Falcons’ Lamar Holmes: Right Tackle Only?

Lamar Holmes was the Atlanta Falcons 3rd round draft pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. I thought it was a bit of a reach for the Falcons, as I thought and still do think Atlanta could have taken him or a player like him in the 5th round– or later. The Falcons drafted him, and he is now a member of the team, and an individual who will have a role sometime down the road. When he was first drafted, many fans thought that maybe he would be the answer at Left Tackle replacing Sam Baker either this year or in 2013. According to one source, he may never be placed at that position.

In the NFL Network’s 32 in 32 series, they talk about the Falcons offensive line a little bit, and when they mention draft picks, they talk about the offensive line position. Once they move to Lamar Holmes, Jamie Dukes makes a comment that caught my attention. He said something to the affect of ‘The Falcons drafted a guy in the third round, and from everything I’m hearing, he’s going to be right tackle ONLY.’ That means that the Falcons drafted a player who will be a backup to Pro-Bowler Tyson Clabo, and that there is no plan at LT any further than Sam Baker and Will Svitek.

I understand the move in getting depth at all offensive line positions. Clabo is 30 right now, and I feel confident that when he is ready to hang it up, Holmes can move into the RT position fairly seamlessly. However I don’t feel quite as optimistic about the LT position. We have no backup plan; at least there is no plan that we the fans have any knowledge of. Now I may be wrong, and Sam Baker may be the long term option at LT. I don’t think that’s likely. I feel that the Falcons are in an even more precarious position at LT than many believe, and that it will be addressed in the 1st or 2nd round in the 2013 draft.