Evaluation of Offense: OL

Finally comes the offensive line.

LT Vernon Carey

Considered to be our best offensive lineman by many, Carey is a bit out of place at left tackle. In college he played some guard because he is simply a better run blocker than he is a pass blocker. If we draft a guy like Jake Long, I would consider moving him back to a more comfortable position.

Verdict: A keeper for sure. He might never make a Pro Bowl, but you could do much worse at left tackle, or any other position on the OL that he might play.

LG Chris Liwienski

A castoff from Arizona, he deserves the same fate this season. At one point he got benched for Lekekekekekekekker.

Verdict: Serviceable backup, but LG is probably the biggest hole on this offensive line.

C Samson Satele

The Wes Welker trade came out as a bounty for the Patriots, but with that 2nd round pick we got a very nice surprise in Samson Satele. I was worried about his run blocking ability having come from a pass-only offense in Hawaii, but Samson has improved over time and should be an anchor on this line for the next decade.

Verdict: Probably the best pick of the 2007 Draft for us so far.

RG Rex Hadnot

Those who don't think Carey is our best offensive lineman are on the Hadnot bandwagon. Personally, I've never been a fan of his. I don't see what others do when they rave about his mean streak and his blocking ability. He isn't bad though. An upgrade is possible, but not a priority.

Verdict: I would like him back, but the high opinion of his abilities will probably price him out of Miami. Considering last year's market for offensive lineman, Hadnot will demand a salary he is not worthy of.

RT LJ Shelton

I think the LJ Shelton experiment is about over. He isn't an awful offensive lineman, but we can certainly do better at tackle. The pass blocking deteriorated towards the end of the year and he was partly to blame.

Verdict: He makes 3 million next year so expect him to get the ax.

T Anthony Alabi

A mystery on this roster. Coaches keep praising him, as do players, but yet he never gets on the field. When he does, he is terrible. He was taken as a project in the later rounds and it doesn't look like it has worked out.

Verdict: He might stick around because he is cheap and it becomes cumbersome to overhaul an entire roster at once.

G/C Drew Mormino

He expected to get a chance to start at LG before getting hurt and being placed on injured reserve. Look for him to get a chance again if we don't find a good guard in free agency or in the draft.

Verdict: Deserves another look next season but might find himself backing up a left guard or Samson Satele. Don't rule him out as a starter if Hadnot leaves in free agency.

G/T Joe Toledo

The red flag on him coming out of college was that he was injury prone and so far that has been the case. The 4th round project has failed miserably at staying healthy, having been placed on IR both years he was here.

Verdict: It's a shame because supposedly when he is on the field, he is effective. However, I don't want brittle guys on my roster if I am Bill Parcells. He might end up a casualty of the purge if the front office doesn't think he is worth the risk.

G Cory Lekkerkerker

I don't know if it is harder to pronounce his name or to evaluate him. He was brought in later in the season off the Chargers roster, thanks to his familiarity with Cameron's system. When placed in the starting lineup though, the entire line began to break down, though not necessarily because of him.

Verdict: The poor line play towards the end of the year might spell doom for him, but again, he is a borderline call here. The staff might choose to keep him and cut Toledo.