Trench Warfare

Jon Ledyard & Brandon Thorn discuss the Bears trade for Jeffery Simmons, the Seahawks deal for Quenton Nelson, the state of the Colts OL, best guards in NFL and the 49ers acquiring DeForest Buckner. Then the guys look through Jeremy Fowler’s potential trades article to discuss other DL/OL who could be on the move before the trade deadline. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit trenchwarfare.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit trenchwarfare.substack.comPass Pro Lab: Greg Van RotenGreg Van Roten joins me for the latest Pass Pro Lab to break down his approach to pass protection and some of the techniques that have helped him make 105 career starts after entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Penn.We get into dictating the start of the rush, his up-kick and outside-hand usage, changing up sets, playing with help, handling games and why pass protection should not be passive. Van Roten also breaks down reps against Fletcher Cox, Quinnen Williams, Jalen Carter, Chris Jones, Dexter Lawrence and others.We also discuss what he learned from players like Josh Sitton, Andrew Norwell and Trai Turner, his path from Green Bay to the CFL and back to the NFL, learning from Jeff Saturday and Ryan Kalil, and how working under different offensive line coaches helped him build a much deeper technical tool bag over the course of his career.The conversation closes with Van Roten turning the questions back on me as we talk about offensive line evaluation, why assignment grading is so difficult from outside the building and why moving from tackle to guard is not automatically easier.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit trenchwarfare.substack.comTed Karras joined me for the fourth episode of Pass Pro Lab to break down his 2025 pass-protection tape and discuss the details behind an 11-year NFL career.Karras talks about entering the NFL as a sixth-round pick, learning under Dante Scarnecchia in New England, playing both guard and center, and how his approach to pass protection has evolved over the course of his career.Using game film from the 2025 season, we discuss: Pass protection philosophy Staying square in protection Handling twists and games Helping guards from the center position Strike timing and hand placement Adjusting to different pass rushers Scott Peters' influence Weekly film study and preparationTimestamps00:00 – Intro01:12 – Entering the NFL as a sixth-round pick05:40 – Learning under Dante Scarnecchia11:05 – "Know what you are"18:10 – Bengals pass protection philosophy20:35 – Cowboys film: staying square & handling twists26:30 – Hand usage and strike timing34:05 – Has NFL pass protection changed?39:45 – Steelers film49:15 – Scott Peters' influence58:10 – Varying your approach by opponent1:08:20 – Helping guards from center1:17:30 – Weekly film study1:25:45 – Preparing for Year 111:30:10 – Closing thoughts

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit trenchwarfare.substack.comLongtime NFL analyst Greg Cosell joins Brandon Thorn for a discussion on how offensive structure shapes offensive line play.The conversation centers on the environment around offensive linemen: scheme, quarterback play, pass-game design, protection structure, play action, quick game, movement, simulated pressures and the importance of third down.Greg and Brandon discuss how quickly narratives around offensive linemen can change depending on system fit, using examples like Mike McGlinchey in Denver, Aaron Brewer in Miami, Coleman Shelton with the Rams, Jake Matthews and Chris Lindstrom in Atlanta, and others.They also get into the quarterback’s role in offensive line evaluation, including timing, pocket depth, drifting, premature pocket exits, protection understanding and why not every pressure is truly an offensive line problem.Other topics include:• Greg’s 47 seasons at NFL Films• Learning quarterback play from Bill Walsh• How pass-game design can help or expose offensive linemen• Why third down remains the ultimate test for pass protection• The rise of five-man fronts and simulated pressures• How offensive systems can raise the floor for OL play• Evaluating raw traits versus polish in OL prospects• Monroe Freeling, Blake Miller and system-specific projection• Joe Thomas, Lane Johnson and elite tackle play• Why offensive line evaluation requires offensive contextThe full video version, timestamps and additional content are available on Trench Warfare.Host: Brandon ThornGuest: Greg CosellSeries: Trench Warfare

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit trenchwarfare.substack.com/subscribe