Is Will Clarke ready to step up?

[BengalChris]

(07-09-2015, 02:33 PM)Bengalfan11164 Wrote: I'd prefer an 8 man oline and a 10 man dline in 2015.  

Oline (8):  Whit/Fisher, Boling, Bodine/TJ Johnson, Zeitler, Smith/Winston
PUP:  Ogbuehi
PS:  Trey Hopkins (G), Jake Smith (C )?

Fisher is being groomed to back up 4 oline positions, and Ogbuehi may be available week 7 or later (if needed at all).  
Winston is the first tackle off the bench; Fisher is the first guard off the bench.  

Dline (10):  Dunlap/Clarke, Atkins/Hardison, Peko/Thompson/Sims, MJ90/Gilberry/Hunt
Cut:  Devon Still

This preserves dline depth/rotation, prepares for the potential departure of Gilberry/Peko in 2016, and hopefully helps with the run-defense woes evidenced in the playoffs.  

2016 oline (9):  Ogbuehi/Whit, Boling/Hopkins, Bodine/TJ Johnson?, Zeitler, Fisher/Rookie
2016 dline (9):  Dunlap/Clarke, Atkins/Hardison, Thompson/Rookie, MJ90/Rookie/Hunt?

We'll keep 9 for the OL. Too risky to not. Ogbuehi won't be one of the 9, he'll be pup'ed and may not be activated at all this year. No need to IR him with designation to return as he can sit on the PUP instead.

Winston will make the team as the only experienced backup OT. Fisher apparently has a lot to learn.

That's my guess at the present time.