Kirk Morrison traded to Jacksonville (1 Viewer)

[Jene Bramel]

First thoughts:

He may have a hard time playing every down between Daryl Smith and Justin Durant, but should slot quickly into the MLB spot.

The Giants are looking more and more like they'll be going with the status quo.

 

[Young 8]

well this is the end of "Durant MLB era"

 

[Dave Larkin]

Wow, interesting move by the Jags here. I'm glad I didn't take Durant in any of my recent startup IDP dynasty leagues.

 

[mlball77]

As a guy that owns Durant and Morrison in dynasty... I'm a bit disappointed. Happy Morrison gets a shot in the middle somewhere else, but if he isn't an every down LB, that hurts. And Durant's move outside will sting in my league's IDP format as well.

 

[ohioplayer]

I'm a proud owner of Morrison in several leagues, I'm glad he found a new home in Jacksonville.

 

[jsharlan]

I'm still gonna shop him though. Too many question marks.

 

[Cassius]

Does Durant go back to WLB or stuck out at SLB? And if the latter, should we be furiously trying to get something for him ASAP?

 

[Cassius]

Does Durant go back to WLB or stuck out at SLB? And if the latter, should we be furiously trying to get something for him ASAP?

Meant to delete the same question in the draft thread, but Jene already answered:

Would Durant be WLB or SLB?

He'd be ROLB/WLB. Smith stays at LOLB/SLB.

So I guess Durant is still useful, just not as much upside as if he were at MLB.

 

[PlasmaDogPlasma]

Does Durant go back to WLB or stuck out at SLB? And if the latter, should we be furiously trying to get something for him ASAP?

Meant to delete the same question in the draft thread, but Jene already answered:

Would Durant be WLB or SLB?

He'd be ROLB/WLB. Smith stays at LOLB/SLB.

So I guess Durant is still useful, just not as much upside as if he were at MLB.

That's also wrong. Smith moved to WLB last year.

 

[Jene Bramel]

So I guess Durant is still useful, just not as much upside as if he were at MLB.

It'll depend on which backers stay on the field in the nickel. Durant's tackle numbers were pretty nice as an every-down WLB. He may still have LB3 value in that role. The improvement on the defensive line and having Morrison next to him will limit his ceiling, though, even if he does play on passing downs.

 

[bucsbaby]

Here's to hoping that Morrison plays 3 downs for Jax...

 

[Fighting Noles]

Does Durant go back to WLB or stuck out at SLB? And if the latter, should we be furiously trying to get something for him ASAP?

Meant to delete the same question in the draft thread, but Jene already answered:

Would Durant be WLB or SLB?

He'd be ROLB/WLB. Smith stays at LOLB/SLB.

So I guess Durant is still useful, just not as much upside as if he were at MLB.

That's also wrong. Smith moved to WLB last year.

That was my understanding as well. That JAX was "happy" with Smith @ WLB....I clearly defer to Jene on this, but living here in Fla. & reading the local papers I had the impression that Smith was set at WLB & Durants' spot was the one in flux (& the Morrison choice certainly backs that up)....

 

[Jene Bramel]

Would Durant be WLB or SLB?

He'd be ROLB/WLB. Smith stays at LOLB/SLB.

That's also wrong. Smith moved to WLB last year.

That was my understanding as well. That JAX was "happy" with Smith @ WLB....I clearly defer to Jene on this, but living here in Fla. & reading the local papers I had the impression that Smith was set at WLB & Durants' spot was the one in flux (& the Morrison choice certainly backs that up)....

Yeah, that deserves clarification. When Clint Ingram was healthy, he was on the strong side primarily with Smith usually to the weak side. When Ingram began missing time during the second half, my recollection is that Smith primarily lined up to the strong side, Russell Allen to the weak side when the Jags went 4-3.On the (somewhat rare) occasions in past seasons when Durant and Smith were on the field as OLB at the same time, my recollection again is that it was Smith LOLB, Durant ROLB. Based on their size and skill sets, I believe that's what we're likely to see again this year. The "stays" in the above sentence was a poor choice of words. It's possible that Allen and Durant may be in competition for that ROLB job. But I think that Smith is locked in at LOLB and Morrison the heavy favorite at MLB.

 

[Tick]

Is there a more disliked player in the IDP world than Daryl Smith? Dude never does anything useful for us, and he keeps eating at other guys' value.

 

[GiantsFan]

i will stick with what happens to Smith....does his numbers go way down or will he still be a nice LB2/3

 

[KellysHeroes]

Before the trade

QUOTE

Justin Durant is ticketed for a return to outside linebacker, according to the Florida Times-Union.

Daryl Smith is considered the only surefire starter

These blips are usually completely the opposite of what actually is the truth and I would think that Smith is the odd man out.

Maybe Durant can be shipped to NY now

 

[Jene Bramel]

Before the trade

QUOTE

Justin Durant is ticketed for a return to outside linebacker, according to the Florida Times-Union.

Daryl Smith is considered the only surefire starter

These blips are usually completely the opposite of what actually is the truth and I would think that Smith is the odd man out.

Maybe Durant can be shipped to NY now

That blurb is on point. The Jaguars coaching staff and front office have always felt highly about Smith. He's the veteran anchor here and, I think, the only sure every-down player. The team may be disappointed with how Durant developed as a run stuffer between the tackles, but they've always been high on him as a rangy, all-around talent. He's not going anywhere. New York has four guys competing for the MLB job after drafting Dillard. What you see is what you get there now.

 

[Multiple Scores]

Any guess on a quick ranking now for Morrison? Up/Down in dynasty/redraft. Where does he stand in redraft and dynasty?

 

[Jene Bramel]

Any guess on a quick ranking now for Morrison? Up/Down in dynasty/redraft. Where does he stand in redraft and dynasty?

Every-down MLB >> Top 15.Part-time MLB >> 35-45.Dynasty >> Top 20 with downside until his role is better defined.Plenty of room for disagreement here. Your mileage may vary.

 

[KellysHeroes]

Before the trade

QUOTE

Justin Durant is ticketed for a return to outside linebacker, according to the Florida Times-Union.

Daryl Smith is considered the only surefire starter

These blips are usually completely the opposite of what actually is the truth and I would think that Smith is the odd man out.

Maybe Durant can be shipped to NY now

That blurb is on point. The Jaguars coaching staff and front office have always felt highly about Smith. He's the veteran anchor here and, I think, the only sure every-down player. The team may be disappointed with how Durant developed as a run stuffer between the tackles, but they've always been high on him as a rangy, all-around talent. He's not going anywhere. New York has four guys competing for the MLB job after drafting Dillard. What you see is what you get there now.

which every one (Durant or Smith) gets the vow of confidence in the next week or 2 is the one that will be riding the pine

 

[JOBOOZOSO]

We've all become accustomed to the RBBC headache, why not LBBC?



regarding the G-men:

It's the JJ Arrington theory... just because a guy will be a starter doesn't mean he's guaranteed production. Stay away from all current Giant linebackers except Sintim, and he's only a dynasty/keeper reach as of now.

 

[Cassius]

Would Durant be WLB or SLB?

He'd be ROLB/WLB. Smith stays at LOLB/SLB.

That's also wrong. Smith moved to WLB last year.

That was my understanding as well. That JAX was "happy" with Smith @ WLB....I clearly defer to Jene on this, but living here in Fla. & reading the local papers I had the impression that Smith was set at WLB & Durants' spot was the one in flux (& the Morrison choice certainly backs that up)....

Yeah, that deserves clarification. When Clint Ingram was healthy, he was on the strong side primarily with Smith usually to the weak side. When Ingram began missing time during the second half, my recollection is that Smith primarily lined up to the strong side, Russell Allen to the weak side when the Jags went 4-3.On the (somewhat rare) occasions in past seasons when Durant and Smith were on the field as OLB at the same time, my recollection again is that it was Smith LOLB, Durant ROLB. Based on their size and skill sets, I believe that's what we're likely to see again this year. The "stays" in the above sentence was a poor choice of words. It's possible that Allen and Durant may be in competition for that ROLB job. But I think that Smith is locked in at LOLB and Morrison the heavy favorite at MLB.

So Durant's value is falling off the face of the planet, basically?

 

[Jene Bramel]

So Durant's value is falling off the face of the planet, basically?

If he sits in the nickel packages, he's got very little value next to a much better competition for tackles at MLB and DE than he's had in the past two seasons. Even if he plays in the nickel the 5-6 solos he was averaging as an every-down WLB in past seasons is probably unreachable. That means you're likely looking at a Mike Peterson in Atlanta type player ceiling -- 72-80 solo upside with a fair amount of inconsistency based on the matchup -- in the best case scenario. Worst case scenario is 40-60 solos and extreme inconsistency as a part time WLB.

 

[DesmondBishop]

I think the number of snaps he was missing says it all:

http://forums.footballguys.com/forum/index...howtopic=528549

My post in that thread shows his numbers and he was not on the field 3downs last year at the end of the season, now they have a better LB there, I do not see how his value does not take a dive unless someone else gets hurt. As always just mho.

 

[Jene Bramel]

I think the number of snaps he was missing says it all:

http://forums.footballguys.com/forum/index...howtopic=528549

My post in that thread shows his numbers and he was not on the field 3downs last year at the end of the season, now they have a better LB there, I do not see how his value does not take a dive unless someone else gets hurt. As always just mho.

I know I've been one of Durant's bigger supporters over the years, so I'm hoping no one sees these clarifications as obstinate since I've posted elsewhere that Durant's value is very shaky and that he likely has no chance of approximating his previous expectations.Durant played every snap in Week 16 and 17 until the fourth quarter, when he sat for the rest of both games (NE and CLE). The Jags were behind by at least two scores in both games entering the fourth quarter.

He played every down in Week 15 against IND. In Week 14 (and in similar situations during the previous four weeks when Ingram was healthy), Durant sat when the Jags played a 3-4 base, but was back in the lineup on nickel downs.

I don't think the Jags have necessarily written Durant off. I think they feel he's proven himself unable to handle what they want their MLB to do against the run. I think it's entirely possible that he can outplay Russell Allen for a starting OLB job and be considered a better nickel backer than Morrison, another player I like that I think gets a bad rap for his play against the run.

 

[Fighting Noles]

Looks like you were correct Jene....Rotoworld reported today that it "would" be Durant @ WLB, Morrison @ MLB, & Smith @ SLB if the season started today (per a Jacksonville Newspaper). No mention of the nickel package yet....