Stretching the Field: On The Line
by Luke Paul Chandler
With glaring needs in the trenches, both the Steelers and Patriots will be active at this weekend’s NFL Draft looking for linemen.
No matter what the era is, NFL teams have always lived and died by the play of their players in the trenches. Adding depth, and keeping the cupboard full has been a necessity for centuries. Once the playoffs hit, it’s a fair bet to say all teams playing are there because of exceptional on one or both of their lines.
Two teams ynonymous with strong line play, the Steelers on offense and the Patriots on defense, hit the skids in 2007 with their line play. The Steelers have lost franchise cornerstones, and have not been able to replace them. The Patriots have not yet felt the full loss on their line, but are coming up at a critical point. Both are coming into the 2008 NFL Draft with the intention of heavily rebuilding their respective units.
For a franchise that represents consistency and transition, this is an alarming year for the Steelers. They won the AFC North, but finished sluggish and were ousted from the playoffs by an upstart Jaguars team, who beat them at their own brand of smash mouth football. The Steelers’ offensive line was performing poorly by season’s end, and was a big cause for concern.
The Steelers strongest need is to rebuild the entire offensive line. The team may need to find replacements for the entire left side, and upgrades throughout the unit. Marvel Smith has been a mainstay at left tackle for several seasons, but his health has been an issue. His balky back limited him to 12 games last season. His main backup was former starting right tackle Max Starks, who just signed the team’s $6.9 million a year transition player tender, as backup for both tackle spots. Starks is a bit stiff to play the left side consistently, and in offensive coordinator Bruce Arians’ heavy passing scheme, athleticism is a must. Look for the Steelers to possibly make this a round one selection, should a quicker left tackle like Vanderbilt’s Chris Williams be available at pick 22. If they choose to hold till later in the draft, the team has shown considerable interest in Auburn’s King Dunlap.
Just as pressing is the need to replace Alan Faneca at left guard. Faneca has played at an elite level for the majority of his career, and has Hall of Fame-type talent. A guard like Faneca is not easily replaced, but the Steelers have to get better than Chris Kemoeatu. Kemoeatu is a mauler, but he cannot move in space and is a liability against the pass. An easy choice would be to select Branden Albert of Virginia in the first round, who plays a similar game to Faneca, but there are no guarantees he’s going to be available. Albert’s quick feet and athleticism would allow the Steelers to implement more zone blocking plays. One late-round option is Georgia Tech’s Nate McManus. McManus has quick feet and is a good athlete for the position, though injury concerns have plagued his career. Another solid choice would be Southern California’s Sam Baker, who they would convert from tackle. Baker’s skills are better fitted to be a left guard than a left tackle in the NFL.
At center, the Steelers made another band aid move this offseason, by signing former Titan and Panther Justin Hartwig. Hartwig is talented, but injury prone. He washed out two years after signing a big money free agent deal in Carolina, where the team thought that he could be an improvement in age and skill level over Jeff Mitchell. He’s going into a battle with Sean Mahan, last year’s band aid move after the retirement of Jeff Hartings. This year features a thin class at center, so an upgrade here may come in the form of an undrafted free agent.
On the opposite side of the trenches, quietly the Patriots are looking to make upgrades to was once one of their deepest units. Weakened by the offseason death of defensive end Marquise Hill, the Patriots played the 2007 season without their usual depth. The team had made a point to draft up the position, but it had been neglected in the previous two drafts. The only defensive line selection made in those two years was fourth-round pick Kareem Brown last year, but he was cut midseason. The lack of depth showed later in the season.
The Patriots interest in Southern California’s Sedrick Ellis is very real. They are looking to move up in the draft, past the Jets, Chiefs and Raiders, who have all expressed interest in Ellis. Adding to the need is that the Patriots are allegedly offering Jarvis Green as part of a package to move up. The quick and versatile Ellis, who has played a five-technique position in three-man lines, would be brought on to add depth as an end in base defenses, then slide inside to a three-technique on four-man lines for passing downs. Ellis has solid technique for a young defensive lineman, and would be a possible replacement for the injury-prone Richard Seymour. Seymour continues to be a concern for the team’s long-term future, and could end up being cut unceremoniously. The Patriots are not a team that will be passive in personnel matters, even with a player who has been a fixture in their three Super Bowl wins under Bill Belichick.
If the Patriots lose out on Ellis, adding another end later in the draft is going to be a need. In the second round, Kentwan Balmer of North Carolina is a player who could play both inside and outside for the team. His best fit is likely as a 3-4 defensive end. Ty Warren clone Dre Moore (Maryland) is also a versatile, athletic lineman who the team could target in the third round on. Moore pursues the line very well, and can chase down most ball carriers. Like Warren when he came into the league, he has question marks surrounding his durability.
Another point of concern for the Patriots is the contract situation for nose tackle Vince Wilfork. Wilfork is due to become a free agent after the 2009 season, and at only 26 years old, he has to be retained. The depth behind Wilfork isn’t much, with LeKevin Smith being his primary backup. One possible target for New England would be Texas A&M product Red Bryant. Bryant is the best pure nose tackle in the draft, with great wingspan and ability at the point of attack. Adding him for depth at the position would give the Patriots the ability to be more relaxed should Wilfork demand a massive contract in free agency.
Expect both teams to be highly pro-active this weekend in their search for lineman. Both know that their continued success depends on it.
Contact Luke at Luke@newerascouting.com