IF it’s the 2025 version, then he won’t be worth it.
If it’s anything prior, then he would be. Just so tough to know right now.
All I need to hear.
I haven’t watched really any of this guy, but that’s the scouting report of someone I’d draft.
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Yeah, he might be my favorite combo of ceiling + hit the ground running of the legit options (I expect Freeling to be long gone).
But if you were to put together a tape of lowlights, it wouldn’t be pretty. That’s true of most players of course, even superstars, but Miller’s losses are almost always rooted in the same issue: a lack of power. Can he gain more? I think so. He’s older than Lomu and Freeling but still relatively early in his overall development. And there were some concerns he couldn’t add weight after playing three years right around 300, but then he apparently held on to 315 all season this year, which is a big step. And it showed, he packed more punch. I just wish we’d seen more. Aside from when he’s on the move and has momentum, he’s not really gonna displace anyone in the run game.
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Great write up. Sign me up for Max Iheanachor. That is our guy. Figure out how to get him without overpaying, sure. Maybe 17 isn’t the spot. But get him because he’s the guy who has the upside and tools. And no, maybe he isn’t ready day one but WTF are we doing if we force ourselves to draft a guy who has far less upside but is ready to be mediocre day one. Give me the guy that might take two years but will be a monster when he is ready.
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Most of the time, I’d agree, but we’re in a pretty unique spot this year on our timeline. Drafting a strictly developmental guy means keeping 5 tackles on the roster, unless they’re ready to give up on Manu which I doubt.
I also think you can win without a monster at tackle. Hell I wouldn’t call Decker a monster, and I don’t think the Seahawks or Pats had even one tackle you’d call great, let alone a monster. Cross is a good player but the rest are above average, basically.
Or they were most of the season, then Will Campbell got exposed by Seattle’s pass rush.
That’s what you can’t have, a hole at one tackle spot. Average is fine along the OL, a hole will be exploited.
Of course I’d prefer another monster like Penei as well, so honestly if we’re going for average I’d rather something of a stop-gap solution. There just aren’t a lot of those at tackle.
I am presuming Decker will retire. He already said right after our season was done that he would wait to announce anything, because emotionally he knew the answer in the moment. Our 2026 season will be DOA if there’s no viable solution at LT, so it’s seems that Brad’s hand is forced and one from your list above HAS to be taken…with the whole NFL knowing our bind, with the potential to jump in front of us and bend us over a barrel for draft capital.
My ideal 2 round draft without a trade at the moment is Keldric Faulk at #17 and Max Iheanachor at #50, while lighting a candle for Gumby Goff to survive the first few games. My glimpses of his Senior Bowl play give me irrational hope.
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Did he ever…
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Holmes is laughing at all of us.
Yep, it puts us in a real bind. Rock and a hard place, like I said.
Honestly a trade-up isn’t such a bad idea, at least we’ll get the one we want even if we have to overpay pretty badly. As long as we don’t give up any early 2027 picks, I’m fine with it. Just throw 2028 at them lol.
There are other options, of course, though none of them great. We could overpay for someone like Eleumunor, Braden Smith or Havenstein if they make it to market. It would give us a little flexibility at least.
We could also shock everyone and pay for a vet in trade. Lane Johnson wants to retire to protest the Stoutland stuff? How about a change of scenery instead? A fresh start? What would that cost?
Trent Williams finally started to look human this year, maybe he could be pried away from SF? Van Lanen stepped up for Jax this year and Little struggled, maybe they’d be amenable to moving him? Their GM and Brad have a working relationship from their days in LA, they’ve already made two trades in his year on the job. Options like that.
That’s who SiSi reminds me of.
Yeah that’s a pretty common comp. I think he has more upside personally as a guard - he doesn’t play as high imo, at least not as prospects - but can admit their builds and games are very similar. I expect they’ll be very similar as tackles too.
They both love the snatch and trap when dealing with any power related pass rush techniques. SiSi is even better in the run game IMO.
Yeah which is interesting, since as bigger guys they probably don’t need it as much. Flip side of course is power rushers might not expect it, though with as much tape as they watch they probably do. And of course it works really well against longer guys, and Wright and SiSi see a few of those.
I think they like embarrassing their opponents. Out of the ways to neutralize power it’s what makes your opponent look the most clownish. Not the most risk averse approach to neutralizing power though.
Ha, yeah maybe so. Some beat guy should ask them why they like it so much. You’d think dominating them mano e mano would bring the most satisfaction, but there’s nothing wrong with throwing an opponent through the Benny Hill wringer.
I had to look up his measurables because in that pic you posted of him he looks light
But damn 316 and 6’6"
Grat post BTW and thanks for all the info to read
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It’s the slippery banana peel approach to pass protection
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I agree about the timeline, but I still can’t fathom not taking into account what the player could be become when drafting. I’m not sure Max is two years away. I’m actually not sure he couldn’t be thrown to the wolves and learn a ton just at rookie camp and training camp. Maybe we throw Manu out there at first and work him in, or get a stop gap in FA, but I think he’s a guy you roll the dice on long term. It just doesn’t seem Brad Holmes-ish to me to take an inferior player either. The thing I like about Max is he has traits that are elite no matter what the year. 6’6 325-330lbs with nearly 35 inch arms and good feet? I mean…how do you not draft that over a guy who may be more polished year one but may never be strong enough to be effective? Like Miller or Lomu who you can’t be sure will get the strength he needs in his lower half. I dunno IMO they are ALL projects in their own way (as you pointed out originally). If I’m going to bet on a project, than I would rather bet on the guy with the guy with the highest ceiling. The job for Brad will be to determine if his floor is high enough to roll the dice on. I really do think they need to take one with their first pick (17 or trade down), but Brad is rarely predictable. He sort of was the last time we faced this situation though with Arnold, and that was not an upside pick IMO. At least not with the measurables - however he did fit very well with what they like in a corner (ability to play man, off man, zone etc multiple..). I guess it will really come down to whether Max will be considered strictly developmental. I think he might be a guy thy can build up throughout the season…
Also, I think the weird thing at 17 is..like..who really is a slam dunk at any positions there?? I mean we aren’t drafting a WR or a RB IMO. Maybe if one of the CBs fall I guess? I think the guy that we might take over him is Freeling just for the record…
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Yeah, it may have been an older pic. Most of his career was spent on the lighter side, I should have nabbed as recent of one as I could find, but just did an images search.