Andre Dillard a cheap option at tackle?

[BurrowTheGoat]

Andre Dillard was drafted in the first round by the Eagles in 2019, was iffy his rookie season, injured in 2020 and in 2021 he played pretty solid but was ultimately supplanted by Mailata who is looking like an all-pro. Dillards 2021 PFF grade in 340 snaps was 69.6 with only 1 sack given up ( https://www.pff.com/nfl/players/andre-dillard/29250) . Considering he is entering his 4th year as a backup it is highly likely the Eagles would move him for a 4th or 5th rounder and he is cheap (3.9M cap hit in 2022). If he pans out we could extend him. The beauty of this move is it would give us a solid tackle with potential and free us up to cut Reiff and spend the extra capital to bring in some beasts at G and C. If it doesn't work out we can let him walk without much harm done. I think this is a gamble worth taking on a potentially solid tackle.



LT: Jonah Williams

LG: Laken Tomlinson

C: Ryan Jensen

RG: Austin Corbett

RT: Dillard



(since Dillard played LT as well the coaches can decide which one can kick to RT)



This would give us a completely revamped OL and would cost around 30m with the savings from letting Spain walk and cutting Hopkins and Reiff. Joe and co could cook behind this line.

[casear2727]

Last year of his contract unless we get that option year, also he is still a $4M dead money hit for the Eagles. I could see the argument either way.

[SunsetBengal]

As far as I can remember from the scouting reports on Dillard, coming out of college, he was a finesse Tackle. Purely a pass pro specialist, not the traditional mean-ass mauler in the running game that you'd traditionally prefer at RT.

So if my memory serves me correct, he'd only be viable at LT, where we currently have Jonah Williams. Are we ready to pull the plug on Jonah Williams at LT, and attempt to demote him to another position?

[*ochocincos*]

(02-22-2022, 08:18 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: As far as I can remember from the scouting reports on Dillard, coming out of college, he was a finesse Tackle.  Purely a pass pro specialist, not the traditional mean-ass mauler in the running game that you'd traditionally prefer at RT.

So if my memory serves me correct, he'd only be viable at LT, where we currently have Jonah Williams.  Are we ready to pull the plug on Jonah Williams at LT, and attempt to demote him to another position?

This is kind of my concern with Williams.
If you move him now after 3 years at LT, does he take that as a slight and already choose not to re-sign with Bengals once his contract is up?

You don't want another Orlando Brown situation on your hands.

[BurrowTheGoat]

(02-22-2022, 08:22 PM)ochocincos Wrote: This is kind of my concern with Williams.
If you move him now after 3 years at LT, does he take that as a slight and already choose not to re-sign with Bengals once his contract is up?

You don't want another Orlando Brown situation on your hands.

I think we are past the days of having to worry about players wanting out of Cincy.  Players want to play for winners.  Do we move Jonah?  Prob not.  But if we had to I think Jonah is the kind of team first guy who would do it without being selfish about it.

[SunsetBengal]

(02-22-2022, 08:28 PM)BurrowTheGoat Wrote: I think we are past the days of having to worry about players wanting out of Cincy.  Players want to play for winners.  Do we move Jonah?  Prob not.  But if we had to I think Jonah is the kind of team first guy who would do it without being selfish about it.

I don't feel like he would go public with his disgruntled sentiments, but I'd almost be willing to bet that he'd be willing to sign with the first team that wanted him at LT.  Over the course of a career, LTs typically earn significantly more than RT or any other position on the OL.

[THE PISTONS]

(02-22-2022, 08:28 PM)BurrowTheGoat Wrote: I think we are past the days of having to worry about players wanting out of Cincy.  Players want to play for winners.  Do we move Jonah?  Prob not.  But if we had to I think Jonah is the kind of team first guy who would do it without being selfish about it.

Winning teams have players that want out for various reasons too.

[Frank Booth]

what's with this move jonah crap? he's fine

[jj22]

Nowadays you need your RT to be just as good as your LT, so it shouldn't be that much of a demotion. And if he leaves, he'll be a valuable LT for another team still. If he's as good as people say, his tape will give him that option.

We need to do what's best to build a strong line. Moving Williams (a positionless player to begin with coming out of Alabama - who some said would make a great center). I think we have 2 more years with him and with the line in the shape it's in, it's not to late to move him if it's best for the line. He could be an all pro guard for all we know. RT isn't a new position for him.

[XenoMorph]

(02-22-2022, 08:44 PM)Frank Booth Wrote: what's with this move jonah crap? he's fine

well at least compared to the rest of the OL 

[KillerGoose]

(02-22-2022, 08:18 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: As far as I can remember from the scouting reports on Dillard, coming out of college, he was a finesse Tackle.  Purely a pass pro specialist, not the traditional mean-ass mauler in the running game that you'd traditionally prefer at RT.

I'd be fine with this. I think the side preferences are more of an outdated line of thinking nowadays. There are plenty of incredible rushers who face the RT and given how pass heavy the league is now, you should be weighting pass blocking ability over run blocking ability anyways. I don't have much of an opinion on Dillard himself, but if he is a strong pass blocker then he would be a great addition. 

[kalibengal]

why are we talking about "cheap options?" when we have the $ to sign some very good players for an obvious major need . I dont know alot about Dillard but sounds like he wouldnt be much better the what Reif was for us.

[jj22]

(02-23-2022, 01:37 PM)kalibengal Wrote: why are we talking about "cheap options?"  when we have the $ to sign some very good players for an obvious major need . I dont know alot about Dillard but sounds like he wouldnt be much better the what Reif was for us.

I think it's because people (understandably) aren't willing to give up on re-signing Larry O, Hill, and CJ. So they are trying to make it work to get all back. I think tough sacrifices are going to have to be made and hate to see it, but Burrow's health and career is my main goal for letting go of those players.

[Frank Booth]

I’m fine with improving the line with clear upgrades that aren’t that expensive. I don’t need a stud that will cost the team a bunch of money. Just actual decent options that are better than anyone on the right side of the line. Center as well.

Putting money into the defense to retain a productive unit is more important to playoff runs, as evidenced this season

[shanebo]

I wouldn't give anything of substance for Dillard, for a few reasons. First, he stinks. I don't care what his PFF grades are, he's just not a very good player at this point. He was a steaming turd as a rookie, injured in year 2, and extremely mediocre last year. (This is coming from a guy who lives in the Philly area, watches every Eagles game, talks Eagles with co-workers on a daily basis, and listens to a lot of Philly sports talk radio.) Everybody who's seen him play can tell there's something missing in his game, and he's generally persona non grata up here. Second, he can't stay healthy. True, he only missed one full season with the torn bicep, but he always has a bunch of little nagging injuries that have hampered his progress. He has a rep of not being able to step up when needed. Third, he's a terrible run blocker. Terrible. Gets no push whatsoever, and is continuously pushed in the backfield. Fourth, he can ONLY play LT. He's not a versatile O-lineman at all, or even a swing tackle. He gets destroyed on the inside and simply can't play RT. When Lane Johnson was injured this season they had to move Mailata to RT and pay Dillard at LT. And the Eagles had a revolving door at the guard spot this year (Brooks, Seumalu, Dickerson, Driscoll, Herbig, Toth all started and played) but Dillard couldn't get on the field there.

He was on the block last trade deadline, Eagles were demanding a "high" day 2 pick for him. That's a starter's price. If we wanted to start him, we'd have to move Jonah to RT, but we don't know whether Jonah can play RT, and frankly Jonah is a better player than Dillard.

All that said, Dillard is still young (sort of -- he'll be 27 next year), he's gotten bigger and stronger each year, and he has improved significantly from his rookie year. So he could eventually be a good NFL player. But I wouldn't give up too much for him right now because I don't see him helping this team next year -- the last year of his rookie deal -- except as backup left tackle. If the Eagles trade him, it will likely be a team who needs a starting LT and is willing to take a chance on (and pay more for) someone who could eventually be one.

[*ochocincos*]

(02-23-2022, 01:40 PM)jj22 Wrote: I think it's because people (understandably) aren't willing to give up on re-signing Larry O, Hill, and CJ. So they are trying to make it work to get all back. I think tough sacrifices are going to have to be made and hate to see it, but Burrow's health and career is my main goal for letting go of those players.

And Bates.

If the Bengals are going to retain Ogunjobi, Hill, Bates, and Uzomah, that's going to cost easily $30-35 mill.
Toss in two quality OL upgrades at RT and RG, and you're looking at $50-55 mill.
Add in potentially Spain or some other vet LG, you're looking probably around $60 mill.

[BurrowTheGoat]

(02-23-2022, 01:37 PM)kalibengal Wrote: why are we talking about "cheap options?"  when we have the $ to sign some very good players for an obvious major need . I dont know alot about Dillard but sounds like he wouldnt be much better the what Reif was for us.

Well as I said in my post the beauty of finding a cheap option at tackle is that we can pay for 3 studs on the inside.  I have a feeling you only read the title.