NFL Free Agent Offensive Guards

[vicmantak]

Let's help the "new" FO know who is our favorite NFL FA Guard in this board. Here is a list, take your pick and discuss:

Bob Hallen UFA Chargers
Corey Hulsey UFA Raiders
Fred Weary UFA Texans
Grey Ruegamer UFA Packers
Jonathan Goodwin UFA Jets
Kris Dielman RFA Chargers
Kyle Kosier UFA Lions
Montrae Holland RFA Saints
Ray Brown UFA Redskins
Reggie Wells RFA Cardinals
Scott Kooistra RFA Bengals
Sean Mahan RFA Buccaneers
Stephen Nea UFA Patriots
Steve Hutchinson UFA Seahawks
Terrence Metcalf UFA Bears
Tom Nutten UFA Rams
Toniu Fonoti UFA Vikings
Tutan Reyes UFA Panthers
Tyrone Hopson UFA Lions
Vince Manuwai RFA Jaguars

[vicmantak]

Re: NFL Free Agent Offensive Guards

No comments?
Well, let me start from the biggest name:

Stephen Neal

Is it a good idea to fill this spot with a Word Champion wrestler?

http://www.usoc.org/73_30185.htm

[ParanoidAndroid]

Re: NFL Free Agent Offensive Guards

Except the biggest name here should be Hutchinson.

[ddaryl]

Re: NFL Free Agent Offensive Guards

Steve Hutchison or bust !!!

But IMO Seattle will re-sign Steve before they try to sign Alexander. Holmgren loves a solid OL. Holmgren almost always takes an OL on day 1, and look at Seattles OL compared to Buffalos.

in fact I remember Draft Analyst giving the Seahawks grief for drafting yet another OL when there were other needs. Look were Seattle is today.

[X-Era]

Re: NFL Free Agent Offensive Guards

Steve Hutchison or bust !!!

But IMO Seattle will re-sign Steve before they try to sign Alexander. Holmgren loves a solid OL. Holmgren almost always takes an OL on day 1, and look at Seattles OL compared to Buffalos.

in fact I remember Draft Analyst giving the Seahawks grief for drafting yet another OL when there were other needs. Look were Seattle is today.

Agreed. They are gonna have to let someone leave though.

They just signed Walter long term to a big deal. And now Hutch, Alexander, and S Maquand Manuel are FA's.

Id take any of those 3. But Hutch is my number 1 choice.

[ICE74129]

Re: NFL Free Agent Offensive Guards

I watched Hutchenson and Alexander on NFLN last night. From what I get, he doesn't want to go anywhere. I can't blame him. He was there as a rookie and helped build that org into a top notch team. He isn't going to bust his butt then just leave after getting them to the superbowl. I think when it shakes out he takes less than his FA Market Value to stay in Seattle.

[alohabillsfan]

Re: NFL Free Agent Offensive Guards

I watched Hutchenson and Alexander on NFLN last night. From what I get, he doesn't want to go anywhere. I can't blame him. He was there as a rookie and helped build that org into a top notch team. He isn't going to bust his butt then just leave after getting them to the superbowl. I think when it shakes out he takes less than his FA Market Value to stay in Seattle.

What did you expect him to say... I can't wait until this whole super bowl thing is over so I can hit the FA market and make the big bucks!

[Mahdi]

Re: NFL Free Agent Offensive Guards

I watched Hutchenson and Alexander on NFLN last night. From what I get, he doesn't want to go anywhere. I can't blame him. He was there as a rookie and helped build that org into a top notch team. He isn't going to bust his butt then just leave after getting them to the superbowl. I think when it shakes out he takes less than his FA Market Value to stay in Seattle.

It really depends on how much they pay Alexander. If he breaks their bank then Hutchinson cant afford to stay in Seattle. And Alexander is pretty much intent on doing that since this will be his last big pay day. And also, with all the incentives they will have to pay out to players for making the SB and Pro-Bowl wont they be tight against the cap already?

[venis2k1]

Re: NFL Free Agent Offensive Guards

Toniu Fonoti!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[vicmantak]

Re: NFL Free Agent Offensive Guards

Toniu Fonoti!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Are you sure?

San Diego Chargers
by Loren S. Casuto

Offensive Line – 2005
What many consider the worst part of the team, the Chargers OL was not as good as many expected it to be. LT Roman Oben was out half the year and with him went a savvy veteran, OL leader and solid pass blocker. His replacement, OT Leander Jordan, had his moments but could not pass block long term or pick up a blitz. While he’s not solely to blame, he is the scapegoat for much of the trouble the offense had. LG Kris Dielman stepped in for Toniu Fonoti and played very well; while still raw, he plays with a lot of aggression and has improved his pass and run blocking skills a great deal. Look for him to be a long term solution for the Chargers. C Nick Hardwick was injured from time to time and when he was out it showed; Hardwick is neither the biggest center nor the most powerful, but he is excellent at
making line calls and is a solidifying presence. Nevertheless the lack of push up the middle in both running and passing games was blamed on him. RG Mike Goff is another double edged sword; on one hand he was the only Charger OL to start every game, is a solid veteran leader, especially when Oben went down, and received critical acclaim as a great trap and pass blocker. On the other hand he didn’t get the push a right guard should get and couldn’t pull well. RT Shane Olivea was beaten on pass coverage and the questions remain about whether he should be a guard but he did improve immensely in both pass and run blocking. OT Cory Lekkerkerker, OG Wes Sims & C Scott Mrzucowski did not play this year while OG-C Bob Hallen started only two games, much to the relief of Charger fans.

Offensive Line – The future
It is well known that the Chargers will go into the draft looking to upgrade a line that cost OL Coach Carl Mauck his job. Rumors are coming out of Miami that former Charger OL Coach Hudson Houck wants to bring Hardwick and Olivea to Miami and both are interested in joining with their former coach. Leander Jordan is a UFA and he’s gone as will Bob Hallen. Kris Dielman is an RFA and looks to be brought back. The Chargers will likely be in the market for a pair of tackles, maybe a guard if there’s any truth to the rumors about Olivea and Hardwick, and some depth. There isn’t much in the free agent market but there are three prizes; OT Bob Whitfield from the Falcons (a good backup and a solid pass blocker), OG Steve Hutchinson from the Seahawks (the pro bowl Left guard is a free agent but could be franchised and subjected to a price war) and C LeCharles Bentley (another pro bowler but could return home to Ohio, also could look at C Kevin Mawae).

http://www.nfldraftblitz.com/ChargersColumn.htm

[vicmantak]

Re: NFL Free Agent Offensive Guards

Minnesota Vikings
by R.J. Moses

Another major factor in the running game coming to life was changes to the offensive line. Tice held out for too long hoping that the offensive line that he had penciled in at the beginning of the season could do the job. They were nowhere close to doing so. Rookie Marcus Johnson started at right guard and was victimized early and often by opposing defenses. Replacing him with Adam Goldberg helped. At center Corey Withrow has had his troubles and was eventually replaced by Melvin Fowler, who is much more athletic and can get out on the sweeps like Matt Birk had done for the Vikings. Withrow did have to return to the lineup when Fowler was banged up in the Giant game. Another weak link was Chris Liwienski at right guard. Tice finally decided to pull Liwienski and start Tuniu Fonoti, a mammoth lineman picked up from the Chargers in a trade. Fonoti presence in the line seemed to help the left side. When Fonoti pulled a hamstring, Tice brought in another young reserve in Anthony Herrera instead of Liwienski. Both helped upgrade the line play. One more move was necessary to keep the Viking ship headed in the right direction. Right tackle Mike Rosenthal had another terrible game and could do nothing to stop the Packer pass rush. Finally Tice had seen enough and pulled Rosenthal late in the first half and brought Marcus Johnson in to replace him. Johnson seems much better suited to right tackle than guard. This re-tooled offensive line that had zero time to develop cohesiveness as a unit absolutely dominated the Packers in the second half of the game. If Fowler gets healthy enough next week, the Vikings will probably have on the field, compared to their original starting line up when the season began, a total of one offensive lineman, Bryant McKinnie. The odd thing about it is that this is good news.

http://www.nfldraftblitz.com/VikingsColumn.htm

[djjimkelly]

Re: NFL Free Agent Offensive Guards

i also wouldnt be dissapointed if we grabbed manuwai from what i understand hes a very solid player and would be an upgrade at half the price of hutchinson. however i would still like hutchinson with manuwai as a backup plan

[venis2k1]

Re: NFL Free Agent Offensive Guards

Manuwai AND Fonoti.

[vicmantak]

Re: NFL Free Agent Offensive Guards

Jacksonville Jaguars Team Needs

2003
Rookie Vincent Manuwai (6'2", 304 lbs) has been working with the first team at left guard and should enter the season as the starter there. He is very strong, physical and agile but is just an average athlete and lacks size and quickness. The good part about him is that he can play center as well, just in case the team needs him there. For now, though, Manuwai will stay at guard and last year's left guard, Brad Meester (6'3", 295 lbs), will move to center to replace the departed John Wane(Buccaneers). Meester has started every game at guard the last three seasons, so it remains a possibility that he could switch back there if he struggles in the middle. Chris Naeole (6'3", 314) is the last starter at right guard. The team is confident in his ability, as they signed him to a new seven-year deal this off-season.
Jacksonville isn't bad up front; there are certainly worse offensive lines in the league. However, they don't have much experience playing together at all, not to mention their players aren't set at all the positions just yet. It doesn't seem as if RB Fred Taylor needs much of a line to run behind at all, but he will have to deal with at least two new starters in front of him, so be careful when expecting another elite season - if he stays healthy, that is.

2004
The Jaguars have invested heavily in their offensive line and it shows. This line has improved significantly in the last couple of years as the Jaguars replaced veterans like Tony Boselli and Zach Weigert with younger players. Guys like Vince Manuwai, a powerful run blocker at left guard who was outstanding as a rookie last year. He started 15 games and proved he will have a long-term impact for the Jags. Right tackle Maurice Williams is strong and agile. Left tackle Mike Pearson is a tough run blocker and is getting better at pass protector. None of those guys are older than 25. They're helped by the presence of veteran center Brad Meester and guard Chris Naeole. The one thing they all have in common is that that are tough, physical blockers. Depth is provided by tackle Ephraim Salaam and guard Mike Compton, who are both capable of starting.
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Scouts, Inc. on Manuwai - "excellent motor - very good play strength - strong initial punch - can absorb and hold his ground vs. power DT's - can be a dominating player at OG, but still a little raw in some areas - must improve his balance and body control - Can be late off the ball & allow early penetration right at the snap - will have late reactions to stunts and delayed blitz - a young OG that gets better all the time - he is short with short arms, but powerful and explosive.
--------------------
Cavanaugh remembers coaching Vincent Manuwai at Hawai'i. Manuwai is now the Jacksonville Jaguars' offensive guard. In college, Manuwai weighed in at 287 pounds, but the Jaguars pushed him up to 320.
"A lot of (NFL teams) are enamored by these bigger guys," Cavanaugh said. "(Manuwai) is too heavy where he's playing at. They want him to be at that weight, but to me he doesn't need to be."

2005
Guard is not a very big area of concern, but it could be brought up. Maurice Williams and Khalif Barnes look like they have the tackle spots wrapped up for some years to come, as does Brad Meester at center. Chris Naoele and Vince Manuwai struggled a bit this year, but at times it seemed it was because the Jaguars had no left tackle. Khalif Barnes came in and did the job, and Manuwai and Naoele seemed to be themselves again. The Jaguars most likely will stay with them, as they are solid, and reliable veterans. However, with a good crop of offensive lineman declaring this year, the Jaguars could look for a future replacement for one of the two. Byron Leftwich isn't afraid to take a hit, but he does need protection to be effective. The Jaguars could be drafting with the Best Player Available mindset, and if a guard is that player, the Jaguars could possibly look to draft them. The odds, however, point towards no.

[vicmantak]

Re: NFL Free Agent Offensive Guards

I don't know but when I continue breaking down some guards, Kris Dielman is still my favorite player to add and the reasons are the following evidences:

1. Chargers OL cap:
Johnson, Marcus OL Rookie #68
Barron, Alex OL Rookie #12
Goff, Mike OL San Diego Chargers 1515000.00
Oben, Roman OL San Diego Chargers 1100000.00
Jordan, Leander OL San Diego Chargers 700000.00
Fonoti, Toniu OL San Diego Chargers 455000.00
VanBuren, Courtney OL San Diego Chargers 380000.00
Hardwick, Nick OL San Diego Chargers 305000.00
Olivea, Shane OL San Diego Chargers 305000.00
Chris Dielman OG ERFA (tendered 300k)

2. Dielman's news:
Nov. 28, 2005
Lost in the wake of the numbers put up by QB Drew Brees, RB LaDainian Tomlinson and TE Antonio Gates is the way the offensive line has held up despite a number of injuries and the offseason departure of esteemed OL coach Hudson Houck. In 2004, C Nick Hardwick missed two games, and that was it for the offensive line. This season, however, only OG Mike Goff has started every game. Various injuries have forced OG Kris Dielman, C-OG Bob Hallen and OT Leander Jordan into the lineup. Dielman stayed put, replacing the since-traded Toniu Fonoti, but the fact the continuity up front hasn’t been disrupted despite the musical chairs has impressed teammates like Brees and sources alike.
Oct. 24, 2005
According to a league personnel executive, the Chargers are relieved to have finally rid themselves of the emotional roller coaster that was OG Toniu Fonoti. Word from NFL insiders indicates that Fonoti, a second-round pick in 2002, was complaining about the outcome of early-season surgery on his broken right hand, which required him to go under the knife again a few weeks later. In the past, he also has been at odds with the team over his weight, which we’re told is closer to 400 than the listed 350, and has seen his dedication called into question on more than one occasion. Since he’ll be a free agent after this season, the Chargers had no intention of rewarding him with the payday he feels he is entitled to and decided to get a late-round draft pick from the Vikings in exchange. Fonoti has proven to be a dominating run blocker at times and did play well in 2004, but the Chargers have not skipped a beat with his replacement, Kris Dielman, and have rid themselves of the lingering attitude problems.

Oct. 10, 2005
Road-grading OLG Toniu Fonoti was forced to undergo more surgery on his broken right hand last week, but his extended stay on the shelf is no longer considered that much of a detriment, considering the positive feedback Kris Dielman has received from his time in the lineup. In Dielman’s first two starts, QB Drew Brees was not sacked, and the Chargers rushed for 451 yards. A former undrafted free agent who worked overtime to make the transition from tight end and defensive tackle in college to the offensive line with San Diego’s practice squad as a rookie in 2003, Dielman is a feisty competitor who plays until the sound of the whistle and gets off the ball quickly to establish good position. His stellar work in driving the Patriots’ Vince Wilfork and Richard Seymour off the ball in Week Four earned a lot of praise from teammates. He also has opened some eyes around the league. “Kris Dielman is playing at a high level,” one NFL pro personnel director told PFW. “When a starter goes down, usually there is a drop-off in play. There was none when Tonoi Fonoti broke his hand. Dielman is nasty. He gets after it. He’s quick out on linebackers. He frustrated the best defensive tackle in football (Seymour) all afternoon. Not bad for an undrafted free agent.”