Murphy’s O-Line Transformation

[justasportsfan]

The experiment began in earnest late last season. Tight end Matt Murphy was moved to offensive tackle. The plan however, was curtailed when Murphy suffered a torn calf muscle a week into training for his new position assignment and wound up on injured reserve. Fast forward four months later and Murphy is back on the roster aiming to see the transition through.

"I was in the offensive line meetings the whole year and at the end of the season in a meeting with (offensive line) coach (Sean) Kugler he told me he still wanted me to work on the offensive line and so I set my mind for that this offseason," said Murphy.

For Kugler however, the genesis of this idea goes back far beyond last season. Kugler had coached Murphy as a rookie five years earlier in Detroit when he was the Lions' tight ends coach.

"When I was at Detroit and I coached him there with the Lions, I wanted to move him then," said Kugler. "Then he went to Houston and they tried to move him. Matt really has a lot of attributes that's going to help him be an offensive lineman. He has very long arms, he has excellent feet. Somebody might say he's slower for a tight end, but he's faster for a lineman."

http://buffalobills.com/news/news.jsp?news_id=5938

[Pride]

Re: Murphy’s O-Line Transformation

He looks a little thin to play tackle. Guard perhaps... but tackle?

[ddaryl]

Re: Murphy’s O-Line Transformation

He looks a little thin to play tackle. Guard perhaps... but tackle?

http://www.buffalobills.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=122763

he's 6' 5" and weighs 264.... He's a waste at T unless he added 30 lbs this offseason.

[venis2k1]

Re: Murphy’s O-Line Transformation

at that size he could play tackle in the 1930s

[raphael120]

Re: Murphy’s O-Line Transformation

Well I highly doubt he's going to be the next Jason Peters but lets hope we dont' have to see him start ever again.

[HHURRICANE]

Re: Murphy’s O-Line Transformation

Awesome. Just what this team needs, another experiment.

Peters was a freak of nature who could have played several positions on this team. This is not comparing apples to apples.

[John Doe]

Re: Murphy’s O-Line Transformation

http://www.buffalobills.com/team/pla...ayer_id=122763

he's 6' 5" and weighs 264.... He's a waste at T unless he added 30 lbs this offseason.

"Adding weight is another task Murphy is trying to tackle. Currently weighing in at 284 pounds Murphy is hoping to add 10 or 15 more to his frame.
"I want to gain at least 10 pounds before training camp," he said. "For me, I don't think I can get to 320 and still be able to move. At tight end I was at 275, so I think if I can put on 20 more pounds then that would be great. It will just help in terms of anchoring down in pass blocking."

The offensive staff plans to put him at left tackle from the start in the spring OTAs feeling he's athletic enough to work on that side. Assuming Murphy can make the position move the offensive staff already has several ideas in place for him.

"A lot of teams play with unbalanced tight ends and put an extra lineman in the game for protection and run purposes," said Kugler. "With Matt not only will he be able to play the left tackle position where you need an athletic guy, but he can also have value for us with his athleticism to play right tackle in a backup capacity and be that guy that's the goal line tight end or jumbo package guy. You're not just subbing in a tight end or a guard to play tight end with him. He's a guy that's played tight end and he's now a lineman too, so he does have value there."

[askabry]

Re: Murphy’s O-Line Transformation

I don't mean to knock the thread, but I fail to see the relevance of Matt Murphy.

If this team needs a Matt Murphy to be on the field for an extended period of time, we'll eventually also be seeing a lot of our #3 QB and asking what's wrong with Marshawn this year.

[John Doe]

Re: Murphy’s O-Line Transformation

I don't mean to knock the thread, but I fail to see the relevance of Matt Murphy.

If this team needs a Matt Murphy to be on the field for an extended period of time, we'll eventually also be seeing a lot of our #3 QB and asking what's wrong with Marshawn this year.

I don't think that it is irrelevant.

Murphy was on the team last year and will compete for a spot this year. The offensive line coach thinks that he had the potential to contribute last season and this upcoming year.

No one knows how good or bad he will prove to be, but he will be there in training camp so the story is of interest.

[askabry]

Re: Murphy’s O-Line Transformation

... he will be there in training camp so the story is of interest.

On this basis, the Bills will have about 75 stories of interest. Even after the season begins, there will be 53 stories of interest.

About twelve of those will be relevant to the story of our season. The rest fill up pages of a newspaper.

[John Doe]

Re: Murphy’s O-Line Transformation

On this basis, the Bills will have about 75 stories of interest. Even after the season begins, there will be 53 stories of interest.

About twelve of those will be relevant to the story of our season. The rest fill up pages of a newspaper.

You are exactly right - there will be many stories of interest in the upcoming training camp. If you don't enjoy reading about our training camp prospects then that is your perogative - there is nothing wrong with that. The point is that a lot of fans do enjoy reading about it. It is what makes the preseason fun.

There is no guarantee that Murphy will make the team, but so little is known about his ability as an offensive lineman that there is no guarantee that he will not make it. The offensive line coach saw something that he liked about him as an offensive line prospect years ago. Who knows?

[mysticsoto]

Re: Murphy’s O-Line Transformation

He looks a little thin to play tackle. Guard perhaps... but tackle?

Huh? So it'd be easier for him to play Guard inside where he's facing massive defensive tackles vs smaller defensive ends outside where he can use his speed?

[ddaryl]

Re: Murphy’s O-Line Transformation

"Adding weight is another task Murphy is trying to tackle. Currently weighing in at 284 pounds Murphy is hoping to add 10 or 15 more to his frame.
"I want to gain at least 10 pounds before training camp," he said. "For me, I don't think I can get to 320 and still be able to move. At tight end I was at 275, so I think if I can put on 20 more pounds then that would be great. It will just help in terms of anchoring down in pass blocking."

The offensive staff plans to put him at left tackle from the start in the spring OTAs feeling he's athletic enough to work on that side. Assuming Murphy can make the position move the offensive staff already has several ideas in place for him.

"A lot of teams play with unbalanced tight ends and put an extra lineman in the game for protection and run purposes," said Kugler. "With Matt not only will he be able to play the left tackle position where you need an athletic guy, but he can also have value for us with his athleticism to play right tackle in a backup capacity and be that guy that's the goal line tight end or jumbo package guy. You're not just subbing in a tight end or a guard to play tight end with him. He's a guy that's played tight end and he's now a lineman too, so he does have value there."

As I exepcted. If he is to get up to 295 then he has the potential to make the transition... but as mentioned in this thread, this is nothing more then an offseason/training camp story that we'll watch, but nobody is really expecting any miracles here.

[mysticsoto]

Re: Murphy’s O-Line Transformation

As I exepcted. If he is to get up to 295 then he has the potential to make the transition... but as mentioned in this thread, this is nothing more then an offseason/training camp story that we'll watch, but nobody is really expecting any miracles here.

Well, there probably shouldn't be...he's just a backup. But what's important is that, if he's coming along well now, that may free up the FO to think things in a different way in those lower rds when they are drafting for depth...

[John Doe]

Re: Murphy’s O-Line Transformation

As I exepcted. If he is to get up to 295 then he has the potential to make the transition... but as mentioned in this thread, this is nothing more then an offseason/training camp story that we'll watch, but nobody is really expecting any miracles here.

When he was moved to the offensive line last season, he had no experience and was light-weight. Yet, the coaches thought enough of his play that they chose him over the availble, experienced offensive linemen and the league's practice squads. That indicates that he must have been doing somthing right.

Maybe he won't make the team - it would not surprise me. But, he will probably play a lot in the pre-season so we might just as well learn about the guy.