Before "jumping in" to the draft assessment....

by ThaRealTruth on Dec 28, 2011 11:37 PM EST

I have something on my mind right now. It relates to our defense, it relates to our draft, it relates to the coaching staff, and it relates to general opinion. Interested? Here goes....

Kirk Morrison.

I lost you didn't I?

I have given this some real thought, and I have yet to voice it to any real degree. But here goes:

Kirk Morrison... Why in the world did we sign this guy? That isn't to say I don't want him on my team. That isn't to say that I don't think he provides good depth. But my question is furthered with this ADDITIONAL question: If he isn't isn't capable of being good enough to get on the field, then couldn't we have used he roster spot to pursue an edge rusher in some capacity, around the same time?

Additionally: Why in the world, did we start SPENCER JOHNSON at OLB, rather than Moats, or Morrison? I mean, we had seen production from Moats... but we seem to want to reserve him as a MLB. So, we have Barnett, and Sheppard starting, we have Davis and Moats backing up... and we sign Kirk Morrison, the LINEBACKER. But it never occurs to Edwards, or even Gailey, or for heaven's sake Wannstedt to consider mentioning that we have ANOTHER LB that we NEVER EVEN TRIED at the position? Are you telling me that Spencer Johnson, AND Alex Carrington are faster, have more experience diagnosing plays, are capable of covering, and tackling better than Kirk Morrison? Some, or ALL of these things? I mean, don't get me wrong: Spencer Johnson is a good player. He is underrated, and effective, and I DO want him on my defensive line, because he makes plays, even though you might not expect it. Carrington seems to fit into a similar mold. Both are good, and occasional there are flashes, and at the same time, rarely are they terrible, or getting victimized, in their natural positions. However, at OLB- these guys got abused.

So, in short, how could this guy sit on our roster, for the entire year, and never even get reps at OLB? I mean, if he isn't worth playing, how is he worth paying? We could find a better developmental prospect, and sign them, if we had a whole entire season for them to learn. Instead, we would rather sign a guy who never did more than play special teams, as a veteran LB, when we had a glaring need at a LB spot, that could have used a veteran. This debacle of a concept, this poor execution of using players to your advantage in YOUR system, is the reason that I think YOU, George Edwards, are to blame for this incredibly questionable lapse in judgement. I am not comfortable with you and your poppycock, cockamamey, garbage of a defense, anymore. I want someone who KNOWS a 3-4, and knows the difference between giving YOU an advantage, instead of supplying your OPPONENT with an advantage instead.

Poll

Should the Bills have considered playing linebackers Kirk Morrison, or Arthur Moats, sooner, or ahead of Carrington/Johnson?

Yes, we should have tried Morrison

27 votes

Yes, we should have stuck with Moats, after last season's production.

62 votes

No, Spencer could really be the answer, with more reps

2 votes

No, Morrison is an ILB, and OBVIOUSLY we couldn't ask him to switch spots (like we did with every other defender)

6 votes

No. There is nothing better we could have done. We don't have an OLB, and will have to draft one.

19 votes

Other: Please explain in the comments.

2 votes

118 votes | Poll has closed

Just another great fan opinion shared on the pages of BuffaloRumblings.com.

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Comments

Didn’t get to watch any games where Spencer Johnson played OLB. But, in my mind’s eye, I cant picture it. It doesn’t pass the smell test.
With that said, I do believe that the position will be thoroughly addressed this off-season. Nix could only fix so many things last year.

by JapanJohn on Dec 29, 2011 5:15 AM EST reply actions

let's just say, slot receivers weren't concerned that he was covering them.

ABAYARDE IS NOSTRADAMUS JUST WATCH WE WILL NOT YIEALD TO NOBODY YOUR SOUL WE WILL TAKE

by ThaRealTruth on Dec 29, 2011 6:20 PM EST up reply actions

we dont have a OLB how can do both rush the passer or stop the run..

thats why i say draft “lvin Ingram”

by GoBILLs on Dec 29, 2011 7:07 AM EST reply actions

spencer johnson is horrible at olb……….kirk should have been given a chance over johnson but he had limited time to learn the defense when he came to buffalo………..
we need to draft a olb badly and hope merriaman can come back and play at least solid

by polish power on Dec 29, 2011 8:39 AM EST reply actions

The simple answer to your question here is that Morrison is purely an inside linebacker. He’s Kelvin Sheppard. And Buffalo’s hybrid defense uses bigs in an “OLB” capacity, not small linebackers. They’re a defense built on size, not speed.

Editor-in-Chief, BUFFALO RUMBLINGS®
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by Brian Galliford on Dec 29, 2011 9:41 AM EST reply actions

Sure, that is the simple answer

so then, what kind of answer was running a former DT, and a DE at OLB? I mean, i realize that linebackers are sometimes converted DEs, like with Moats, but rarely are 315-325LB guys being used at LB. or, never.

I would definitely consider Shepp at OLB before Spencer.

I am ok with big linebackers, ie Kelsay (as you well know, i was previously quick to rag on Kelsay, but this new system has given him SOME advantages, bringing him up to average and above, rather than below, in my opinion.)

Morrison could bring good size for an OLB, and more speed than Carrington, or Johnson, IMO.

ABAYARDE IS NOSTRADAMUS JUST WATCH WE WILL NOT YIEALD TO NOBODY YOUR SOUL WE WILL TAKE

by ThaRealTruth on Dec 29, 2011 6:23 PM EST up reply actions

first of all morrison is not an olb

he is an ILB…
secondly, he has played all his career in a 4-3… we got lucky when we got him in waivers or FA but we got him pretty late… so this year was like coaching him up in 3-4…

also there is no need to pick on morrison… he is much younger than davis or torbor… still might end up being better in a 3-4 than a 4-3… plus he was a 2nd round pick who has been productive all his career….and most important, the most durable linebacker we have…

i would much rather develop him than some 6th round linebacker developmental project

by statcruncher on Dec 29, 2011 9:53 AM EST reply actions

Isnt he

a Fa after the season?

flayed ones stealth mode

"Fleshling! Do not shoot! For I am one of you fleshy things. It is I. Your Uncle Stan. Can't you tell by the long strips of fleshy substances covered in bodily fluids? Trust me! I have fleeeeeeeeesh."

by mob16151 on Dec 29, 2011 11:44 AM EST via Android app up reply actions

first of all morrison is not an olb
he is an ILB…

clearly i realize this. In fact, I comment on it.

Spencer Johnson is a DT. Carrington is a DE. SO… if you are ok with playing guys out of position, how is it more of a disadvantage to run a Linebacker, at a linebacker spot, than a defensive tackle, at a linebacker slot? this logic doesn’t dispute my point.

also there is no need to pick on morrison… he is much younger than davis or torbor… still might end up being better in a 3-4 than a 4-3… plus he was a 2nd round pick who has been productive all his career….and most important, the most durable linebacker we have…

ummmmm, dude…. who is picking? i am ADVOCATING for the guy? i am wondering how he didn’t get a shot, and i am saying it was remiss to start others ahead of him. Read the post.

ABAYARDE IS NOSTRADAMUS JUST WATCH WE WILL NOT YIEALD TO NOBODY YOUR SOUL WE WILL TAKE

by ThaRealTruth on Dec 29, 2011 6:25 PM EST up reply actions

Experienced depth

With the injury concerns of Davis and Sheppard nursing a injury to start the season the Morrison signing added experienced depth at ILB. The Bills have been fortunate that Barnett and Sheppard haven’t missed much time since the Morrison signing.

"I wouldn't ever set out to hurt anyone deliberately unless it was important -- like a league game."
Dick Butkus

by Goose22 on Dec 29, 2011 10:11 AM EST reply actions

I kind of wish we wouldn’t call 3-4 OLBs linebackers. The position is more closely related to a 4-3 DE than it is to a 4-3 LB (other than the team’s that employ an elephant OLB) or 3-4 ILB. Think of a 3-4 OLB as a more athletic 4-3 DE and not as a bigger linebacker.

Kirk Morrison has over 700 career tackles and a big six sacks. He’s actually got more interceptions than sacks in his career. His numbers read more like an in the box SS than somebody who could be asked to take on offensive tackles.

As a general rule, if you wouldn’t play somebody as a 4-3 DE, then you can’t play them as a 3-4 OLB. And I don’t mean that you’d maybe prefer Arthur Moats to play LB in a 4-3 as opposed to DE, I mean that you could play Moats at DE if you wanted to, even if you’d only do it situationally. You would never line up Morrison with a hand on the ground in a pass rushing role in any situation.

I do agree that the Carrington/Johnson at OLB experiment was a joke. I don’t understand why the Bills like Moats inside so much more than outside, especially considering the lack of options the Bills have outside. Height is irrelevant for an OLB when you’ve got the armspan of somebody who is 6’4’’ or 6’5’’ like Moats does. I hope the problem is just George Edwards and it’s not a bigger issue of forcing size onto the field as an organizational goal.

"You mean @TWHITNER. It’s how he prefers to be referenced." - Jon Harrington

by kaisertown on Dec 29, 2011 2:52 PM EST reply actions

by your same logic

Moats is a questionable start for a 3-4 olb, because he can’t set the edge as well either. From a pure pass rush standpoint, he can be effective. Otherwise, I don’t see how an MLB who has SS stats can’t convert to OLB, which has to cover as frequently as play the run. You are almost making my point for me. He is more athletic than the other two that WERE used, and he is an effective tackler, who has had to diagnose plays, and has been a proven playmaker. 4-3, 3-4…. the moral is, the guy is a linebacker, and at no point did we consider starting him in the available LINEBACKER position, where we obviously had no answers.

ABAYARDE IS NOSTRADAMUS JUST WATCH WE WILL NOT YIEALD TO NOBODY YOUR SOUL WE WILL TAKE

by ThaRealTruth on Dec 29, 2011 6:29 PM EST up reply actions

sorry.

i meant morrison for all but the first statement. In response to your lb/ss comparison.

ABAYARDE IS NOSTRADAMUS JUST WATCH WE WILL NOT YIEALD TO NOBODY YOUR SOUL WE WILL TAKE

by ThaRealTruth on Dec 29, 2011 6:29 PM EST up reply actions

the guy is a linebacker, and at no point did we consider starting him in the available LINEBACKER position

You’re exactly right that he’s a linebacker, but like I said, 3-4 OLB isn’t actually a linebacker position. It’s a pass rushing position far more closely related to a 4-3 DE. In your response to Brian, you mention that some 3-4 OLBs are DE converts. That’s not exactly true because literally every single 3-4 OLB in the NFL was a college pass rusher. Among the OLBs who actually play, LaMarr Woodley and Sergio Kindle played hybrid roles in college where they’d sometimes line up at DE and sometimes at LB. Clay Matthews played the elephant OLB spot for USC. James Harrison bounced around between DE and OLB. I’d put it at about 97% of 3-4 OLBs in the NFL played 4-3 DE in college. Another 2% actually played in a 3-4 somewhere (I think it’s just Ahmad Brooks and Justin Houston) and that last 1% is Clay Matthews.

No NFL coach or team is going to put a non pass rusher outside. It would put the team at a far great disadvantage than putting a defensive lineman would. It was definitely a terrible idea to try Spencer Johnson or Alex Carrington at OLB, but not because Buffalo didn’t give Morrison a shot at some point.

Just like any defensive lineman can’t be converted to a 3-4 NT, any linebacker can’t play 3-4 OLB. The difference between what we call the same position of “LB” or “DL” in the two schemes is that extreme.

"You mean @TWHITNER. It’s how he prefers to be referenced." - Jon Harrington

by kaisertown on Dec 29, 2011 8:07 PM EST up reply actions