Opening Day OL Starters

[TheCardFan]

LT - Wells
LG - Gandy
C - Johnson
RG - Lutui
RT - Levi Brown

 

[Shogun]

Gandy
Wells
Johnson
Lutui
Levi Brown

Not the best lineup, but that's what I'm seeing. They'll make a change midseason.

 

[football karma]

LT - Wells
LG - Gandy/brown
C - Johnson
RG - Lutui
RT - Levi Brown

I think this is where they end up

 

[AntSports Steve]

Now that that drafted Levi Brown, the Grimm will have his work cut out trying to figure out the best group and where they should play.

Levi Brown has played LT since high school and never played on the right side. I'm sure he's hoping to continue to play LT. His abilities may lead more towards the right side in the NFL as most of those DEs have less speed. Plus, him and Lutui would make a great side to run the ball on as both are power run blockers.

Gandy failed at LT, but did OK at LG. He may also benifit some by trying him at RT where his power is put to better use.

Wells, jack of all trades. He has played LT, LG, OC, RT so far in the NFL. He's really a pass blocking type player and not the run blocker Whiz is looking for. He could start at either OT spot but I don't think he's the long term solution for any of the OL positions. I think he's the ideal backup player who can play at any position if needed.

So the OT position should be interesting. Levi, Gandy, Wells, and Ross (who I'm sure doesn't want to lose his job) will all fight it out. Should be interesting.

The Center position will be a nice battle. Either should do nicely.

At guard, M. Brown was last years starter. I though he did good once he was put at his natural position of LG. Did Grimm demote him or was he not part of the announced starting lineup because he was off getting married?

Elton Brown may not make the team, but he should get a new chance at live with the new coaches. Did he get a wake-up call and will he start putting some heart into it or will he bow out and be cut? Backup guard only.

Lutui seems the only player with his position locked.

If Wells, Gandy or both lose out at the OT spot, both will try to get the starting LG spot. So the battle at OG should be huge.

I think Levi will have to earn his spot so they can't announce him as a starter. So the coaches will probably start with the OL they announced:

LT - Ross
LG - Wells / M.Brown
OC - Johnson / Lecky
RG - Lutui / E. Brown
RT - Gandy

So, who's the better tackle? Ross or Gandy? I'm thinking Gandy, since the coaches/Graves choose him. So he stays at RT. That means if Levi is going to start this year, they'll try him at LT. And since that's where he is used to playing, he will have the least learning curve (a switch to RT may take some time).

So, I say the OL ends up on Opening day :

LT - Levi Brown
LG - Gandy
OC - Johnson
RG - Lutui
RT - Wells

I choose this OL because I think Levi will get a shot at LT and he's probably the best the Cards have. Gandy has played LG and is a reasonable vet to put next to a rookie. At RT, I think they try lots of combos and finally Wells ends up there again. The coaches won't like Wells there, but Gandy, Ross, Gorin all get the QB hit too often in training camp so Wells ends up there by default.

What does everyone else think. Really it all depends on where the coaches put Levi.

 

[Redsz]

Good thoughts Steve.

As I said in another thread, I would be over the moon with a right side that consisted of RG Deuce Lutui and RT Levi Brown. Add C Al Johnson or C Nick Leckey and 3/5 of the line is set IMO.

I going to keep saying this until I'm blue in the face, but based on what I have seen, I believe Grimm and Whiz are making a mistake with Wells at LG. He isn't an interior player, he is a tackle and is best suited on the outside where he can use his foot speed more effectivley against less powerful DE's. My hope is that Whiz and Grimm see this and move him to LT.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Wells is going to the bench,at least i hope he is. In another thread, this is my prediction and i'm sticking to it.This is our best run blocking OL:

LT-Gandy
LG-Milford Brown
C-Johnson
RG-Lutui
RT-Levi Brown

backups: Ross, Wells, Leckey, Mitchell, Gorin, possibly Elton Brown over one of these guys if he ever gets motivated.

 

[Stout]

Wells is going to the bench,at least i hope he is. In another thread, this is my prediction and i'm sticking to it.This is our best run blocking OL:

LT-Gandy
LG-Milford Brown
C-Johnson
RG-Lutui
RT-Levi Brown

backups: Ross, Wells, Leckey, Mitchell, Gorin, possibly Elton Brown over one of these guys if he ever gets motivated.

That's what I think WILL happen, but I think Gandy in the starting 5 is stupid. They have said for sure that Wells is a G now, but I think that is idiotic at best. They would be BEST served with this lineup, IMO:

LT-Wells
LG-Milford Brown
C-Johnson/Leckey
RG-Lutui
RT-Levi Brown

 

[PACardsFan]

That's what I think WILL happen, but I think Gandy in the starting 5 is stupid. They have said for sure that Wells is a G now, but I think that is idiotic at best. They would be BEST served with this lineup, IMO:

LT-Wells
LG-Milford Brown
C-Johnson/Leckey
RG-Lutui
RT-Levi Brown

I agree with Stout. Gandy was a depth signing. Milford Brown & Lutiu will undoubtedly be our starting G's with Wells & Levi as our best options at T. Our OL is & will continue to be a work in progress. I have a ton of respect for Grimm, so I really believe we will see continued progress & that under this regime, the OL will soon be a strength of this team. Whiz & Grimm have a plan & this team will have an IDENTITY soon. Every successful franchise establishes an identity and then sticks to their guns. Under Whiz, we will be far nastier, far more physical, & teams will know come Monday morning that the Arizona Cardinals are a team to be reckoned with.

 

[AntSports Steve]

I read in another thread that Whiz is going to put Levi at RT, so I'll go with Stout's OL :

LT-Wells
LG-Milford Brown
C-Johnson/Leckey
RG-Lutui
RT-Levi Brown

For this year, I think it will allow the Cards to run and protect the QB. I'm thinking in the 2008 offseason, they will look for another OT to replace Wells as he will be the weak link by then.

I sure like all the competation for starting jobs!

Go Cards!

 

[PrescottLooie]

I like MB and Lutui at Guards, Leckey at Center, Levi at one of the Tackle spots and Mr. X at the other. (where Mr. X = Gorin, Gandy or Wells) OBTW, what ever happened to Gorin ? Seems like he should be in the mix somewhere. He is certainly better than Ross.

 

[joeshmo]

I think Lutui and Brown will be teamed up on the right side and have a chance to grow into something good to great, but it will take a year.

But any combo of the remaining players on the left side looks really, really scary bad. Ross, Gandy, Brown, Wells. Especially if they continue with this dumb idea of Wells at OG.

 

[BullheadCardFan]

LT - Wells
LG - Gandy
C - Johnson
RG - Lutui
RT - Levi Brown

That is what I would like to see as the starting lineup ...

Gorin and Ross as backup tackles .. Gorin deserves a chance to win the LT job ... Ross is a zero in my book ...

E. Brown and M. Brown as backup guards .. M. Brown may push Gandy out for the starting LG job ... E. Brown is on thin ice .. Grimm will not tolerate his lazy rear end ...

Leckey as backup center ...

 

[Goldfield]

Good thoughts Steve.

As I said in another thread, I would be over the moon with a right side that consisted of RG Deuce Lutui and RT Levi Brown. Add C Al Johnson or C Nick Leckey and 3/5 of the line is set IMO.

I going to keep saying this until I'm blue in the face, but based on what I have seen, I believe Grimm and Whiz are making a mistake with Wells at LG. He isn't an interior player, he is a tackle and is best suited on the outside where he can use his foot speed more effectivley against less powerful DE's. My hope is that Whiz and Grimm see this and move him to LT.

I agree 100% with you.

The Ideal lineup is:
LT-Wells
LG-M.Brown
C-Lecky/Johnson
RG-Lutui
RT-L.Brown

 

[Goldfield]

One thing is for sure. There are alot of bodies to fight it out. How ever it turns out I think it will be improved. The only negative I see is if Wells stays at guard(Hate him there).

 

[Lagerfilled]

How do we know that both E Brown and B Gorin weren't in Denny's proverbial "point of no return" dog house - maybe even underservingly. Both could very well earn spots on this team, and may even push for starting spots. We'll see come August.

 

[Brewster10]

You can take this to the bank...

RT:Levi Brown
RG: Deuce Latui
C: Al Johnson
LG: Gandy/Wells
LT: Oliver Ross


Im sorry but Oliver Ross is gonna be a starter..

No doubt in my mind that Wells should be the LT.. with Gandy and Milford Brown fighting for the LG spot...

I think everyone agrees with this, but i dount the coaches will make it happen.. Looks for Reggie Wells and Milford Brown to be fazed out by this coaching staff

 

[ThunderCard]

I just don't get it ... Levi has been a LT since high school why would we switch him to the right side in the pros. Did we not learn are lesson with BIG at all ? Like the previous poster also said Wells can not play in the interior and was decent to good at RT last year. I also believe the strength of our line was Milford Brown at LG. This would be my starting line up

LT Levi Brown / Ross and Gorin backup
LG Milford Brown / Gandy and E Brown backup
C Al Johnson / Lecky backup
RG Deuce Lutui / Gandy and E Brown backup
RT Reggie Wells / Ross and Gorin backup

 

[Urubu Rei]

I just don't get it ... Levi has been a LT since high school why would we switch him to the right side in the pros. Did we not learn are lesson with BIG at all ? Like the previous poster also said Wells can not play in the interior and was decent to good at RT last year. I also believe the strength of our line was Milford Brown at LG. This would be my starting line up

LT Levi Brown / Ross and Gorin backup
LG Milford Brown / Gandy and E Brown backup
C Al Johnson / Lecky backup
RG Deuce Lutui / Gandy and E Brown backup
RT Reggie Wells / Ross and Gorin backup

I believe that coach wis wants more power in the running game from the right side, thats why they are putting L.Brown there.

Also I think Gorin and E.Brown will be cut.