In an abbreviated open practice session due to what appeared to be the first full scrimmage going on today, the biggest thing to watch in my opinion was me, watching Rafael Devers hit a monster two-run home run off of Gerrit Cole in the first inning of the Red Sox’s opening day matchup with the New York Yankees.
But as I fist pumped obnoxiously in the press room, I thought about the first-team offensive line (along with Devers’ potential MVP season) in the limited 11 on 11 reps the media got to witness today. With left tackle Jaxson Kirkland’s waiver still in question, during a few plays we got to watch at the beginning of practice, the offensive line from left to right was Nate Kalepo, Troy Fautanu, Corey Luciano, Victor Curne, and Roger Rosengarten.
“I really like their athleticism, and I really like the mindset that both those guys have,” head coach Kalen DeBoer said following Friday’s practice. “They’re very versatile. Troy’s been playing a little bit of guard and tackle, and we’re trying to figure out what the best lineup is. He’s been rotating and playing a little bit of both, and that’s a situation where we’re rotating him and [trying to figure out the best spot for him].”
If Kirkland’s waiver does get approved, obviously he slides in at left tackle for one more season, and you can figure the rest out from there. If not, the line that DeBoer has in place is still going to be suited to run his offense incredibly effectively. DeBoer also said following Friday’s practice that he’s heard no news about Kirkland from the NCAA yet.
There were multiple plays during the admittedly short 11 on 11 drills that the media was able to watch today where multiple offensive linemen pulled to get outside the numbers for a bubble screen, and with players with the athleticism of Rosengarten and Fautanu leading the way on those types of plays would be lethal for DeBoer’s offense.
With two left handed quarterbacks on the roster, the position of right tackle becomes the most important up front, and while both young, athletic offensive linemen seem to be set up for great success, Rosengarten certainly looks like he’s starting to assert himself at right tackle.
After practice, it was announced both on Twitter and to the media that there will be an open practice on Saturday, April 23rd to go along with the spring preview that will be open to the public on Saturday, April 30th. Fans (and the media) should be able to get a good look at what the plan might be up front on both of those days.
