Would you trade for a center?

[Coach Potatoe]

With Peyton signing with the Broncos and Jeff Saturday likely to follow him to be his center, I wonder what Denver has planned for their starting center J.D. Walton? He played at Baylor just a few years ago and is a young and promising player. Not sure if Denver will kick him to right guard, but it looks like an opportunity to upgrade the position and take advantage of a situation.

Would you a trade pick? A player? A combination of both?

Denver could use a change of pace back behind aging Willis McGahee. Felix Jones will back up Murray and is in the last year of his contract. Perhaps Felix and a 4th round pick is fair. Or, What about a second round pick for Walton... Straight up?

[Augustus]

I wouldn't give another team anything in trade for a center. I'll also say that Phil Costa damn sure better not be starting at C next year. We don't need a great center, just one that doesn't suck bungholes like Costa. Such a center can be found without a trade. It's possible Kowaliski or Nagy will be him. It's possible a 3rd-round rook pick will be him. As long as Costa is competing for a roster position as OL depth, rather than a starting job, I'm happy.

[Chunky But Funky]

Highly rated centers appear to be available in nearly every round of this year's draft. I wouldn't trade a bag of footballs for one.

[Coach Potatoe]

You guys make it sound like finding a center is easy, if so, then why don't we have one?

You won't give up a second round pick on a proven starter, but you'll give up a 3rd rounder for one you cross your fingers and hope will be a starter???

When you use a draft pick on a player you are essentially still "trading".

[Chunky But Funky]

You guys make it sound like finding a center is easy, if so, then why don't we have one?

You won't give up a second round pick on a proven starter, but you'll give up a 3rd rounder for one you cross your fingers and hope will be a starter???

When you use a draft pick on a player you are essentially still "trading".

What I meant was that I wouldn't give up a bag of footballs for a young center that a team would replace with Jeff Saturday. If he were any good, there's no way he'd be available.

Saturday is on his last legs. If a team would give up a young guy for an old guy in his twilight, why would I want him?

[Augustus]

You guys make it sound like finding a center is easy, if so, then why don't we have one?

Center is probably the weakest link on the team -- at least as long as Costa's name is penciled in the position. We need one in the worst way. As for why the team doesn't already have a decent one, don't get me started again on how the GM neglected the OL for so many years.

I'm just saying we don't need a real good one -- just one better than Costa, and that sets the bar pretty low imo. I'd go with any rook in this BTB post over Costa -- even a late-round one. If you're agreeable to eating 12 potatoes a day and pumping a little iron, I'd take you over Costa.

[Coach Potatoe]

What I meant was that I wouldn't give up a bag of footballs for a young center that a team would replace with Jeff Saturday. If he were any good, there's no way he'd be available.

Saturday is on his last legs. If a team would give up a young guy for an old guy in his twilight, why would I want him?

I have no idea if Walton will even be available, or if the Broncos will sign Saturday, or if they'd move Walton to guard, but you're underestimating the bond between Peyton and his longtime teammate. Saturday is Peyton's security blanket, the one responsible for helping with line adjustments as Peyton calls the offensive play from under center. Under normal circumstances no team would jettison a promising player for an aging center, but this offseason has been far from normal.

I'm just throwing out a scenario since we have a desperate need at center. I would love for Peter Konz to fall in the second round, but I doubt that is going to happen.

[Chunky But Funky]

I have no idea if Walton will even be available, or if the Broncos will sign Saturday, or if they'd move Walton to guard, but you're underestimating the bond between Peyton and his longtime teammate. Saturday is Peyton's security blanket, the one responsible for helping with line adjustments as Peyton calls the offensive play from under center. Under normal circumstances no team would jettison a promising player for an aging center, but this offseason has been far from normal.

I'm just throwing out a scenario since we have a desperate need at center. I would love for Peter Konz to fall in the second round, but I doubt that is going to happen.

Konz in the 2nd would be nice, but I REALLLLY like the O-Linemen coming out of Georgia this year, Glenn and Jones. I love how nasty they play. I wouldn't hesitate to snap Jones up if he's there.

Can't remember exactly where I read it, but I saw that Arkin has been working at Center a lot last season in practice. Maybe that's the plan?

[Underdog]

J.D. Walton would make you gay for Phil Costa.

[OmegaSupreme]

Konz in the 2nd would be nice, but I REALLLLY like the O-Linemen coming out of Georgia this year, Glenn and Jones. I love how nasty they play. I wouldn't hesitate to snap Jones up if he's there.

It almost seems like Jones is the better pick. If he is a second or third rounder, then you get the value of your draft pick or better. Konz, I'm not sure. Is it one of those, "in the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king" type things? Football IQ and toughness are good things but I always wonder about a center being tall in a position that requires low to the ground trenching, digging and immediate leverage. I think Ben Jones might be the way to go. Like the nastiness and the strong consistution.

Here is what Broaddus had to say about Ben Jones on the ESPN Dallas site (emphasis added):

Broaddus Breakdown (viewed Boise State, Mississippi State and LSU games): Tries to be more of an athlete than a guy that is going to pound you. Have seen him come off the ball and finish blocks with a nasty streak, but doesn’t do this near enough. … Is not afraid to take a cheap shot when given the opportunity. … Plays more with his feet than he does with power. Has nice weight room strength, but you see him catch blocks, then try and work for control. … Able to shuffle, slide and redirect. Can pick up the twist stunts on the blitz. … Loves to use his hands to block but doesn’t punch with them. His technique is to grab and hold onto his man. Should have been called for holding several times but wasn’t. Really tries to control his man with his hands. Doesn’t really shock his man so you see him using his feet to stay in front and mirror. … Good against LSU first-round prospect Michael Brockers in handling his spin move. Brockers can be tough because of his quickness and power going up the field, but Jones hung in there nicely and didn’t allow the pressure. … Makes all the line calls. Is solid to help when uncovered. Does a nice job of kicking away from the line of scrimmage and sorting out where the defensive pressure is coming from. … Is an upright, straight-legged blocker as a pass protector. … No problems with the shotgun snap. … As a run blocker, he doesn’t play with much lower-body power. Tends to get stalemated, but fights like heck to try and finish his blocks. … Is a bit of a narrow-based player. Have seen him get thrown to the ground when that base gets too narrow. … It bothered me a couple of times that when getting to the second level, he got tripped trying to complete the block and ended up on the ground. This just didn’t happen once but three different times. … Does a nice job when he is asked to block back on the counter or misdirection plays. Can maintain his position to shield his man from the ball. Likes to throw on blocks when he gets outside on the screens. Can be a little slow footed when working outside. … Is not the athletic level of David Molk of Michigan but will be the second center on a lot of team’s boards. As mentioned, have seen him play with a nasty streak but like to see it more. Will be in the mix as teams work into the middle rounds."

[Augustus]

DeCastro snapped for Andrew Luck at his pro day yesterday, and said he would be willing to play center. I think he was one of the top-ranked centers in the country coming out of high school and before shifting to guard at Standford.

[Chunky But Funky]

I really enjoyed watching Ben Jones at the Senior Bowl practices. He would often give a little extra shove at the end of a block. I love some nasty in an O-Lineman. Who does that at an All-Star game type of practice?

[Coach Potatoe]

Jeff Saturday will be snapping to a super bowl winning cube next season, it just won't be Peyton. Interesting that Green Bay scooped him up. Auggie, the versatility of DeCastro adds some more intrigue to the draft possibilities. I do like several of the centers you guys have pointed out. If we can go defense rounds two and three and pick up the best available center that would keep the arrow pointed up.