be interesting.

“I never grade anybody until the pads come on. I’ve played enough football to know a guy will be great in shorts and he’ll look like a superstar – and come August, you can’t find him on tape. But Winters, just from a physical standpoint, you can tell he’s put on muscle. He looks so quick. He’s athletic. He runs really well. That’s all the signs you want to see from a young guy.”

 

[#27TheDominator]

^{Wow.  Dozier is not even mentioned.}

[SenorGato]

^{Wow. Dozier is not even mentioned.}

Mangold's long run replacement?

[peebag]

Sure hope someone pans out here or it ain't gonna matter who the qb is, they'll be forced into early retirement.

[#27TheDominator]

Mangold's long run replacement?

 

I don't know.  When I read about him I kept thinking RG.  Nasty mauler type.  He is from a small school, so more of  developmental prospect, maybe. 

[New York Mick]

There's a FA that could easily start for them.

[bitonti]

note that Caleb Schlauderaff is the only sub that has any substantive NFL experience. If we are talking about week 1 it's really hard to imagine Dozier or Campbell starting. Even ABoushi is incredibly raw. Winters got a trial by fire but he didn't start the season (vlad did).

 

long story short this isn't like the QB situation where there's a vet on the bench who has seen it before. The OL is essentially 4 good players, and a bunch of question marks. 

[BroadwayJets]

^{Wow.  Dozier is not even mentioned.}

I'm pretty sure he's making the switch to tackle

[#27TheDominator]

I'm pretty sure he's making the switch to tackle

 

Not making the switch, you mean.  All three of them - Winters, Aboushi and Dozier were LTs in college. 

[BroadwayJets]

Not making the switch, you mean.  All three of them - Winters, Aboushi and Dozier were LTs in college. 

I done messed up

[RutgersJetFan]

^{Wow.  Dozier is not even mentioned.}

 

Pretty sure he's being groomed for the right side. He screams of Brandon Moore-esque blocking. I think Rex wants to go back to what he used to do with Woody and Moore on the strong side in the run game. Also think there's a very small chance we take a look at him at center.

[Jetlife33]

I'm pretty sure he's making the switch to tackle

I thought he was a tackle in college and was making the switch to RG?

[Larz]

this is the teams achilles heal.   we should all say our prayers every night that these guys turn out OK

[LionelRichie]

^{Wow.  Dozier is not even mentioned.}

 

pretty interesting that he mentioned Aboushi.  

 

I realize that it's the off season when all of the underperformers excel (gholston, vlad, et al) but Colon is usually a pretty straight shooter so I am cautiously optimistic that Aboushi doesn't suck this year. 

[Shadetree]

...OL is big problem. I think daBrick is way over rated too.

I hope they can find a mean streak and get CJ and ivory going. Actually, I pray more than hope. We need them.

Geno won't mature if he's constantly pressured and our D will be gassed by their point of the 3rd quarter like practically every game last year.

[Jetlife33]

In other news, did anyone else hear that the Raiders intend to put Austin Howard at RG? I read it in an article earlier today, can't seem to find it atm, but I find that interesting I thought they brought him in for RT.

[AFJF]

In other news, did anyone else hear that the Raiders intend to put Austin Howard at RG? I read it in an article earlier today, can't seem to find it atm, but I find that interesting I thought they brought him in for RT.

 

Interesting, apparently he played RG throughout their OTA's.

[Jetlife33]

Interesting, apparently he played RG throughout their OTA's.

Menelik Watson ( ? ) is projected to be their RT. Just sounds weird to me. I wonder if Howard knew he was brought in to play RG. Obviously nothing is in stone yet but their intent deserves a mention.

[Sperm Edwards]

In other news, did anyone else hear that the Raiders intend to put Austin Howard at RG? I read it in an article earlier today, can't seem to find it atm, but I find that interesting I thought they brought him in for RT.

 

Yeah, I remember reading that then, or anyway not long after they first signed him. 

[faba]

And Howard wanted to be paid as a top 5 offensive tackle - Jets let him walk right move

[SenorGato]

I think Dozier's best fit is as as a RG, yes, but read somewhere he could get looks at C. Either way, quietly my favorite OL pick in the last two drafts. 

 

Speaking of bringing back a right side on par with Woody/Moore, who is the Woody? Is Giacomini a stop gap or? Will Campbell?!?!?

[#27TheDominator]

I think Dozier's best fit is as as a RG, yes, but read somewhere he could get looks at C. Either way, quietly my favorite OL pick in the last two drafts. 

 

Speaking of bringing back a right side on par with Woody/Moore, who is the Woody? Is Giacomini a stop gap or? Will Campbell?!?!?

 

 

From what I had read, Campbell was playing straight G and he is a long shot at best.  I think Giacomini and Colon/Dozier/WInters at least have the nasty part locked down.  If they will blow people up like Woody/Moore remains to be seen 

[SenorGato]

From what I had read, Campbell was playing straight G and he is a long shot at best.  I think Giacomini and Colon/Dozier/WInters at least have the nasty part locked down.  If they will blow people up like Woody/Moore remains to be seen 

 

I'm under the impression that Campbell is G only, but at 6'5" 315ish he has tackle size. 

[#27TheDominator]

I'm under the impression that Campbell is G only, but at 6'5" 315ish he has tackle size. 

 

I think most people expected him to go to G because he played inside on D.  Most of our chatter had him at G.  The Jets list him at G and Aboushi as an OL.  I tried to check his arm length because that seems a deciding factor in whether they try guys at T and found this article.  They project him as potential OT and say he played T in high school and expected to switch to OL in college.  The wingspan comment made me think tackle was possible.  Especially considering he still put up 35 reps or so.  I think it is interesting because the Jets tend to draft like Seattle (Idzik) as per the last line in the article:  

 

Why Seattle?

The Seahawks have seemed to target former blue-chip recruits and/or recent big-school transfers that have seen their stock fall in recent months or seasons.

http://www.fieldgulls.com/nfl-draft/2013/4/20/4185190/nfl-draft-2013-seahawks-sleepers-dt-ot-william-campbell-michigan

 

 

NFL Draft 2013 Seahawks Sleepers: DT/OT William Campbell, Michigan

By Danny Kelly  @FieldGulls on Apr 20 2013, 2:00p + 

 

The "Seahawks Sleepers" series is a flurry of quick scouting reports on some players that I've identified as potential targets for Seattle. My goal with this series is to highlight a few players that John Schneider, Pete Carroll and their scouting team might be interested in, and to give a brief synopsis as to why. For the most part, I'm high on the guys that I'll be pointing out - and I'll be monitoring them during the Draft and in Rookie Free Agency. Also, for the most part, these are mid- to later-round prospects because let's be honest, you're probably sick of reading about first- and second-round type guys.

DT/OT William Campbell, Michigan 6'5, 310

Great combo of size and athleticism with not much production to go with it. Campbell reminds me of J.R. Sweezy in that regard, so I'm projecting him as a possible offensive line convert for Tom Cable (also, Gil Brandt did note that some teams were considering this). Campbell played tackle in high school and was planning on making the switch to the offensive side of the ball prior to a regime change (apparently decided a new staff would help his production on that side of the ball).

Regardless, he is a former blue-chip recruit that didn't live up to expectations in school. He's a huge man though, 6'5 with an 80" wingspan and 10+" hands, so the thought of him on the offensive line is intriguing. His speed/agility times are about in the range you'd hope for in a guard/tackle prospect of his size - 5.15 40, 4.7 short shuttle, 7.3 3-cone, and an 8'11 broad jump and 27" vert.

He didn't fare all that well on the defensive side of the ball but we know Tom Cable likes the mentality that defensive players bring to the OL. I admit that this post particularly might be a reach, but it's Draft season, so here you go.

Why Seattle?

The Seahawks have seemed to target former blue-chip recruits and/or recent big-school transfers that have seen their stock fall in recent months or seasons.

Video courtesy of the excellent DraftBreakdown.

[SenorGato]

Physically he just looks like a T more than a G. Doesn't mean sh*t, but I liked the Campbell pick and keep him on the radar. Deep sleeper within the organization at a time when that could lead to an opportunity with the Jets.