Name: Adrian Jones
Birthdate: June 10, 1981.
Height/Weight: 6'4", 296
Position: Guard/Tackle
College: Kansas, two seasons as a reserve tight end, played tackle his senior season
Pros: Drafted by Jets, cut, signed by Kansas City in 2007, started 10 games in 2008
Height: 6042
Weight: 296
40 Yrd Dash: 4.97
20 Yrd Dash: 2.87
10 Yrd Dash: 1.71
225 Lb. Bench Reps: 27
Vertical Jump: 31
Broad Jump: 09'06"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.60
3-Cone Drill: 7.81
My interest: An underreported element of Super Bowl champions and one exemplified by James Harrison is the ability of great teams to find freely available talent. Harrison was cut twice, including once by the Steelers, before becoming an All-Pro linebacker. He didn't start regularly until after he turned 29. Without spending a draft pick or substantially impacting their payroll, Pittsburgh added the 2008 Defensive Player of the Year. Harrison excelled in Pittsburgh because he was A) given a chance and B) fit a system in which his abilities are maximized.
Mike Solari is a proponent of a zone-blocking system. After flirting with it in 2008, new offensive coordinator Greg Knapp will make it the foundation of Seattle's offense. The face of zone blocking and perhaps its most famous proponent, Alex Gibbs, used it to great effect in Denver and Atlanta. Gibbs valued speed, agility and knowledge over size and power. I'm not sure Tim Ruskell is of like mind. While Ruskell certainly values athleticism, his offensive line picks are large and raw. It's an interesting mishmash of styles that could push zone blocking into the future or become a fantastic mess.
Jones fits the Gibbs school of zone blocking. He's athletic, quick, has good feet, but is a bit thin, doesn't overpower and though not a freeway against the bull rush, doesn't get much push himself. He's also fairly new at playing offensive line and entering an age where his athleticism and size could reach equilibrium. Most importantly though, he's essentially free.