Harry Douglas Could Head To Jacksonville
by Dave Choate on Jan 24, 2012 8:00 AM EST
in Falcons Talk
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If there's one industry that thrives in the first quarter of every year, it's informed speculation.
Think about it. Most NFL franchises are entering their off-season and can't start training programs until April. The draft isn't until April. There will be scouting and free agent talk and so on and so forth, but much of what happens from January to March happens in the world of whispers, nudges and half-truths.
So it's little surprise that the Falcons' free agents are already drawing scrutiny. It's even less of a surprise that the people doing the speculation are affiliated with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
In a Q&A on the team's site, John Oehser responds to a reader's question about Harry Douglas by saying the Jags could be in play for HD this spring. Douglas, as you'll no doubt recall, is a free agent. Mike Mularkey has also coached him for the last four seasons.
I have two reactions to this:
- It certainly makes sense. The Jaguars have no receivers to speak of, and Douglas is fast, has quality hands and is probably itching for a chance to prove himself in an offense where he could legitimately be the first or second option. Mularkey's familiar with his work, too, and will likely have significant say in who comes to the organization via free agency.
- It makes little sense. Douglas was notoriously under-utilized in the Falcons' offense under Mularkey, never catching more than 39 balls. Part of that was thanks to Roddy White, Tony Gonzalez and Julio Jones and part to injury, but it was also due to Mularkey not placing a high priority on getting the ball to him. If MM's such a believer, those numbers should be higher.
I can definitely see this happening, and if I had to make a short list of teams competing for his services, the Jags would be on it. But don't count on it.
Where do you think Douglas will land, while we're on the speculation train?
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Well
The Ravens and Redskins are always looking for a wide reciever like every, single, year… Add in the Jaguars and then “eeny meeny miny mo” that thang!
harry cld b a 1 or 2 in jax
Plus he knows the offense..I definitely can c this happening..I hate 4 him 2 go but it wld b a ideal situation 4 him..I wish him luck wherever he lands & thx 4 the free tix u gave me & my friends 2 the carolina game this yr!
Been a falcons fan since the big starter jackets was in style
by turnj35 on Jan 24, 2012 8:44 AM EST via mobile reply actions
never mind I need to read the subtext
you were on a phone
nuff said
by brotherbrown on Jan 24, 2012 8:46 PM EST up reply actions
You make a great point Dave
He can move up the depth chart just about anywhere else, and probably garner a bigger payday in JAX. The only con I could see is, well, Blaine Gabbert will be “throwing” him the ball in JAX.
Hoping for home-town loyalty
Harry grew up south of Atlanta – in my childhood town of Jonesboro (we both went to Jonesboro High, though many years apart). He’s very active in the community, so I’m hoping that influences him to stay.
Given what I’ve read from Koetter, I think he plans to utilize the slot much more efficiently. Harry would be critical to the 4 verticals game.
I’m hoping the front office get with Harry and at least offer him a 1 year deal – let him see how the new offense looks and get him tied up for the long-term if he has a better season in 2012.
And as TheAreopagite noted, going to Jax is no guarantee for better production with Gabbert lobbing balls his way.
‘throw’ in that MM didn’t use HD that well when he was here. If i was HD, i’d be remembering that compared to the chance of staying here with an OC that WANTS to use him more.
Harry Douglas will be gone
He’s an expenditure that is nice to have but as we’ve seen over his four years here, not integral to the success of the offense. He wasn’t the game breaker we envisioned (Mularkey is mostly to blame), but I hope he does well in Jax or wherever he winds up going
Frankly, it’s about time we see if the Kerry Meier pick actually pays off. He doesn’t have the same kind of speed, but he’s probably got the best hands on the team and is very physical (remember that Tenn game?). Could be a great redzone threat.
Bitter sweet
I live in Jax, so I get the opportunity to go to their games much more so than the birds. And would enjoy seeing him improve a horrible Jax offense. But I think it would be a horrible move on our part to let him go. He’s been clutch all season.
by Rhendry17 on Jan 24, 2012 10:26 AM EST via mobile reply actions
Land in Atlanta
we’ll keep him around.
But seriously. We’re seriously running a thread about shipping MORE people to Jacksonville. Send him to Mularkey who used him heaps whenever two of our starters went down nd once a season otherwise? Jacksonville? I hate this offseason already.
by Turner_The_Burner on Jan 24, 2012 10:41 AM EST reply actions
No way Harry should leave!!!!!!
With the possibility of him finally having to opportunity to be used in the proper way. I feel with the new OC in place HD will be a star, and take some of the burdon off of RW and JJ. They can’t cover all three.
I love me some Harry Douglas
But,the truth is that #3 WR is a 40 catch position,tops,even for the Packers,Giants and Saints,for example.I would hate it.But,If Jax were to offer him #2 money and a chance to move up in the world and possibly join the 80+ catch club.He will go.
The further truth is,there are no more than 40 catches for Harry in Atlanta if Roddy and Julio are healthy.I wish it weren’t true.But it is.
White vs Douglas
Many people have commented on the idea that Douglas would only be a #3 option in Atlanta, which is true today. However, I’m beginning to wonder if the front-office shouldn’t consider the idea of getting Douglas signed to a long-term deal while trying to trade Roddy for some draft picks, or a player at a position we need depth at.
For starters, I believe Julio is showing himself to be a true #1 WR – even in his first year. He has the size and speed that causes fits for defenses and he can pull down passes even when double (and sometimes triple) covered. As good as Roddy has been, he has neither the size nor speed the JJ does.
If you compare White to Douglas – they’re both the same height, while Roddy is about 20 lbs bulkier. However, Douglas has better speed, though Roddy has the edge in route running. Roddy is 30 while HD is only 27.
So, while it would be nice to have 2 #1 WRs, with the large number of free agents we have – and the needs we have in various positions – it may not be a luxury the Falcons can maintain anymore, especially if trading RW yields high-round draft picks that will help secure the future of the franchise.
As painful as it might be – remember that there are “no sacred cows” – I’m wondering if Harry stays and moves up to our #2 option?
You may be right about Roddy
I’ve speculated that Roddy may be gone if the trade is good (player-of-need & draft picks). I guess the Raiders are out of contention, being they have no draft picks for the next few years.
Many teams need a #1 WR
The list of top-tier receivers is very low, much less one that is a respected route runner with (normally) very good hands. And while there are receivers available in the draft, WRs coming out of college are never a sure-fire guarantee. Most receivers also take anywhere from 2 to 3 years to begin having a noticeable impact.
Off the top of my head, I could easily see the following teams being interested in Roddy:
Buffalo Bills
Tennessee Titans
Jacksonville Jags
Cleveland Browns
Kansas City Chiefs
Minnesota Vikings
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
St. Louis Rams
Many of these teams have quite a few picks and may be willing to part with one for a proven, high-performing receiver that still has plenty of shelf-life left.
pretty coincidental
when DW ends with “no sacred cows” and Blue Fender replies with a photo of a cow on his/her profile.
by brotherbrown on Jan 24, 2012 9:51 PM EST up reply actions
This talk about trading Roddy
is SILLY! What exactly would it fix? First of all, what the heck would our receiving corp look like without him? Julio, Harry (presumably resigned), and what? Weems/ Meier /heck, Cone or maybe a free-agent (could be wrong but I don’t see us getting Colston on anyone dynamic but again, could be wrong. in either event, instead of replacing our GOOD receiver in free agency, why don’t we replace our BAD linemen)? Where would you rank that corps in the league? All of us want the offense to take off. Somehow I don’t think removing Roddy would help.
Secondly, what could we get for him? Unlike basketball, there aren’t a ton of player plus picks deals. And getting equal value for Roddy would be near impossible. I think we’d all be disappointed with anything other than a 1st rounder (preferably in at least the teens… plus lower picks if possible) for possibly our best player. Who’d give up a 1st for him? Good teams probably have the flexibility to draft their own guy and bad teams probably want to keep their picks. The only teams I think need a #1 and draft low enough in the 1st round to even think about it are the bears (yeah right, they won’t even sign Forte) and the 49ers (30th pick. too low to make up for the loss of Roddy plus they prob wouldn’t do it anyway).
Why don’t we stick to the issue: “Where will Harry land?” purely based on his free agent status and leave all the other “issues” out. I don’t think salary cap will be an issue and I hope we keep him.
by A. "Falmouth" Thomas on Jan 24, 2012 10:20 PM EST up reply actions
I am warming up to the idea,The DW
It is one that I hadn’t thought about until today.But,you make the very good point that our deficiencies on the lines of scrimmage are much much larger than what difference there is between Harry and Roddy..I haven’t thought it thru so i’d have to see the hypothetical return for Roddy.But the longer i sit here and type about it,the more I like it.
I don't hate it, I'm not going to rage about the thought of Roddy being traded
but I’m just skeptical because, in 2010 when Jenkins was down, Douglas didn’t look too great outside. He’s built for the slot, he excels in the slot. I know he had big games this year when it was just he and White, but I’d be a little worried to make that the basis of our gameplan. He might have gotten a lot better than since weeks 1-6 of 2010, but I’d be a little worried if we went with that. At least this year.
by Turner_The_Burner on Jan 24, 2012 8:22 PM EST up reply actions
HD
was always an enigma to me. While fast, he never seemed to get the downfield separation needed to get MR comfortable with him being open. As a slot, he never impressed me with “strong hands in traffic” that slots are supposed to have. Slender of build, I always saw him as too easy to be jammed at the LOS to make it as a dependable wideout.
If you were directly above him, how could you see him? Because I was inverted. [Bullshit] No, he was man. It was a really great move. He was inverted.
I think its a bad move
theres no way we should let HD go. he was criminally underused by MM, I think he could really benefit from Koetters gameplan in 2012.
If Halladay, Lee, and Hamels all break their arms while playing tag in the clubhouse, We'll be set
by suicide bunting is a sin on Jan 24, 2012 11:38 AM EST reply actions
Why would HD want to go to JAX
if he wasn’t thrown the ball here, of all places. MM is already salivating about running MJD into the ground as it is.
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by Caleb Rutherford on Jan 24, 2012 11:39 AM EST reply actions
What are you smoking?????????????
Why in the world would the Falcons get rid of RW, I know a lots of people don’t like him but I feel that would be just dumb, especially after spending what they did for JJ. Roddy is one of the best receivers the ATL has ever had, and to suggest that bc he’s turning 30 there’s a decline there I don’t see it . He’s had some drops this past season, some due to not being focused, but the majority being MR not having the time to throw the ball accurately( too high, too low, are behind the receiver) so don’t be foolish RW is a must have IMO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's not about decline or not liking him
It’s about team depth, off-season needs and our ability to address those needs. As I see it, our biggest needs are:
Offensive Line (LT, Center, RG)
Defensive Line (DE)
Safety
Tight End
With the number of free agents we have, we don’t have many positions on the team where we have both depth and a lack of free agents. Receiver is one of the few areas (with running back being the second). From that, the question that has to be asked is whether the value of the trade exceeds the value of the player. It’s purely a business decision.
To be sure, I think the initial loss would hurt our offense, as Ryan and White have developed incredible chemistry that would be hard to initially replace. But the long-term goals of the team have to be weighed as well. And at this point, I think Roddy’s trade value is as high as it will ever be.
I’d hate to see him traded, as I really like Roddy and what he’s brought to this franchise – but the business reasons for making a move like this make me believe it’s a realistic possibility.
Depth at WR?
You do realize this is a site dedicated to the Falcons, right? Since when are we deep at receiver?
by A. "Falmouth" Thomas on Jan 24, 2012 10:26 PM EST up reply actions
Business or Depth Decision?
IMO it’s still a dumb move, If I can remember a short time ago, like last yr they made a business decision (remember Dahl ?) how did that work out for us? Not so good right? sometimes its not all about the money or the picks you can get its about the TEAM.
FYI - you can reply to the existing thread using the "reply" in the original post
It keeps the flow going better.
As for Dahl, it depends on how you view it. Dahl didn’t have that great of a season in St. Louis, and we just didn’t have the money to commit to three different linemen, as much as we would have liked. Plus, our offensive woes weren’t solely due to issues at right guard. This is a perfect example of business move that may hurt in the short term, but is done for long-term purposes.
Look – in an ideal world, we would sign all-pros to all 22 starting positions. But with the salary cap, it’s just not possible. That means you have to make hard decisions and figure out where you get the most value for your money. And sometimes that means parting with players that you love, but for whom you can get more value out of a trade.
FYI -The DW
I understand what you’re saying , but more doesn’t always mean better.
Our Line with Dahl
Would have certainly been better, and we did have the money, we just spent it on Edwards instead, which looking back on it may have been a bad move that will hurt us in the short as well as long term. Maybe Ray rebounds and I know he was hurt but man he was really terrible this year.
As for trading Roddy it would be a terrible move. No team picking in the top half of the first is gonna trade for an older WR when they could draft a younger one. Those teams are rebuilding and don’t need to invest in an older veteran. And no pick in the bottom half of the first round will give us the value/production Roddy will. We have enough picks/cap room to address our needs no need trading away one of our best players.
I agree losing Dahl hurt this year
But Edwards was the best DE available – other than C. Johnson, who signed a monster contract. We also had guys on the roster who looked to be good replacements for Dahl. For the price we got Edwards, I’m willing to see how he does this year with a fully healed knee. I’m not willing to call him a bust just yet. I’m hoping Nolan can develop schemes that better utilize him.
Let me be clear – I would only be willing to trade RW if we could get a top 15 pick out of it. As for whether a team out there is willing to make the trade? That depends on who is running the front office. There are some GMs that believe getting a veteran far outweighs the risk of spending on a rookie who may or may not pan out. And RW is a proven pro-bowler, and that could be enough to convince a desperate team to trade away a first rounder. It will likely take a team that believes they are capable of competing in 2012. They may not be willing to wait for a rookie WR to develop into a star.
The Dahl decision doesn't relate at all
It was almost unanimously believed,inside the organization and out,that Mike Johnson was ready for that Guard slot.Unfortunately,they lost him to IR before the season started.With the compelling needs elsewhere,it made no sense to pay Dahls price for a reduced role.
Didn't he get injured in like October?
I may be wrong but didn’t he lose out on the Job because of a concussion, but when healthy still didn’t get it then hurt his leg or something and got put on IR.
It was actually 3 separate injuries
The concussion was around mid August a sprained knee in September and a foot injury in October.His season just never had a chance to get going.
i could see HD signing with the jaguars or the vikings but i can also see a team like
the 49ers signing him they need speedy down the field WR’S and they also lack quality depth at that position too.
CORONATION STARSCREAM?THIS IS BAD COMEDY!! WILL ANYONE ELSE ATTEMPT TO FILL HIS SHOES?-GALVATRON
This just in...we trade Turner for MJD
MM wanted someone that fits his offense better. Running backs catching balls is verboten.
Hey I can dream AMRITE?
Technically the glass is always full. 1/2 air. 1/2 water.
I think Mularkey would have to overpay
to get HD. There’s no way he’s going to play under a guy who refused to use him unless he can make him hemorrhage money.
No WR will thrive with Gabbert lol
I think we are looking at the same thing as Laraunt Robinson. When Robinson left I understood we had to get rid of him but at the same time I knew he had the talent so it was frustrating. I could see HD being the same. Going to JAX and hating life for a few seasons (Robinson in STL) than going somewhere else. Not sure why but I see the Giants cause Cruz will probably be gone by than, and having a fantastic year like Robinson did in Dallas.
that is quite the dilemma for Harry Douglas
Does he stay in Atlanta where there is familiarity, but take a chance on a new offensive coordinator dedicated to down field vertically passing in which he can definitely excel in a team that’s very close to making IT.
OR
Go to Jacksonville where at the very least he’s a number 2 guy maybe and number 1 automatically, but in a smaller market that probably won’t see the playoffs until 2013 ish at the earliest in a Mike Mularkey-ish system in Bratkowski offense?
Jags fan here...
I have heard he’s more of a slot receiver, and we have on in Mike Thomas, although Thomas has an 18M contact and regressed a lot, I can see him being cut, and Douglas taking the spot, or take Douglas and throw him at the #4 spot with 2 big free agents at #1 and #2 and this receiving unit shall be feared.
Anyone interested in making money easy and quick on the interne, let me know through twitter or facebook(preferably facebook).
"thanks for hating"
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