Will we have the best and deepest OLine when the cold weather starts?

[BoomerFan]

The final 5 games of our season before the playoffs are:

Dec 6th       @Cleveland
Dec 13th      Pittsburgh
Dec 20th     @San Fran (8:30 PM ET)
Dec 28th     @Denver    (8:30 PM ET)
Jan 3rd        Baltimore

You look at that and you see they're all outside. The warmest game might be San Francisco, but as you get into the evening there it will still be a little cold at least. I wouldn't be surprised if there is snow and ice on the ground for some of these games, not to mention possible reduced visibility (if it is actively snowing) and winds.

So. We know our rookie OTs will need time before they can really contribute to the OL. And of course our 1st Rounder Cedrick O will need time to heal up. But by December could we have one of the deepest OLs in the NFL? Offensive line domination is a large part of how we beat Denver this year. It can open up the ground game which changes many dynamics. We've got incredible talent at RB and will likely keep 4 on the roster. We've got speedy WRs who can participate on Reverses and Jet Sweeps.  Heck, I know it is kind of scary to watch, but Dalton can scramble for some yards when there is an opening as well.

I look at this schedule and think, if we're even just 6-5 coming into it, we might go 4-1 down the stretch with a good offensive line. And that should be enough for a playoff spot in what looks to be a tough year schedule-wise.

And it isn't just our rookies that I'm excited about. If you look past our very solid starting lineup (Whit, Boling, Bodine, Zeitler, Smith) you've got some very talented backups. Eric Winston has been a starter before. Trey Hopkins at Guard looked like a monster last pre-season before getting injured. Tanner H and Dan France will probably have to really step up this year or else they'll be on the PS (assuming they're eligible). About the only spot I have any question on is Center. TJ Johnson has had the time to become a good backup, but there is no way to know for sure. Even Bodine is a bit of an unknown commodity as a sophomore - he was adequate as a rookie, but improvement is crucial. If he doesn't play better than last year, that will be seen as a disappointment and weakness in the line. And our final unknown at center is Jake Smith. I'm going to guess he at least has a shot at winning the backup job. Here's a blurb about him from CBS Sports Draft Page:

Quote:STRENGTHS: What makes Smith so reliable is his consistent technique. Though not an elite athlete by any means, he's light on his feet, is a natural bender, and utilizes good hand placement to establish leverage enabling him to anchor and hold ground against much larger opponents. He keeps his feet moving and does a good job of resetting without panicking when initially knocked back, and as a run blocker is quick enough in a short area to take on sequential blockers and stay ahead of the play.


WEAKNESSES: At this point, Smith's game is more technique than physicality as he's not a guy you'll see blowing defenders up frequently, and in rare cases where he does lose leverage, he can be easy to thwart.



All in all, Smith's durability, strong fundamentals, instincts, and versatility to play any of the interior positions outweigh the few drawbacks and should be enough to merit at least mid-round consideration next spring if he puts together another strong year.

Questions about Center aside (and I do have some faith in Bodine even though I'm saying he is an unknown) this looks to be a fairly potent group -- assuming they merge into a unit that works well together. What is everyone else's thoughts on the group and how are ground game will look come winter months?