Football experts: Making the switch from left to right tackle
 

People are throwing this idea around a lot. Donald Stephenson and Jeff Allen get a shot at starting RT. Branden Albert should move from left to right. Jake Long should sign as a RT. Meanwhile, the Packers are openly entertaining the idea of moving Bryan Bulaga to from RT to LT, figuring that their best lineman on the roster needs to play the most important position.

My only experience with watching these side switches occurred in 2002 where John Tait moved over to RT to make room for Willie Roaf. Oh, and also when Damien McIntosh moved from LT to RT to make way for Branden Albert, but nobody really gives a shit about that.

However, I do remember the John Tait thing being considered a big deal. Tait did offseason interviews at OTAs and at training camp where he explained the sheer amount of work that is involved in making the switch. It's a muscle memory thing. You're taking everything you learned how to do with your right and left hands and feet and flip-flopping it all. Not only do your responsibilities in terms of the playbook change, but the entire TECHNIQUE is different, and requires careful, repetitive drills to be hammered out so the switch goes smoothly.

So my question is am I accurate with that description of making the switch? Or am I (and Tait) blowing shit out of proportion? Because to me, it seems like Albert is pretty resistant to making that change not only for the money and for his personal pride as a premier LT in the league, but also because he probably doesn't feel like re-learning how to play the tackle position in one offseason, where he would then potentially have to leave the team if the Chiefs want to go in a different direction. Why put in the work if the results aren't worth it, after all?

Per Donald Stephenson

Chiefs fans need to start giving Brandon Albert his respect.. We are blessed with one of the top LT in the league.. Show some appreciation!!

You're a teacher.

You ever given an assignment to some students who openly complained that your totally doable task was, like, totes unreasonable and that Mr. SNR is a big fat bundle of sticks who hates you and doesn't value you because he totally doesn't respect the workload he foisted upon you?

That's what your average LT having to switch to RT does.

You'll notice when RTs switch over to LT, they're almost always like "yeah, it's something you have to get used to, but you put in the hours, rely on your coaching and I'm good enough to make this work." Meanwhile LTs are like "god this is impossible -- I've spent all this time on LT and they're throwing it away so I have to learn a whole new position -- you might as well be asking me to learn Japanese, you assholes."

I've no doubt it takes getting used to. But it's probably a respect thing more than it is a technically difficult thing.

He doesn't want his spot threatened.
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As a former wideout I know I favored one side over the other. the footwork is different, the hand work too. If you would listen to that Landry interview I posted for you, he also covers this and he is referring to the Chiefs' players talking about it. It is different. Some guys can, some cannot play both sides. Some cannot switch.

There are a lot of FA though, bet they grab a RT there on the 12th or so.

and no - it isn't a muscle memory thing because you have to master it before your body can memorize it.

Dear Donald, you are WAY late to the party, we already do, and have for the last several years.

Also, while its fashionable to hate everything ESPN, i just watched Schlereth talk about just how hard it really is to switch tackle positions... its a desperation move at best and usually isnt in the best interest of the player, particularly if he's been in the same spot for several years.

The thought of trying to switch Albert to LT? i'll have to see it to believe it... these guys cant possibly be that dumb.

STFU:doh!:

Mr. Stephenson:

Branden Albert is being paid top 5 LT money. If Coach Reid tell his to shag punts or block on ST... then he should be grateful for the opportunity to be paid that much money to do so. Chiefs fans have a very difficult time respecting ANY player who takes the stance of himself above the team. If moving to RT or LG improves the team... I expect him to do so while being paid more per game than the majority of us get paid per year to go to work every single day.

In the end. Branden Albert needs to cash his check and STFU. Whining on Twitter is something I would expect from a drama queen like TO. Not a professional like B. Albert.

I feel that Donald Stephenson will be the RT.

Stupid as ****.

You have a point to a certain extent. Yes Albert will make a crap ton playing under the Tag, but if he switches to RT he will be costing himself money long term. I think people are glossing over this fact far too much. It's the same fight T. Suggs had when they tried to tag him as a DE instead of an OLB.
There isn't a person on this forum that would be willing to take what amounts to a demotion without bitching about it.

Brandon Albert is going to Chicago?

Mr. Capone:

What if your employer asked you to move to a new position, where you will be paid the same, but it will severely hinder your advancement in the future, and thus, your future earnings?

In Albert's case, if he hits FA, he may be paid RT money instead of LT money, or he'll have to hope a team will pay him LT money and go from LT-->RT-->LT. That's not fair to the player.

agreed. it is not what I expected from Branden, but lately he has shown a different side of himself.

But they did not tag him to put him at RT or LG imo. Either they are going to get him to settle down and focus on his career here or they are going to trade him.

Great minds.

Why **** with something that isnt broken? Keep Albert at LT.

Exactly.

wtf is wrong with you. if a player is good at LT and is moved to RT due to circumstance/needs and then hits the FA, other teams are going to know his history. those that aren't picked up and moved to LT again aren't good. JFC it's pro sports not high school.

great piles of shit.

Agreed

Fair point. I can see both sides.

Coming from the guy who just said, "As a former wideout..."

Playing different sides of the field as a wideout is similar to playing opposite sides of the line. Different footwork, technique, etc. Why is that hard to understand?

This also goes completely against your first post (which I agree with, but qualifying it with "As a former wideout..." is comical at best).

He has to learn what is essentially an entirely new position at a high level, and be effective. You are underestimating the difficulty of switching between the two sides. It's bad for both parties (player and team).

It's not hard to understand, it's just a poor way of qualifying his post.

It's coming from someone who likely didn't play at this level. Further, it is in no way comparable to LT to RT or vice versa. It may be challenging, but not to the same degree.

Maybe we should ask Alex Smith to play RT.

Ian Rappoport just said that the Chiefs view Albert as their long term answer at LT and Albert will not play RT.

****

:clap:

I was going to post the same thing, I just heard it on NFL Radio.

Isn't that a good thing?

Why? Hopefully this means we dont have to worry about taking a Tackle. I seriously doubt they would draft Fisher or Joker and make them play RT.

Thats a good thing.

However he said we COULD draft Joeckel and he would play RT. But #1 for a RT dont see it.

If that's their intention, there's no way we draft one of the LTs at 1.1. Hell, I don't even think we'll take them if we trade down.

It's Ian Rapoport.

Ian Rapeaport is consistently wrong.

He said we could. Didnt say we are.

Maybe Albert will be OK playing guard like in his college days...
















:whackit:

He wasn't wrong when he said the Chiefs "could" hire Kirk Ferentz, even with all this Andy Reid talk going on.

John Tait did it and our offense was awesome!

Seriously though... he did end up moving to RT here, but he signed with Chicago for big money and still played LT.

No... that can't be right. Once people get moved to RT they are stuck at that pay grade and position permanently. /Cephalic Trauma

I'm with Direckshun and pr_capone on this. RTs love to make the switch to the higher paid position. LTs hate to make the switch to the lower paid position. It takes some work to switch, but any of the most physically talented guys (i.e. the LTs) should be able to do it, particularly if they have an offseason to work at it.

Bouncing back and forth on a game to game basis is probably not the best idea though.

BTW, how many NFL wide receivers are strictly right side or left side receivers? Zero?

Anyone claiming that spending the one/one on Joekel and then moving him to RT is a move to be applauded much less defended needs to seriously go **** themselves. At that point, you WILL in fact be, the dumbest **** ever.
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The Chiefs have a history of taking a player at an established position, and for no intelligent reason, just dicking around with them.

Usually its where they draft Safeties and try to turn them into cornerbacks. (See exhibits Eric Warfield and William Bartee)

It worked out OK for Tamba, but he really wasnt a head turner on the d-line anyway.

Albert is upper echelon LT caliber. Theres absolutely no reason to move him to RT.

Can you blame LTs, especially good ones?

Pretty sure it's zero, but maybe some have a good side?

Marvin Harrison used to always line up on the right side.

I keep thinking it can't be that tough in my head, but then I think about how horrendous I am at driving to the basket with my left hand as opposed to my right. I guess this is the same concept..

Blame them? No, I don't blame them for wanting to play the more highly respected and more well paid position. But can they switch? Sure they can switch.

If you practiced every day doing nothing but driving to the basket with your left hand, you'd get better at it. But I don't think playing OT is quite as dependent on your strong hand.

I think it would be harder for Albert, who's played LT for five years now, to adjust, than guys like Stephenson or Allen. They are young and still adapting. Plus both of them would jump at the opportunity to play that position.

Its a money thing. Top right tackles get 4-5 million, top left get 9-10 million. He moves the years after his franchise tag he loses alot of money. He needs to hold firm.

Like , as mentioned earlier, John Tait lost a lot of money... right?

So your only example is a player from a decade ago?

Do starting LT's get moved all that often that there should be a record kept somewhere?

I'm sorry that I am having a difficult time feeling pity for a guy making 10m and throwing a bitch fit about it on Twitter. If he didn't want to feel like KC fans were turning against him... perhaps he should have not made a bunch of pouty posts about the matter online and been just a touch more professional.

Of course they can switch. The question is, what is most effective for the team (Albert won't be as polished at RT) and the player (Albert will likely take a hit in FA based on position or ineffective play from frequent switching)?

I don't think you guys realize how important footwork is for a tackle. It takes most guys years to refine it to the finished product. If you want him to play at a high level, leave him at LT.

For comparison, try fapping with your left hand.

It's relative. Answer my question I posed to you earlier. Would you do it?

My guess is no.

(And don't give me the "Yeah, I would do it if I were making 10 million dollars" schtick, because we both know being a very good player in a league where only .00002% of the population can hack it means he's earned his check.)

I would. Not because of 10m but because there are 52 other guys on my team counting on me, as the best Tackle currently on the roster, to get out there and do my thing. TEAM.

That said, moving to RT for a season would NOT hinder Albert's ability to grow or get paid in the future as shown by the only other LT to RT conversion I can think of in recent memory (Tait). Every single GM out there knows that #76 is a LT. It shows he is a leader and does what is required when the team is in a jam. If I am a GM, that is a quality I would look for and pay for.

Me? If I were employed by a company who only hired 52 other guys and was asked to move... I sure as shit wouldn't have a period on social media then get pissy when I don't get support from others for doing so. I would try to act like a ****ing professional and take it up with the people who actually have a say instead of looking for affirmation from the god damned internet.

To be perfectly honest... had he not had his bitch fit on Twitter I would likely be in his corner.

Normally, I'd agree. However, since Albert has been drafted, all he's ever heard about is how he should move to guard and now RT. After how he's produced in the past 3 years and the continual lack of respect he gets from nearly everyone outside of this website, he should be pissed off about people wanting him to change positions.

Additionally, the only tweet I saw from Albert before the deletion was him saying "Nope". Did he post something after that?

Exceptions to every rule. Is it a gamble he wants to take? I wouldn't. Not when it could be your last big contract. Go for broke.

I don't have a problem with him demanding respect from the fans for being a legit LT. He is and he deserves the respect. Getting his feelings hurt because a bunch of, mostly, casual fans suggest he move to RT is weak.

That said... if Coach Reid tells him he is gonna play RT, he can either chose to not sign the tender and take his chances or be a team player and do his job. It read as if had he been told to play RT, would would have told the team to get bent.

He had several tweets and re-tweets on the subject. Some in conversation with his followers and a bunch of retweets from people saying that moving him would be stupid.

if it is as difficult as switching from your left hand to J off to your right hand then count me out, I can't blame Albert...that would ****ing suck

If that's the case, then I'm torn. On one hand, I want the guy to suck it up and be a team player and play RT. On the other, who the **** am I to try and tell someone what's in their best interest as far as long term financial security goes or try to know Albert's personal goals are. Additionally, Albert could be like "Oh, you guys want me to play RT for a team that isn't going to the SB? I'll try my chances elsewhere" and then takes less (or more, I guess) money to play LT for a team that has a legitimate chance of deep postseason success, such as NO, GB, Pitt, Atlanta, etc.

Dude, have you looked around at the world lately?

Thinking like that disappeared nearly half a century ago.

It could also be a respect thing.

FO: Mr. Albert, you're one of the best LTs in the game. We need you to move to RT.
Albert: Why is that necessary? Am I being replaced by somebody better?
FO: No, you're being replaced with an unproven rookie at the most important position on the line.
Albert: Why?
FO: **** you!

Don't a lot of rookie tackles begin on the right side, even when the intent is for them to become the LT? I'm sure there are some difficulties involved, but I doubt it's the stuff that makes or breaks a career.

As for Albert not wanting to play the right side, I don't blame him one bit. We're not talking about shifting the line around to cover injuries here. It's a bunch of stupid ****ing fans and media trying to prognosticate the draft, throwing out scenarios. The same type of people that regularly suggest that Albert is a guard.

They still have an advantage over him saying, "Well, two years ago you played LT well. I don't know if you're still a top 10 LT in the league since you played RT last year."

That will cost him money.

I disagree. With an offseason of practice, Branden Albert should be able to do just fine at RT. And no, he wouldn't take a hit in FA based on the switch. We're not talking about frequent switching here.

And just to be clear, I'm not advocating a switch for Albert.

I don't know why you're excusing the "I won't do it" attitude from a player. Sure it's an understandable sentiment, but players don't get to make these decisions. If a player gets beat out by a better player, he might not want to watch the game from the sidelines but he doesn't have a choice. This is the same situation except instead of going to the sidelines, the demoted player would be switching to a different position where they can still contribute. If the coaches decide that that's what's best for the team, Albert needs to swallow his pride and soldier on.

It isn't common anymore but they surely haven't disappeared.

Chipper Jones moved to LF for the 2002 & 2003 seasons after playing his entire MLB career (originally a SS) at 3B.

Cal Ripken moved from SS to 3rd.

Bruce Matthews played all positions on the offensive line and made the Pro Bowl as a Guard and Center.

/off the top of my head