The Vikings drafted him to play guard or he starts out playing tackle in practice day 1. That is the only logical explanation for them playing him at guard before seeing him for one minute in training camp.Pondering Her Percy wrote: ↑Mon Oct 26, 2020 8:06 amBut somehow he's now a viable option at RG? A position he's never played and also on the complete opposite side of the OL. Everyone also said Brian O'Neill wasnt ready and needed to get stronger. Brian O'Neill has done just fine. However the only reason he went in his rookie year was because of Hill getting hurt. That's the classic Zimmer way, too afraid to hurt someones feelings and bench them outright.StumpHunter wrote: ↑Fri Oct 23, 2020 3:42 pm
Cleveland has played a total of 3 snaps in practice at tackle in Kubiak's zone blocking scheme and that was only because he got in the wrong line during a drill in camp. Unless the Vikings want him to be the catalyst to being as bad as the Jets, I don't think he is a viable option at LT this year and might never be one.
Either way, we have plenty of OT depth even outside of Cleveland. You could put Hill or Udoh there. You could move O'Neill to LT and put Hill or Udoh at RT. You could move O'Neill to LT and have Cleveland go to RT. We have plenty of options if we trade Reiff.
Also, the combine numbers (granted it's only the combine I know) but.....
-Same height as O'Neill
- <1" difference in arm length and hand size
-13 pounds heavier than O'Neill
-2" Longer wingspan than O'Neill
-40 yard dash- Cleveland- 4.93 O'Neill- 4.80
-20 yard split- Cleveland- 2.90 O'Neill- 2.83
-10 yard split- Cleveland- 1.73 O'Neill- 1.70
-Bench press- Cleveland- 30 reps O'Neill- 22 reps
-Vertical- Cleveland- 30" O'Neill- 29.5"
-Broad jump- Cleveland- 111" O'Neill- 107"
-20 yard shuttle- Cleveland- 4.46 O'Neill- 4.50
-3 cone- Cleveland- 7.26 O'Neill- 7.14
This is every major category at the combine and the numbers are nearly identical across the board. I said the second Cleveland was drafted that he is a clone to O'Neill. This guy is an offensive tackle. Whether it's the right side or left side, he needs to be at tackle IMO and what better time to do it than now. Let him get experience there heading into next year. Why they have him at RG is beyond me. I dont think this staff truly believes that he is a "future guard". I think they simply knew they had a massive problem at both guard spots and hope he would fix it.
Zimmer benched Hodges almost immediately in the 2015 season to put in Kendricks as a rookie. He started Barr as a rookie from day 1 as well. He will play a rookie if they are ready on defense at least.
Offensively, I am not sure Zimmer makes those decisions or if he leaves it to his OC discretion. He obviously has the final say, but he is likely going with what his OC recommends. Based on how poorly Cleveland played at guard, his OC was right to not start Cleveland as a rookie. Plus, Reiff is playing really well. So that leaves Jefferson not starting over a much lesser WR, but getting more snaps than that starter from week 1. Stupid Zimmer.