Wanted to get a couple of quick thoughts jotted down and solicit some opinions.  I'm in the crowd that thinks our OL was coming into their own the last few years.  By spending some good money (Hello Jeff Faine) and using multiple high draft picks (Joseph, Trueblood, Sears, Zuttah) and a bit of a reclamation project (Penn), we put together a young unit that should be able to grow together and develop into an outstanding unit.  Joseph, Trueblood, Sears, and perhaps Faine are big, athletic guys who are maulers.  They want to hit you every play and drive you backwards to open up holes.

This isn't intended to raise doubt, but more to ask questions.  To piggy back off the zone blocking piece that was posted, our new offense, which will utilize the zone blocking scheme, calls for smaller, more athletic guys.  Now, I fully believe that our OL is an athletic bunch.  Can they succeed and make the transition to a new offensive scheme that will play a bit away from their specialty?

The main person I want to point to is Joseph.  He is an absolute animal who will drive you back and get to the second level when called upon.  I truly think he can make the transition, but it might take a few games, or even a year.  I feel a bit disappointed that this OL the Bucs worked and paid to establish, which had formed an identity as a nasty unit (see Trueblood and his 1 personal foul per game average) will be asked to do something different.

If anyone can succeed, its these guys.  They all have high football IQ's, have the acumen to get it done, and are young enough, and athletic enough to take on this new system.

In fact, our OL should be around for years to come.  And the only change I would make (assuming the transition from man to zone blocking goes well) would be to nail down the left tackle spot.  I like what Penn has done, but for the money he wants, I think we can do better.  That, and hopefully Sears is healthy.  Zuttah is a great jack of all trades and will allow us continuity if/when someone goes down.

So what say you Buc 'em nation, how do you feel about our OL and making the transition?

(as an added bonus, for me, hoping this article will shed some light and allow me to part-time/full-time be part of the site).  i'll add a more formal "audition piece' in the near future.