Fluker Won't Improve the Offensive Line

[JMR]

Honestly Matt Flynn was the only really bad FA signing. Harvin and Graham were due to trade. And while neither panned out as well as we wanted, they weren't exactly complete busts. Joeckel was a one year deal and he wasn't really the problem with the OL. While he certainly wasn't a Pro Bowler, he was arguably our 2nd best OL behind Britt, which isn't saying much.

But ultimately you are right. This team doesn't make big splashes on the FA market. And I can't really argue with that approach. Big FA signings very rarely pan out and they usually put you in cap hell.

Yeah, I know Harvin & Graham were trades, but the effect was about the same: we took on big salary players who didn't work out the way we hoped. I agree Graham wasn't a "failure", but I also think it wasn't worth it overall. His skillset didn't fit what we were trying to do here on offense (even though there were certainly moments when he was a big contributor), and we didn't adjust our philosophy enough to take advantage of what he could do.

We largely agree here -- the big FAs rarely work, and I'm glad this FO doesn't try too hard to buck the trend.

 

[flyerhawk]

Yeah, I know Harvin & Graham were trades, but the effect was about the same: we took on big salary players who didn't work out the way we hoped. I agree Graham wasn't a "failure", but I also think it wasn't worth it overall. His skillset didn't fit what we were trying to do here on offense (even though there were certainly moments when he was a big contributor), and we didn't adjust our philosophy enough to take advantage of what he could do.

We largely agree here -- the big FAs rarely work, and I'm glad this FO doesn't try too hard to buck the trend.

I have to say, people talk about how Graham wasn't a good fit for the offense but I disagree with that. His problem wasn't a lack of fit. His problem was a lack of being able to catch a football outside the endzone. He probably left 200-300 yards out on the field in dropped passes last year on some REALLY big plays. A player like Graham MUST be sure handed.

 

[JMR]

I have to say, people talk about how Graham wasn't a good fit for the offense but I disagree with that. His problem wasn't a lack of fit. His problem was a lack of being able to catch a football outside the endzone. He probably left 200-300 yards out on the field in dropped passes last year on some REALLY big plays. A player like Graham MUST be sure handed.

Some big drops for sure. A couple of them were game killers. Vs Jax this year was a bad one if I remember it right (I was on a cruise at the time with the unlimited bev package).

I would be interested to see some stats on how often he was split out in Seattle as compared to the ~2/3 of the time the Saints did it. We tried too hard to make him into an inline TE, which he just isn't. That's more what I meant about fit. His hands reminded me a bit of Kearse's -- make the circus catch in traffic, then have a mental lapse and drop the easy ones.

 

[JMR]

Giants beat reporter offers insight on Seahawks' Mike Solari, D.J. Fluker

A fairly encouraging take on Fluker from a NYG beat writer. It connects the dots fairly well, and simply, as to why Solari likely advocated bringing him here. Hard to prove objectively that Fluker was the reason, but the NYG running game was statistically much more effective with him on the field than off. The ho-hum assessment of his passpro skills is a bit of a concern, but if he can help jump start the run game then it's still an overall plus.

 

[Uhsplit]

Giants beat reporter offers insight on Seahawks' Mike Solari, D.J. Fluker

A fairly encouraging take on Fluker from a NYG beat writer. It connects the dots fairly well, and simply, as to why Solari likely advocated bringing him here. Hard to prove objectively that Fluker was the reason, but the NYG running game was statistically much more effective with him on the field than off. The ho-hum assessment of his passpro skills is a bit of a concern, but if he can help jump start the run game then it's still an overall plus.

Good. We get a guy that will block for the RB. This should be an improvement to our run game.

 

[rightstuff]

Brown, Fluker, and Britt.

Sounds good on paper.



Now to the right side. Posic....Fant.....Ifedi.

 

[JMR]

Brown, Fluker, and Britt.

Sounds good on paper.



Now to the right side. Posic....Fant.....Ifedi.

I heard a conversation on 710 the other day (think it was Danny, Dave & Moore) that seemed to suggest Fluker was going to play on the right side and Pocic on the left. I don't know if that's a done deal or still something to be determined, but it does seem like the RT position is destined for a camp battle between Fant & Ifedi. I was thinking maybe the coaches would be moving Ifedi back to RG this year, but adding Fluker seems to kill that notion.

 

[chf]

I was kinda' surprised at how little money he cost too.

 

[Anointed One]

Brown, Fluker, and Britt.

Sounds good on paper.



Now to the right side. Posic....Fant.....Ifedi.

Posic excites me.. I believe he's going to be a very good OL for us down the road... I believe he'll surprise a lot of fans here that aren't too keen on him...

 

[Anointed One]

I heard a conversation on 710 the other day (think it was Danny, Dave & Moore) that seemed to suggest Fluker was going to play on the right side and Pocic on the left. I don't know if that's a done deal or still something to be determined, but it does seem like the RT position is destined for a camp battle between Fant & Ifedi. I was thinking maybe the coaches would be moving Ifedi back to RG this year, but adding Fluker seems to kill that notion.

Makes sense to keep the young buck, Posic next to the wily veteran in Brown...

 

[rightstuff]

So, our OL has some possibilities.

Now, just add the once hated Colin Kaepernick as backup QB.
Seriously. Wildcat every now and then, maybe a motion guy on the fly.

Better than ANY OTHER backup possibility.
He my NEVER play QB, but make CK a threat.
Do it Hawks.

 

[JMR]

So, our OL has some possibilities.

Now, just add the once hated Colin Kaepernick as backup QB.
Seriously. Wildcat every now and then, maybe a motion guy on the fly.

Better than ANY OTHER backup possibility.
He my NEVER play QB, but make CK a threat.
Do it Hawks.

Just no. The gimmicky "wildcat" is something you do when you don't have a good QB. We have a good QB, and one of the things he can do that opponents fear the most is the ability to take off and run at any moment. You don't purposely remove that from your offense.

And your backup QB cannot be making any headlines unless it's pulling kids out of a burning building or something like that.

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

So, our OL has some possibilities.

Now, just add the once hated Colin Kaepernick as backup QB.
Seriously. Wildcat every now and then, maybe a motion guy on the fly.

Better than ANY OTHER backup possibility.
He my NEVER play QB, but make CK a threat.
Do it Hawks.

 

[HaroldSeattle]

Keep preaching that Shark, because your on the money here.