Do we need Offensive Lineman In The 2023 Draft

[WVUHomer]

(12-15-2022, 01:34 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: Everyone knows I love Mater and think that he'd improve the protection for Burrow by giving him a safety net, as well as improving Chase's game by keeping safeties from doubling him.

Because of how poor we've been at drafting linemen, I'd rather just sign free agent linemen who are proven so we don't risk a bust in the first or even a guy that doesn't live up to expectations and sets us back for another four or five years.

We KNOW what we'd be getting with Mayer and how much that will improve our team.

Considering on how much OL contracts are raising and how expensive our team is soon to be, that's just not a fully fundamental option. 

Unless you're willing to trade Boyd and Higgins (speculation on my part from the man crush it feels [we must get him at all costs, even by trading up!]), cheaper contracts have to come from somewhere. Armstead (with massive injury concerns and signed late in the process) is making $15M APY. Getting another piece on a price controlled contract is a smart move. 

And with how they found Volson this year, I feel more confident going forward they can find someone to fit the scheme they want to run (not saying wait until that round). It feels like for the past 2.5 years, they were mixing and matching styles until recently it feels like they can all fire off in unison play as a unit. If you can reload with younger talent to grow together, may work out better for our long run tenure than forcing the local kid for a position that as of yet, we haven't used exclusively (not saying they won't but Uzo and Hurst are 4/5/6th receiving options, if not further which to me doesn't constitute a 1st round). I say this as someone who does pick for us in mocks but only if he fell, not as a trade up candidate.