Q&A about Kirk Morrison

You know the deal by now. Whenever the Bills or Sabres sign a free agent, I reach out to the writer of that player’s former home to ask what sort of player we are getting. Today, the Bills signed Kirk Morrison from the Jags, so, the boys over at The Jagernaut were kind enough to answer some questions about him. Enjoy.

Q1) I know he only played one year with the Jags, but what are Morrison’s strengths and weaknesses?

A2) Morrison was a stop-gap MLB for the Jaguars. He seemed to play the run very well most of the time, but he struggled to cover receivers, especially when the pass rush doesn’t get to the QB quickly

Q2) The Bills have always had problems covering the tight end in the passing game, does Morrison cover tight ends well?

A2) As I alluded to above, Morrison has problems in coverage, but he should be a decent match-up against most tight ends. The key is the pass rush. If the rushers can get there fairly quickly, Morrison should be able to keep most TEs covered long enough, but like most defenders, he can’t cover forever.

Q3) Can Morrison be a LB who can put pressure on the QB by blitzing?

A3) The Jaguars didn’t do a very good job with their blitzes last year, so, it’s hard to tell if Morrison is great with blitzes. My gut tells me that he’d do just fine blitzing if the blitz scheme gives him a lane to run through.

Q4) Why did Morrison’s tackles go down in Jacksonville last year by comparison to his years in Oakland?

A4) I think his tackles went down because the Jaguars’ pass defense was so bad. Teams wouldn’t even bother running it because they knew they could shred the defense deep. I don’t think it’s indicative of how he played. He simply didn’t have as many opportunities to tackle the ball carrier last year.

Q5) What sort of a leader is Morrison?

A5) It’s hard to tell what kind of leader Morrison is because he only spent one season in Jacksonville, but I can tell you that he played with flare. He’s not going to quietly do his business and then get out of the way. Give him some time, and he should emerge as a leader for the Bills’ defense.

Q6) Does Morrison seem better suited to play in a 3-4 defense? If so, why?

A6) Because he doesn’t always cover well, I think he’s better in a 4-3 defense. In a 3-4, the OLBs are often the pass rushers, and that puts more pressure on the MLBs. In a 4-3, the MLB is generally allowed to roam more than a 3-4, and that’s why I like him better in a 4-3, but I could be completely wrong. In reality, he would probably make a solid MLB in either scheme, but the key is he should be solid. Don’t expect a Ray Lewis type of a player out of Morrison.