Justin Durant moved to middle linebacker (1 Viewer)

[kurtrudder]

For those of have been sitting patiently on Durant, 2009 now looks like the time to cash in.....let's hope this is a significant sign of things to come.

If he is playing 3 downs at MLB, surely this has to vault him into the LB2 status at the very least.

http://www.jacksonville.com/sports/footbal...aguars_minicamp

 

[duece2626]

Look half way down the page in the JAX LB thread.

 

[Jene Bramel]

This probably should have had it's own thread anyway. :(

Here are the informational posts from the other thread from this weekend.

Justin Durant is the MLB now. Del Rio mentioned it after practice about 20 minutes ago. You'll start to see it pop in in stories today or tomorrow but remember where you read it first.

No link because it's not on the web yet.

Justin Durant is the MLB now. Del Rio mentioned it after practice about 20 minutes ago. You'll start to see it pop in in stories today or tomorrow but remember where you read it first.

No link because it's not on the web yet.

Good info! Thanks for the early heads up...Confirmed here http://jaguars.com/multimedia/?id=3199

 

[Jene Bramel]

http://wokv.com/blogs/jaguars/2009/05/minicamp-wrapup.html

Sometimes you don't get much new information at mini-camp. But that's not the situation with the Jaguars this year.

Among the revelations:

Justin Durant has made the move to middle linebacker, replacing the departed Mike Peterson and leaving Darryl Smith to start at outside linebacker.

* The experiment with Brian Williams at safety is over. He'll play corner or nickel.

* Third round pick Derek Cox is good. He was the star of mini-camp. Then again, a wide receiver or a defensive back should stand out in these practices. But Cox, it appears, is going to live up to the hype from the Jaguars scouts and will be in competition to be a starter. "I set the bar high for myself," Cox said. "I didn't come into this situation thinking I'm going to be on the back-burner for my career."

http://wokv.com/blogs/jaguars/2009/05/jags...n-minicamp.html

# It looks like Brian Williams is going to be tried at corner until Derek Cox can prove himself. For now, Williams and Rashean Mathis are working with the 1s, with Sean Considine and Reggie Nelson starting at safety.

# Justin Durant saw time at middle linebacker. The Jaguars begin this mini-camp without Mike Peterson, who was sent packing in the off-season. Darryl Smith played middle linebacker most of the year last season, but he was working on the outside this morning.

# The Jaguars are going to need to find a backup quarterback they are comfortable with. None of the three guys behind David Garrard instill much confidence.

 

[kurtrudder]

thanks guys for the additional info from the JAX thread, I hadn't spotted that.

Of course this is early days but what do you think this could mean for Durant's projections/ranking for 2009? I was thinking LB2 at a minimum, with borderline LB1 upside if he playing 3 downs and is as productive as what we have glimpsed from him over the past 2 years. That said I am thinking more tackle heavy leagues than your big play variety.

One concern for me is that we haven't seen a 90+ solo tackle season in JAX since 2005....i know injuries have played there part there. Is this tempering anyone's expectations for Durant?

 

[Andy Dufresne]

This is excellent news to me. It means that my top 3 LBs in my Zealots league are Patrick Willis, DeMeco Ryans, and now Durant.

 

[Uncle Buck]

is it worth dropping Larry Foote to pick this guy up in a dynasty league?

 

[awesomeness]

is it worth dropping Larry Foote to pick this guy up in a dynasty league?

definitely.

 

[tex]

I just traded Scheffler for durant and Derrick Williams, the rookie WR for Detroit in an IDP dynasty, so Durant better live up to the hype. I had Cooley as my TE1 so Scheff was expendable.

 

[Kool-Aid Larry]

I think Peterson missed a couple games last year --- does anybody remember who held down the middle in those games?

Was it Smith or Durant?

 

[Jene Bramel]

I think Peterson missed a couple games last year --- does anybody remember who held down the middle in those games?Was it Smith or Durant?

Smith has played in the middle when Peterson has been injured (and during and after Peterson's suspension) in recent seasons.

 

[Kool-Aid Larry]

I could have sworn Durant had the middle at some point --- was he filling in there in '07 maybe?

 

[Mikey16x]

I could have sworn Durant had the middle at some point --- was he filling in there in '07 maybe?

Yeah, it was 07 for a couple of games because Smith missed a few as well. Durant never lined up at the MIC last season, it was all Daryl Smith.

 

[Jene Bramel]

I could have sworn Durant had the middle at some point --- was he filling in there in '07 maybe?

Not to my knowledge. Mike Peterson finished the last two games in the middle last season after Smith's injury. Smith missed only Week 17 in 2007; Brian Iwuh started in the middle in his place. I think there were so many rumors that Peterson wouldn't be in the middle before both the 07 and 08 seasons (in favor of either Smith or Durant), that it just seems that Durant had taken snaps in the middle at some point.

 

[Jene Bramel]

I posted this in the Random News and Notes thread today, but there's a note in PFW that suggests the Jags may not follow through with the possible move of Durant to the middle.

Jack Del Rio has a lot of homework to do in the coming months as he seeks to determine his lineups on the defensive line and in the secondary. As far as the linebackers go, however, it can be taken to the bank that, barring injury, the starting trio will consist of Daryl Smith inside with Justin Durant and Clint Ingram manning the outside posts.

I haven't seen any local confirmation of this, but it's too risky to take this as a bad typo from PFW. Temper your expectations for Durant back a bit.

 

[Franchise Playa]

I posted this in the Random News and Notes thread today, but there's a note in PFW that suggests the Jags may not follow through with the possible move of Durant to the middle.

Jack Del Rio has a lot of homework to do in the coming months as he seeks to determine his lineups on the defensive line and in the secondary. As far as the linebackers go, however, it can be taken to the bank that, barring injury, the starting trio will consist of Daryl Smith inside with Justin Durant and Clint Ingram manning the outside posts.

I haven't seen any local confirmation of this, but it's too risky to take this as a bad typo from PFW. Temper your expectations for Durant back a bit.

I still have to go with Del Rio's own words that Durant is in the middle. I too haven't seen anything to the contrary...The Jag forums don't have any info regarding any LB changes.http://jaguars.com/multimedia/?id=3199

 

[Jene Bramel]

Attempting to get clarification from some additional sources...developing .

 

[Jene Bramel]

Attempting to get clarification from some additional sources...developing .

Michael Wright (Jacksonville Times-Union Jags beat writer) response this afternoon:Not that I know of...Durant was in the middle during the last practice I couple of weeks ago (the Jags are done until training camp).

Have an inquiry into the fine folks at PFW, too. I'll post if I hear anything.

 

[pretender]

 

[HellToupee]

Attempting to get clarification from some additional sources...developing .

Michael Wright (Jacksonville Times-Union Jags beat writer) response this afternoon:Not that I know of...Durant was in the middle during the last practice I couple of weeks ago (the Jags are done until training camp).

Have an inquiry into the fine folks at PFW, too. I'll post if I hear anything.

thanks for staying on top of this Jene

 

[sgtrobo]

yes, definitely. I'm sub'ing to this thread....

 

[noneother]

yes, definitely. I'm sub'ing to this thread....

fine idea

 

[noneother]

DING DING

http://subscribers.footballguys.com/apps/news.php#578714

 

[Zoomanji]

DING DING

http://subscribers.footballguys.com/apps/news.php#578714

Jaguars | D. Smith expected to start at weakside LB Fri Jul 10, 02:36 PMVic Ketchman, of Jaguars.com, reports Jacksonville Jaguars LB Daryl Smith is expected to start at weakside linebacker this season.

Our view: Smith has played better than his meager IDP stats would indicate, but his being on the outside means he is only a marginal IDP (LB5/LB6), even in deep leagues.

Link to story

Daryl Smith player page

Jaguars | Durant expected to start in the middle Fri Jul 10, 02:36 PM

Vic Ketchman, of Jaguars.com, reports Jacksonville Jaguars LB Justin Durant is expected to start at middle linebacker this season.

Our view: Durant has a ton of talent and looked like a three-down LB last year. He should be available outside of the top 20 LBs in every IDP draft, but he could easily finish in the top 10.

Link to story

Justin Durant player page

 

[Jene Bramel]

Excellent.

Finally getting some confirmation about the hybrid front we've been hearing Jacksonville might try over the past couple of seasons as well. All good news for Durant.

 

[Tick]

Would you please explain why the hybrid front would be good news for Durant?

 

[Jene Bramel]

Would you please explain why the hybrid front would be good news for Durant?

I'd assume that they'd put Smith at LILB and Durant at RILB when in a 3-4 and that it wouldn't be used that often. MLB in this defense with this surrounding cast favors Durant, WILB in a hybrid front should favor Durant for the same reason. It'd be the equivalent of Karlos Dansby or Jerod Mayo in the 3-4. And, while I wouldn't make the direct comparison, it would be a very similar role to what Patrick Willis played when Mike Nolan flipped between the two fronts a couple seasons ago.

 

[Tick]

That makes sense... I just don't know if it's a better situation than a straight 4-3 MLB or not. It's worked for some guys, to be sure.

 

[bcr8f]

is it worth dropping Larry Foote to pick this guy up in a dynasty league?

Durant is FA?

 

[KellysHeroes]

is it worth dropping Larry Foote to pick this guy up in a dynasty league?

Durant is FA?

Durant was cut in even my larger leagues last season (I picked him up ofcourse), but I can still understand why someone would cut him during the season... and the news of him being named MLB still hasn't hit front-page for many avg players.But still, I guess no one in your league is paying attention to much... and Durant over Foote.