RT are not really more valuable than Gs but LTs definitely are. They may be more important but not more coveted. Tackles are that hard to find that RTs are often failed LTs etc that get help and are paid accordingly. Thing is that Kyle's been left alone and is doing well overall. It allows us to do more things that another T would limit us from. The issue is that in our case, we have a bigger drop off in play and scheme with anyone else available at RT and Long at G than we do with Long at RT and someone else at G. I have no problem with Long moving back if he doesn't look better next year but I think it more likely that he moves to LT then back to G though like I said, whatever gets our most effective 5 out there.
I totally disagree with you on failed LT move to RT. Robert Gallery was a top 3 pick but moved to LG when he didn't work at LT. He simply didn't have the strength to play the right side.
What i think is confusing you is that LTs who move to the right side do so because they can't handle being left on an island and/or aren't athletic enough to do so. They can be protected a little bit more on the right side because a TE often lines up there and QBs are mostly right handed and can see the pressure.
Fluker of the Chargers was never considered a LT but was widely considered a RT given his ability to maul opponents with his strength. He's failed and now is playing RG.
Tackles don't always translate to guard. Guys who are very tall often struggle when moved inside as they have struggled on the outside. Mike Mayock coined the term "heavy legged waist bender", meaning they can't keep their butt down and over reach, leaving them in a bad position in blocking. This is very true for tall guys. But tall guys have long wing spans which has been shown statistically to be the advantage they need in blocking as a tackle. This is exasperated on the inside as DTs in both 34 and 43 gain leverage and can drive drive them back.
LT is the premium position on the oline because it requires a rare athlete. RT requires a lesser rare athlete but still one who can bend. Guards work in a "phone booth" and can have short arms and be shorter but need to have strength to handle DTs. These positions are not less than the other rather very unique in what is asked of them. Granted a move inside is the next step for failed tackles but it still requires them to be a specific type of player.
Chris Williams is another good example. When he didn't work at LT, because his arms were to short and he was caught out of position, he moved to guard not RT. He was actually a very good athlete but struggled to block in space when ask to pull on the Power O and Sweep. Gabe Carimi should have been a good RT but his leg injury ruined his ability to drop his butt to gain position to block. He failed at guard because he didn't have the strength and mass to hold off DTs. Mills also failed to move inside because he was more of an athlete than a mauler but not good enough at either to make it in the NFL.
Again, these are not less than positions, they are different positions. Some can translate from LT to RT and some can translate inside to guard but that is because they have the traits to do so. Not because the position is less than.
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