Would you trust Tyron Smith at LT this year?

[Cythim]

If Free was performing as well as you pretend he was the job would have been his to lose. The NFL is about who the best player is, not who the job belongs to. If a vet is out performed while out with injury he loses his job. Free did not out perform pre-injury Colombo.

Also, Barron was brought in for competition. There was discussion on who should start between Barron and Free and a little bit of [misplaced] relief that we had a contingency plan for Free. This wasn't a hidden or secret agenda, it was out in the open.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

If Free was performing as well as you pretend he was the job would have been his to lose. The NFL is about who the best player is, not who the job belongs to. If a vet is out performed while out with injury he loses his job. Free did not out perform pre-injury Colombo.

Also, Barron was brought in for competition. There was discussion on who should start between Barron and Free and a little bit of [misplaced] relief that we had a contingency plan for Free. This wasn't a hidden or secret agenda, it was out in the open.

I agree Barron was brought in for competition. He was depth, like i had mentioned. Free won out, and did a hell of a job for us though. However, i don't agree Free would have been given any shot to replace Colombo unless he was playing like an All Pro. Once Colombo came back it was clearly his position. You don't take chances like replacing your veteran OT with an unproven player in the playoffs. Its just not logical.

 

[Cythim]

You don't replace your RT that started the last 8 games to take a chance on your veteran OT coming off an injury, especially if the RT played as well as you pretend he did. The fact is Free did not play well enough in 2009 to win the job from pre-injury Colombo, you only think he did because you want him to be better than he really is. He was good enough in 2009 but he was not better than Colombo and is not a long term solution at RT. As I said, I would take him for now because we don't have much of an option, but only if he comes at a reasonable price.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

You don't replace your RT that started the last 8 games to take a chance on your veteran OT coming off an injury, especially if the RT played as well as you pretend he did. The fact is Free did not play well enough in 2009 to win the job from pre-injury Colombo, you only think he did because you want him to be better than he really is. He was good enough in 2009 but he was not better than Colombo and is not a long term solution at RT. As I said, I would take him for now because we don't have much of an option, but only if he comes at a reasonable price.

Actually, i don't believe i've even stated how well i thought he played that season.

However, there's no debating he was a very good LT for us this past season. He got little help and was left on an island alot and didn't allow much action on his side of the field, in addition to being one of our best run blockers.

 

[dbair1967]

If my LT is good enough, I draft a RT.

If my LT leaves something to be desired, but can play the right side, I draft a franchise LT at #9.

If I'm a GM and I start taking RTs in the top ten, I'm a ****** and should be fired yesterday.


I think you guys are agreeing with me. You just don't want to admit that Free isn't what you guys hoped he would be. A dominant LT that was home grown.

Nobody other than SBKlueless is agreeeing with you. We have a suckass OL. We had the worst starting RT in football last yr and the same guy cost was laregely to blame for a playoff loss the previous year.

Whether they drafted Smith to play RT or LT doesnt matter. They drafted Smith because he was far and away their highest rated T.

As for drafting RT's in the top-10, Erik Williams would have easily been worth a top-10 pick in a draft redo and he was a RT only. He's just one example, but I'm sure there are others.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

You don't replace your RT that started the last 8 games to take a chance on your veteran OT coming off an injury, especially if the RT played as well as you pretend he did.

If you're Wade Phillips, then yes you do.

That's his MO to a T.

 

[sbk92]

If you're Wade Phillips, then yes you do.

That's his MO to a T.

Even though it smacks in the face of my stance, I have to agree with Mikey.

Wade doesn't have the backbone to make a tough decision like that on a veteran coming back from injury.

He just wants to be liked and stuff. And sitting Doug Free doesn't make a stink. He'll be okay with it. Telling Colombo he lost his job and won't play in the playoffs is waaaaaay too confrontational for Wade.

That would be like acting like a real head coach. We can't have that.