Just so that we are clear, this is the beginning of a new discussion:
drafting O-line vs. drafting D-line.
My mentioning drafting 3 O-linemen was a half-joke. I always felt that a strength of any O-line is their ability to communicate. Ergo, I half-jokingly stated that we could draft a new left side, in order to have them grow together.
In the draft “game” thread, I drafted 3 O-linemen, because three guys who I really liked were available. So, why not.
Foster is done. He was one of my favorite players, but he’s become a liability. One could move Feiler to LG, and that is indeed logical. That said, it leaves a hole at RT.
AV is slowing. Pouncey is going to retire when Ben does. So, in the very near future, we will need a LT and an OC (in addition to the immediate need at RT). Maybe those replacements are already on the roster, or maybe they’re not.
I’d rather be safe than sorry. Mind you, 3 miiight be a bit extreme, but I would balk at drafting 2 O-linemen... and I’d draft them early.
Now, for the D-line.
Heyward is old. And, at his age, he could fall off the cliff at any point. That said, his play last season was much better than that of either AV or Pouncey. If I were to wager which of the three needs to be replaced sooner, it’d be one of the O-linemen.
Tuitt had an injury. True, he may never return to the same level of play. Then again, Heyward had the exact same injury a few years back, and he recovered just fine.
I am a big fan of Buggs. I think that “at worst” he surpasses Alualu’s position in the depth chart, and possibly Buggs becomes Heyward’s replacement in the 2021 season. But, YES, I’d draft another D-lineman... to replace Alualu for the 2021 season.