Your Starting Offensive Line?
July 20th, 2011
"Prove yourself, old man."
Bucs beat writer Rick Stroud’s crystal ball may need new batteries following his bold Aqib Talib prognostications, however, Stroud didn’t hesitate to gaze into it and channel its energy today.
During a TampaBay.com live chat, Stroud obliged a commenter that asked him to go on the record with a prediction.
Comment From JerryJerry: Hello Rick- Can you predict our starting O-Line?
Rick Stroud: Hey Jerry,
Right now I think it’s going to be very similar to last season: LT Penn, LG Zuttah, C Faine, RG Joseph, RT Lee.
Interesting. Joe would be surprised to see Jeremy Zuttah start over Ted Larsen at left guard. However, Joe would hope Zuttah would be given a fair shake to beat out Jeff Faine at center. If so, Joe believes Zuttah will earn the nod.
The early odds at right tackle sure seem to be a toss-up, if Jeremy Trueblood returns.
The massive competition along the O-line can only be good. Joe can’t wait to see who lines up there to open the first preseason game. The Bucs are already ahead of last year without Keydrick Vincent.
July 20th, 2011 at 2:52 pm
With all the talk of the cap floor, I think we can forget about them cutting Faine, even though “OMG he didnt want to practice with Freeman!” But having Zuttah as the flex guy at C/G is a nice luxury I enjoy having. Hopefully Trueblood is gone. If there was a VORP for OL im sure it would tell us you can find another Trueblood off waivers or as a cheap FA.
July 20th, 2011 at 2:54 pm
Mankins for the surprise splash in FA…!
Make him the highest paid LG in NFL history at 0001.
July 20th, 2011 at 2:57 pm
Hey- That was me!!!
July 20th, 2011 at 3:13 pm
@Not A Rocket Surgeon, I’ve been following the last minute drama regarding the new CBA and I don’t think Brees, Manning, Jackson, Mankins, et al, are going to be successful in ridding themselves of the franchise tag. So Mankins may not be available. I have been following a young player from the Saints – Carl Nicks, 26, 6-5, 343 – top rated Left OG and will be a free agent. The Saints are going to fight tooth and nail to keep this guy because he is a first time pro bowler with lots of upside – an alternative to Mankins.
July 20th, 2011 at 3:15 pm
I like Nicks too… but not as much as Mankins…
July 20th, 2011 at 3:20 pm
everyone keeps forgetting about Dotson, he should be 100% going into training camp and could easily win the starting RT job
July 20th, 2011 at 3:26 pm
Faine is a ragdoll.
July 20th, 2011 at 3:45 pm
Don’t forget Faine will miss his usual 4 games due to injury.
July 20th, 2011 at 4:02 pm
I would love swapping Zuttah with Faine. The reason we picked up Faine(making him the highest paid center) was for Gruden’s offense which required the Center to call the blitz packages and line audibles. Now that Gruden is gone, Faine’s biggest talent has been rendered useless because Olsen puts that burden on Freeman. And that is working well.
All we need our Centers to do now is snap and block. Zuttah is much better than Faine in this aspect.
July 20th, 2011 at 4:40 pm
The Bucs need to invest on the O-line the same way they have the D-line recently
July 20th, 2011 at 4:41 pm
Wait till you see what brandon Carter has done in the off season. Bigger. Faster. Stonger. This will be a fun season to watch ther trenches.
July 20th, 2011 at 4:50 pm
Joe here,
@Jack Carter — Can’t wait. Dad knows best!
July 20th, 2011 at 5:28 pm
What ever happened to Keydrick Vincent being a “roadgrader” like everyone was hyping him up to be. Pffffft.
July 20th, 2011 at 5:28 pm
That would be awesome if Brandon Carter can make a hard push for a starting job. Whatever makes that line better.
July 20th, 2011 at 6:20 pm
This lineup is the first thing Stroud has said in months that I’ve agreed with.
As to Zuttah…I think he’ll be a backup, but the odds of Faine making it through an entire season uninjured are slim.
And now…
MY TOTALLY WACKED INSANE PREDICTION:
The Bucs will sign Plaxico Burress to a one year deal.
He may turn out to be our next Joey Galloway.
July 20th, 2011 at 6:39 pm
Micronole:
To be fair, the proper word to use is “unusual.”
Prior to the 2009 season, Faine rarely missed a start. It almost as dependable as a sunrise.
July 20th, 2011 at 6:44 pm
I’d be surprised if Zuttah beats Larsen at LG or Faine at Center. Zuttah was on everyones chopping block a little more than a year ago. He then stepped in at center and did pretty good last year, but Faine is much better than people give him credit for and Zuttah has really only shown to be pretty good for 3/4 a season
July 20th, 2011 at 8:45 pm
Hey Dad Carter,
I thought coming out of TT that Brandon could be a very capable RT given his experience playing in space with TT’s huge OL splits in college. Has he been tried there or cross-trained himself for being able to go into service there? He definitely seems to have the length and the feet.
July 20th, 2011 at 10:56 pm
I liked Carter in college and exect him to be pushing Larsen at LG, not Zuttah
July 21st, 2011 at 1:49 am
Poor Stroud, still not really watching the team, is he. Zuttah has played well at every spot EXCEPT LG. That’s why Larsen got the start last year. God, do they really pay these guys??
I think the line may be a lot different than some expect.
Penn at LT of course.I still like Brandon Carter as my dark horse at LG- teamed with Penn- that would be fun! By seasons end, I think Faine will have lost his job- but to Ted Larsen. Ted is a center, not a guard. He should hold that spot for years to come. By seasons end, Derek Hardman will have the RG spot. Joseph is a hard working guy, but hasn’t produced like a 1st rounder. Bottom line is Hardman outplayed him last year. TrueBlood already lost the starting job last year. It’s between our current young starter( who I’m cheering for), Demar Dotson, and Wil Barker for that RT job. All 3 would be an improvement. Again, Trueblood works really hard, but has slow feet and gets bad leverage( 6’8″ makes it difficult to get under a guy).
Either way, competition on line should be fierce. Feel better about that than I ever have. Plus expect a FA or 2. I think LG Colledge from Green Bay I’ds the likely target.