1 minute ago, 4for4EaglesNest said:

Meh.  Well first off, he's not really a finished product even on the left side.  And it took him a few years.  I wouldn't say it was fairly quickly.  He still needs to grow.  Just the first kick step is something that would take him a while to get down if he had to switch sides.  Dillard has been playing O-line for years.  I am sure in college, HS or camps he's been able to drill the kick step from the right side.  I would guess he has a lot more of experience at it than JM.  That's just one small aspect.  I would hate to restart JM progress or somewhat restart it, to appease a high draft pick by Lowie.  If Dillard has turned the corner emotionally, then he should be ready to swing to the right side.  IF!  But it wouldn't surprise me if they tried JM over there.  Nothing that Lowie does surprises me.  Since it would be a dumb idea, I am sure they'd be all for it.  

Well I would say he learned it fairly quickly for a guy that hadn't played it before. If Dillard wins the left over Mailata I would definitely see Mailata getting a shot at swing. If not Dilliard will. Let's not forget Lane is still here for now.

If I had to guess which one would play better on the right at some point, I would go with Jordan. 

28 minutes ago, EaglePhan1986 said:

 

I think he should change his name to Mick Nullens so people don't think he was the same player that lost to the team last year. 

23 minutes ago, Utebird said:

Mailata was a forward in rugby at a low level league at that 

If he's catching a pass in rugby its a backward pass for about a yard 

In the NFL they throw forward passes

Taking a pitch on a run is about the closest to rugby, TE not so much as one isn't allowed to block in rugby either.

Mailatas rugby experience doesn't really translate to TE.

 

Actually the only difference is that Rugby players don't use pads because they're not women.  

1 minute ago, NCiggles said:

I think he should change his name to Mick Nullens so people don't think he was the same player that lost to the team last year. 

Actually the only difference is that Rugby players don't use pads because they're not women.  

7 minutes ago, 4for4EaglesNest said:

We have 3 back-up QB's!  Wooo Hooo!  

That’s the value of 3 second round picks according to some.  Not too shabby.

Mullens is perfectly fine as QB#3.

14 minutes ago, Utebird said:

Seeing as he's already played RT in a few games and done well I'm not sure there is much to learn.thst he doesn't need to learn at LT( Started at RT vs Cowboys)

Mailata has more Value because can play both Tackle spots where as Dillard has shown he cannot even a little.

Actually he has not shown that. He had three days of prep to play a brand-new position. Yes, he was bad but he had no chance.

16 minutes ago, NCiggles said:

I think he should change his name to Mick Nullens so people don't think he was the same player that lost to the team last year. 

Actually the only difference is that Rugby players don't use pads because they're not women.  

Some players will wear shoulder pads under their jersey, they are soft pads though no hard pads are allowed in rugby.

Personally I think hard pads in football cause more damage than they protect.

Especially with how NFL has legislated out big hits and protecting offensive players.

In rugby they teach cheek to cheek tackling, face cheek to but cheek, high tackles and low tackles are illegal, as is launching ones body into a guy ( nfl teaches cheek to cheek now)

Hard pads and hard helmets in football allow tacklers to use their bodies as projectiles to launch at opposing runners.

There are less head injuries in rugby than in football.

One reason is the way the game is designed, for instance in rugby not often is a guy blindsided over the middle if the field by a guy running full speed at him. The big guys like Mailata take the brunt of hits but most the time the runners nor the defenders are running full speed, they're not running their heads into each other 60 times a game.

Occasionally a freak of nature like Jonah Lomu who was a wing for the All Blacks will come around whose got 4.5 speed and tree trunks for legs and guys trying to tackle him out on the edge going full speed will get hurt when he trucks them, but those guys are few and far between.

If one watches 7s rugby it even less dangerous as it's more like watching soccer with an an occasional tackle, it's wide open non stop running, minimal scrums and hardly ever any mauls, would compare well to 7 on 7 football.

Having said that None of Mailatas rugby skills as a forward translate to TE skills in the NFL.

 

3 minutes ago, justrelax said:

Actually he has not shown that. He had three days of prep to play a brand-new position. Yes, he was bad but he had no chance.

Mailata didn't have much more.

I'm not sure what Dillard would do if asked to play RT again, done guys can switch between the two sides some can't, Dillard so far has shown he can't, does that mean he can't learn? 

Nope just means that so far in limited time he's shown he can't 

Just now, Utebird said:

Mailata didn't have much more.

I'm not sure what Dillard would do if asked to play RT again, done guys can switch between the two sides some can't, Dillard so far has shown he can't, does that mean he can't learn? 

Nope just means that so far in limited time he's shown he can't 

I think you need to account for muscle memory and that Dillard has  played for years at LT. I'd expect Mailata to be able to switch sides because he doesn't have either LT or RT engraved into him. They also were cross training Mailata at RT during TC last year, so he had a bit of a headstart already. 

Dillard, physically, is a much better fit as a pass blocking finesse LT.  Short prep or not, he was horrific as RT.  So why?  Why even discuss it?

Let the guy settle at LT and see what he can do.  

 

19 minutes ago, RLC said:

Mullens is perfectly fine as QB#3.

Maybe he can be the long term backup so we don’t have to spend a second round pick on one. 

Just now, ManuManu said:

Maybe he can be the long term backup so we don’t have to spend a second round pick on one. 

Maybe if he can avoid Tommy John surgery. 

Howies biggest weaknesses, Day 2 of the draft and finding a backup QB.

3 minutes ago, eagle45 said:

Dillard, physically, is a much better fit as a pass blocking finesse LT.  Short prep or not, he was horrific as RT.  So why?  Why even discuss it?

Let the guy settle at LT and see what he can do.  

Is there really much difference between left and right tackle anymore? It’s not 1995. 

5 minutes ago, ManuManu said:

Is there really much difference between left and right tackle anymore? It’s not 1995. 

Pretty sure since 1995 right handed qbs didn’t start facing the opposite side.  Defenses are more symmetric than they used to be, but qbs still have a blind side.  

1 minute ago, eagle45 said:

Pretty sure since 1995 right handed qbs didn’t start facing the opposite side.  Defenses are more symmetric than they used to be, but qbs still have a blind side.  

Of course, but that’s not the point. You can have a finesse pass blocking RT. 

2 minutes ago, 4for4EaglesNest said:

And tackles still have to kick out either to their left or right.  Which is something they train at.  Unless you're Winston Justice, then when you're playing LT, you kick to the right, which really worked for him.  

It was one game when he’d barely ever practiced on that side. Let’s not act like it’s impossible for him to learn the right side.

If he can’t do it, he can’t do it, but it makes no sense to completely write him off. 

32 minutes ago, LeanMeanGM said:

I think you need to account for muscle memory and that Dillard has  played for years at LT. I'd expect Mailata to be able to switch sides because he doesn't have either LT or RT engraved into him. They also were cross training Mailata at RT during TC last year, so he had a bit of a headstart already. 

Yup absolutely, Mailata doesn't have years and years of muscle memory from playing one spot for 4 years in college plus high school.

Having said that other guys that have played football their whole lives can make the switch others can't 

Tra Thomas was a pro bowl LT after at least 10 seasons of only playing LT the Jags moved him to RT and he looked pretty bad, he was older but still he struggled.

Where as take a guy like herremans who played every position on the line but center and did well enough at all of them.

Driscoll is the same way except he's played center as well, a guy like Driscoll who can potentially play all 5 spots adds alot more value to a roster than a guy who can only play one, especially if he's a backup OL.

Until Dillard actually shows he can play RT he can't.

 

1 hour ago, Utebird said:

Mailata was a forward in rugby at a low level league at that 

If he's catching a pass in rugby its a backward pass for about a yard 

In the NFL they throw forward passes

Taking a pitch on a run is about the closest to rugby, TE not so much as one isn't allowed to block in rugby either.

Mailatas rugby experience doesn't really translate to TE.

He at least has some experience catching a ball in game like conditions, most OL have none. Not thinking about him as a "true TE," rather those plays where he has to declare that he's an eligible receiver if he lined up outside Lane, throw it to him underneath and let him truck some LBs (should have a heck of a straight arm).

Though I've always thought that Lane could be dangerous as a TE with his athleticism and background as a QB and TE before he switched to OL, but at this point in his career you might be worried about getting him injured. Before he bulked up a bit he was probably faster than a lot of NFL TEs (4.7+ at 300 lbs at the combine).

Isn't Lane under contract for like 5 more years? I remember they extended him and I think added a bunch of void years

46 minutes ago, 4for4EaglesNest said:

If JM wins the LT spot.  Then they need to get Dillard ready on the right.  Because when Lane gets injured, I’d hate to see them replace two players because Dillard wasn’t ready for the right spot.  

agree

14 minutes ago, Mike030270 said:

Isn't Lane under contract for like 5 more years? I remember they extended him and I think added a bunch of void years

Signed through 2025 technically, but they can get out sooner if they wanted. 

7 minutes ago, 4for4EaglesNest said:

I agree 100% if you're talking about Dillard.  I am not writing off JM at the left side.  Never said that.  I am saying I would prefer he stay right where he is, since he's progressed nicely.  Rather than start him over on the right side.  Dillard has been an O lineman for years.  It should be more of a natural transition for him than a former rugby player, freak of an athlete.  Let him continue to grow where he is.    But the notion that it's not 1995 and there is no difference between LT and RT is plain silly.  

I’m talking generally speaking in terms of typecasting (as in finesse pass blocker means he has to play left), not technique. 

33 minutes ago, austinfan said:

He at least has some experience catching a ball in game like conditions, most OL have none. Not thinking about him as a "true TE," rather those plays where he has to declare that he's an eligible receiver if he lined up outside Lane, throw it to him underneath and let him truck some LBs (should have a heck of a straight arm).

Though I've always thought that Lane could be dangerous as a TE with his athleticism and background as a QB and TE before he switched to OL, but at this point in his career you might be worried about getting him injured. Before he bulked up a bit he was probably faster than a lot of NFL TEs (4.7+ at 300 lbs at the combine).

As soon as Mailata caught the ball teams would just chop his legs out -- nobody would try to tackle him up high.  Not sure the repeated contact on his knees and legs would be worth the entertainment value

2 hours ago, 4for4EaglesNest said:

So a guy who never played the game before we got him, trained and worked at playing the left side for the better part of the last 3 years.  Now you want to swing him to the right side and recalibrate his learning curve?  Bad Idea!  Really bad idea....

He's already been cross-training at RT.   He took all the snaps at RT in the preseason prior to the 2019 season.