Ultimate Fantasy Football Strategy - Offensive Line Analysis

Carolina Panthers

2008 Projected Starters:
Left Tackle: Jordan Gross
Left Guard: Travelle Wharton
Center: Ryan Kalil
Right Guard: Keydrick Vincent
Right Tackle: Jeff Otah

2007 Injuries:
C Justin Hartwig: Week 17

2007 Statistics:

LEFT END		LEFT TACKLE		MID/GUARD		RIGHT TACKLE		RIGHT END		Passing
ALY	Rank	ALY	Rank	ALY	Rank	ALY	Rank	ALY	Rank	Sacks	Rank
5.24	3	3.78	26	3.86	23	4.16	19	4.72	5	33	17

ALY (Adjusted Line Yards): It is an alternate measure for yards per carry developed by Football Outsiders that takes into account various factors including down, distance, situation and opponent.
Source: www.footballoutsiders.com

Overview:
The Carolina Panthers had another disappointing season in 2007 mainly due to their offense which ranked 29th in the league in offensive yards. The running game was right along the league average of 4.0 yards per carry but the inconsistency at quarterback made the passing game inexistent. The Carolina Panthers made big changes to the offensive line this off-season as Justin Hartwig and former Pro Bowler Mike Wahle were both released.

At tackle, the Panthers will start their 2003 first round pick Jordan Gross as well as their 2008 first round pick Jeff Otah. Gross was the starting right tackle in 2007 but will make the switch to the left side this season. Gross has experience on the left side starting 15 games at left tackle in 2005 as well as most of the 2004 season. Gross had an exceptional season at right tackle in 2006 giving up only three sacks but has been average at best on the left side in the past. He is very durable, not having missed a start in five seasons which may be one of the reasons why the Panthers did not hesitate to use their franchise tag on him this off-season. Gross is a good run blocker but struggles in pass protection and will have to step up his game at left tackle against the best linemen in the league. On the right side will be Jeff Otah, a very big lineman at 6’6” and 325 lbs with great strength. He is very powerful and aggressive off the line and his quick feet allow him to block downfield. Otah however has poor technique so might struggle against more experienced linemen. His work ethic has also been questioned in the past which may be an issue because he has a lot to learn technique wise. He should be effective right away as a run blocker but is likely to struggle in pass protection in his rookie season. Jeremy Bridges who started 14 games at right tackle in 2006 will be the backup tackle this season. Bridges has been adequate at tackle in the past but he is more natural at guard. At 6’4” and 325 lbs, he will struggle to stay with faster defensive ends but has the ability to create holes in the running game.

The Panthers have decided to move Travelle Wharton to left guard; the Panthers 2004 third round pick who started all 16 games at left tackle in 2007. Wharton did a decent job at the tackle position in 2007 after missing most of the 2006 season due to a season ending knee injury suffered in week 2. Wharton is more suited to play inside because he lacks the quick feet and technique to play at left tackle in order to stay with speedy defensive ends. He remains an average pass blocker at guard but is a good run blocker because of his strength and should be even better this season now that his knee is at full strength. The right guard position will be pretty weak for this line. Keydrick Vincent, a 6’5” and 325 lbs guard is likely to be the starter on opening day. Vincent is a good run blocker because of his strength but has struggled with injuries in the past and is not very consistent. The Panthers also signed former second round pick Toniu Fonoti who has only played 12 games since 2004 and has struggled with his weight. Fonoti is very strong and will create holes in the running game as long as he stays in shape. Geoff Hangartner is a versatile 6’5” and 300 lbs offensive lineman. Hangartner was a fifth round pick in 2005 and has done a decent job as a replacement in the past. Hangartner is not particularly strong or athletic but will rarely make mistakes. He has an outside chance at the starting right guard position but is more likely to be the backup guard and center as he has been in the past.

Ryan Kalil is going to start at center this season after the team released Justin Hartwig in the off-season. Kalil was the team’s second round pick in 2007 out of USC but struggled in limited action at guard in his rookie season. He should be better at his natural position of center but it remains to be seen how he will adjust to the NFL game. Kalil is very smart and athletic, two excellent qualities for a center but lacks strength. He worked very hard last off-season and put on 15 lbs which shows he is very dedicated and is willing to learn. Kalil still has a lot of work to do and will likely be the weak link of this line this season but he should improve as the season progresses.

2008 Outlook:
The Panthers made several changes to their offensive line this off-season and are now a much younger line. The right side of this line is likely to struggle with rookie Jeff Otah, either Vincent or Fonoti at guard and second year Ryan Kalil at center. The left side of the line will be above average with Gross and Wharton and although they played those positions in the past they may need a little time to readjust. This line has very big linemen whose strength is run blocking so they should be able to remain at the league average of 4.0 yards per carry or slightly above depending on the performance of Williams and Stewart. The problem with this line will be in terms of pass protection and Delhomme is likely to see a lot of pressure. The good news is that his blind side will be reasonably well protected but he will have to find his receivers very quickly. Overall this line is quite inexperienced and will have to build chemistry in training camp but it should improve pretty quickly as the season progresses.