Round 4 is Cordell Volson-O Line Blocker

[fredtoast]

LORD VOLSONMORT!!!!!

[Shake n Blake]

(05-02-2022, 08:48 AM)bengalfan74 Wrote: Oh no I didn't mean to imply you want to see him fail. It's just that there seems to be some on here who have an ax to grind with him.

And I don't want Spain to be a starter. It's just that I'm not real thrilled with our depth. Most of them are young and unproven.

Bottom line I just don't want to see Joe getting blasted again.

I personally don't have an axe to grind. I just wasn't all that encouraged by what I saw out of Carman thus far, between his play and his back issues. He could still wind up a good player, but the thought of going into next season without competition for that spot was scary imo. I don't want any weak spots on this line.

[*bengalfan74*]

(05-04-2022, 05:05 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: I personally don't have an axe to grind. I just wasn't all that encouraged by what I saw out of Carman thus far, between his play and his back issues. He could still wind up a good player, but the thought of going into next season without competition for that spot was scary imo. I don't want any weak spots on this line.

Agree 1,000%

I can live with Carman being plan A, I guess ? But I'd love to have a plan B with something more than a rookie or our motley crew of suspect replacements.

I like you don't trust that Carman is up to snuff. I hope he is but I'm not that big a gambler.

[wanga]

I’m liking what they’re building in front of Joe. It’s still a work in progress but the foundations are much better.

[pulses]

(05-04-2022, 05:12 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: Agree 1,000%

I can live with Carman being plan A, I guess ? But I'd love to have a plan B with something more than a rookie or our motley crew of suspect replacements.

I like you don't trust that Carman is up to snuff. I hope he is but I'm not that big a gambler.

 I think Volson might win the job anyways.

[phil413]

(05-04-2022, 05:05 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: I personally don't have an axe to grind. I just wasn't all that encouraged by what I saw out of Carman thus far, between his play and his back issues. He could still wind up a good player, but the thought of going into next season without competition for that spot was scary imo. I don't want any weak spots on this line.

Yeah no matter if we are "rooting for" Volson, Carmen, Smith or whoever there can't be a weak spot.  They are trying to win it all.  If they aren't up to speed they'll have to spend a mid round 2023 pick at the trade deadline for a starter rental.

[*ochocincos*]

(05-04-2022, 07:52 AM)M.W. Wrote: If the line can't pass block with 1 minor upgrade ©, 1 significant upgrade (RG) and 1 tremendous upgrade (RT) it would definitely indicate an issue with the process. 

Currently:
LT - pretty good --------- last year same - he should be better with another year of experience and better neighbors 
LG - unknown   --------- last year yuck
C - good --------------------last year not good
RG - pretty good ------------ last year trash after Spain injured
RT - darn good -------------- last year dumpster fire after early starter injury

This line (on paper) went from one of the worst to a very good (top 10) offensive line

Hopkins actually was a solid pass blocker after the bye last year, but he really struggled the first half of the season.
Luckily, Karras is a rather good pass blocker but also run blocker. He hasn't allowed more than 3 sacks in a regular season in his career.
For RT, Reiff actually played more than half the season. But Prince was really bad when he took over. He may not have been quite as noticeable with turnstyle Adeniji next to him.

I just haven't seen Pollack put out a great pass-blocking OL in years with different teams, so I'm just skeptical.
I have full confidence in his ability to handle the run game though.
If these added FAs do well and Carman/Volson also holds down LG at least decently, I'll become a believer in Pollack in the pass game.

[*ochocincos*]

(05-04-2022, 07:09 PM)pulses Wrote:  I think Volson might win the job anyways.

He might.
He didn't look overly athletic to me in the videos I've watched, but that was at RT.
Being inside can help mask some lack of athleticism, and he has the power and demeanor to handle DTs.
With that said, Carman has very similar traits to Volson, so Pollack definitely has a type.

[*ochocincos*]

(05-04-2022, 08:35 AM)fredtoast Wrote:   LORD VOLSONMORT!!!!!  

Volson makes me think of Molson.
It's a shame Cordell isn't actually Canadian, as that would be very fitting.

[*jason*]

(05-04-2022, 08:06 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Hopkins actually was a solid pass blocker after the bye last year, but he really struggled the first half of the season.
Luckily, Karras is a rather good pass blocker but also run blocker. He hasn't allowed more than 3 sacks in a regular season in his career.
For RT, Reiff actually played more than half the season. But Prince was really bad when he took over. He may not have been quite as noticeable with turnstyle Adeniji next to him.

I just haven't seen Pollack put out a great pass-blocking OL in years with different teams, so I'm just skeptical.
I have full confidence in his ability to handle the run game though.
If these added FAs do well and Carman/Volson also holds down LG at least decently, I'll become a believer in Pollack in the pass game.

I don't know because I really don't pay attention to other teams' offensive lines or their coaching, but... Has Pollack really done anything exceptional when he didn't have a coupla All Pros to go along with a few pro bowlers, and a young Zeke Elliott?

[Nicomo Cosca]

(05-04-2022, 08:18 PM)jason Wrote: I don't know because I really don't pay attention to other teams' offensive lines or their coaching, but... Has Pollack really done anything exceptional when he didn't have a coupla All Pros to go along with a few pro bowlers, and a young Zeke Elliott?

It’s pretty unfair to say “without his best players what’s he really done?” What’s Belichick done without Brady? Missed the playoffs, and a WC exit. Does Sean McVay win the SB last season without Aaron Donald and all the guys they traded for? Andy Reid do anything “exceptional” before Mahomes? Went to a bunch of NFC Championships in Philly, but clearly guys like Mahomes, Kelce, and Hill helped get him over the hump. Those are just HC examples, but it’s no different for coordinators and position coaches. Hell, look at Lou once he got the right guys.

[Frank Booth]

His name...was Cordell Volson

[Nicomo Cosca]

(05-04-2022, 09:17 PM)Frank Booth Wrote: His name...was Cordell Volson

Technique needs a little work.

[*ochocincos*]

(05-04-2022, 08:41 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: It’s pretty unfair to say “without his best players what’s he really done?” What’s Belichick done without Brady? Missed the playoffs, and a WC exit. Does Sean McVay win the SB last season without Aaron Donald and all the guys they traded for? Andy Reid do anything “exceptional” before Mahomes? Went to a bunch of NFC Championships in Philly, but clearly guys like Mahomes, Kelce, and Hill helped get him over the hump. Those are just HC examples, but it’s no different for coordinators and position coaches. Hell, look at Lou once he got the right guys.

The difference is Pollack wasn't the head OL coach when much of that DAL OL was acquired.
The only OL acquired out of that great group when Pollack was the head OL coach was Collins.

[AtomicBlaze]

(05-04-2022, 07:09 PM)pulses Wrote:  I think Volson might win the job anyways.

  I would put my money on Volson, I think Pollack never wanted Carman to begin with.

[SunsetBengal]

(05-04-2022, 09:32 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Technique needs a little work.

Undoubtedly the technique will need improvement.  He does however appear be a good piece of raw material for the coaches to work with.

[Nicomo Cosca]

(05-05-2022, 09:40 AM)ochocincos Wrote: The difference is Pollack wasn't the head OL coach when much of that DAL OL was acquired.
The only OL acquired out of that great group when Pollack was the head OL coach was Collins.

Yes, he was the assistant OL coach there for 2 years before Bill Callahan left. So he was there when they drafted guys like Zach Martin and Travis Frederick. If you want to give him zero credit for helping with the development of those guys, I guess you could make that argument, but most assistant OL coaches are the ones that actually work with the young guys on a daily basis. Plus, Callahan was also the OC his last couple years in Dallas, so I’d say Pollack very likely had a large role in coaching up his linemen.

[Nicomo Cosca]

(05-05-2022, 10:30 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Undoubtedly the technique will need improvement.  He does however appear be a good piece of raw material for the coaches to work with.

I was talking about Robert Paulson.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(05-03-2022, 05:36 PM)BuildTheWall Wrote: I’ve seen 6’7 and 6’6 listed, I think he’s closer to 6’6 if I remember his coming measurements correctly. Pad level and bend can compensate for that. Cappa is the same height and has been a very solid guard and is still ascending.

Good point on Cappa, as long as these tall Guards have bend and good technique they can be just fine.

Also helps that Burrow is 6'4".

(05-03-2022, 10:36 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: I’ve been watching clips of this dude, and I’m really liking what I’m seeing. Hopefully between him and D’Ante Smith (who I’m also high on) at least one of them pans out.

Same here, really like both of these guys a lot as D'Ante came around before the injury much better than I thought as a Guard.

Wasn't expecting D'Ante to be that good at Guard that early. I thought he would be a future OT down the road but he was too 
raw to expect any good out of him for a year or two. He worked his butt off last year before Preseason and impressed me.

D'Ante once again has been working his ass off this Offseason already from the vid I saw.

(05-04-2022, 01:04 AM)CarolinaBengalFanGuy Wrote: I lot of people were talking about D'Ante Smith in the preseason, but have been pretty silent on him since then. I'd like to think between him, Carman and Volson someone can shore up that LG spot. I'm still very much in favor of Spain coming back not only to compete for the LG spot, but bare minimum backup all the other spots outside of C, which he is more than capable of doing.

Kind of goes that way when a guy has a season ending injury before the season starts...

(05-04-2022, 02:09 AM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: I don’t think Spain is coming back. Would have already happened. And now they even gave out his #.

Thinking the same, too bad. I liked Spain but that effort on the last play of the SB might of kept him from coming back here.

Even if he was injured there was no excuse to not at least get in front of AD.

[*ochocincos*]

(05-05-2022, 10:59 AM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Yes, he was the assistant OL coach there for 2 years before Bill Callahan left. So he was there when they drafted guys like Zach Martin and Travis Frederick. If you want to give him zero credit for helping with the development of those guys, I guess you could make that argument, but most assistant OL coaches are the ones that actually work with the young guys on a daily basis. Plus, Callahan was also the OC his last couple years in Dallas, so I’d say Pollack very likely had a large role in coaching up his linemen.

He may have been.
All I know is the Bengals haven't had a good pass blocking OL in about the last 5 years.
Pollack has been the OL coach for two of those years (2018, 2021).
Bengals are essentially having 4 new starting OL this year, all of which have been selected with Pollack as the head OL coach, so hopefully it pans out.
I definitely expect the run game to be better, as Karras is (far) better compared to Hopkins in the run game, Cappa is an upgrade over Adeniji, and Collins is an upgrade over Reiff/Prince.