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Jaguars Trade Luke Fortner for Khalen Saunders · Duval Daily: A Jacksonville Jaguars Podcast

• 0:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: Jacksonville Jack Wars fans, welcome in to Dove All Daily, presented by Gen Jack.com.
• 0:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm Jordan Aluga, thanks so much for being here Monday, August, eight teeth.
• 0:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: Hope y'all are doing well.
• 0:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: Hopefully you got more sleep tonight.
• 0:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: I did last night, but the Jacksonville Jack Wars in case you missed it, traded Luke Fortner.
• 0:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: Center former third round pick by the Jaguars in twenty twenty two to the Norland Saints for defensive tackle Colin Saunders who was also a third round pick, but back in two thousand nineteen.
• 0:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: So we're going to break down this trade.
• 0:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: I did go back now and watch some more Colin Saunders take but as I told you all yesterday last last night.
• 0:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: I didn't have like a lot of analysis to offer in terms of like who he is as a player.
• 0:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: Um, but we're going to get into all that right now.
• 0:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I really appreciate y'all being here.
• 0:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you enjoy the content, please like and subscribe.
• 1:00
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• 1:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: So, uh, look Colin Saunders, Luke Forner.
• 1:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: There's different layers to dive into here.
• 1:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: I expected this to be for like a six or seventh round pick, but it was just appearing.
• 1:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: It appears it was just a player for player swap.
• 1:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: Colin Saunders, defensive tackle for interior offensive lineman.
• 1:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: Luke Fortner has primarily just played center throughout his career for the Jack Wars.
• 1:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: He has been cross training a bit at center and guard, but you know, primarily a center.
• 1:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: Maybe somebody who could play some guard.
• 1:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: I honestly think Luke Fortner probably was not going to make the Jaguars roster.
• 1:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: And they found value.
• 1:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: And this was like the same thing with Christian Kirk.
• 1:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: Obviously Christian Kirk was not traded.
• 1:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: Or excuse me, obviously Luke Fortner was not traded within the division.
• 1:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: But the Jack Wars were going to release Christian Kirk.
• 2:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: And instead of releasing him, they got some trade value for him, right?
• 2:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think that this is exactly how the Jack Wars were viewing the Luke Fortner situation.
• 2:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: He wasn't going to make the roster.
• 2:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: So they made a trade for a player who they think
• 2:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: probably does have a chance to make the roster and I've seen some really, really strong takes about this trade.
• 2:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't think that it needs to be like this.
• 2:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: Let's freaking crown James Gladstone because he traded Luke Fortner for Colin Saunders.
• 2:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: I do think the fact that the Jaguars were able to trade Luke Fortner is a little bit surprising.
• 2:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's a little bit impressive.
• 2:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: I gotta give him credit for that.
• 2:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: But I don't want folks to think that the Jaguars have this guy coming in and Colin Saunders who is like a
• 2:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: difference making interior defensive linemen.
• 2:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't think that's what happened here.
• 3:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think if the Saints felt that Colin Saunders was a difference maker on the interior, they would not have traded him for Luke Fortner, right?
• 3:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's my strong opinion on this.
• 3:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: I went back and watched several games.
• 3:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: I watched his preseason tape from week one.
• 3:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: I watched a couple of games from last year.
• 3:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: Colin Saunders is big.
• 3:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's not super tall, right?
• 3:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: But he's heavy.
• 3:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's strong.
• 3:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's a good athlete for his size.
• 3:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think he can be passable on the field for you in most situations.
• 3:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: He can line up over the center.
• 3:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: He can line up over a guard, shade inside against a guard.
• 3:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's not really
• 3:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: bringing a whole lot consistently.
• 3:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: There are moments where he pops and flashes and makes a brilliant play because he is again a very good athlete at his size.
• 3:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like his forty-hour dash of five-o-one is not like crazy, but five-o-one at, you know, close to three hundred thirty pounds is impressive.
• 4:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like he's got some juice to his movements.
• 4:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: Overall, I just, I don't think he's going to come in and be this huge difference maker.
• 4:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: temper the expectations a little bit.
• 4:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: But what is impressive to me for James Gladstone and the Jacksonville Jack Wars with this trade is they sent someone who probably wasn't going to make their team and got in return someone who they think can probably make their team.
• 4:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't see like a super, super clear path to the roster unless we're talking about Mason Smith and Eric Armstrong's dead not being ready for week one.
• 4:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: Not the same type of players, right?
• 4:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: As Smith and Armstrong are more of like, they can be three down guys that have the talent to impact the run in the past.
• 4:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: Colin Saunders again is more of just like, you know, you can get them in there.
• 4:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: You can do some decent things.
• 4:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: You can not, you know,
• 5:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: Blow a ton of assignments and cost you.
• 5:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: He can just kind of do his job a little bit.
• 5:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: I do think though, Devon Hamilton is a much better player in that type of mold.
• 5:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: I also think that Austin Johnson is a better player in that type of mold.
• 5:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: And Austin Johnson, the Jaguar is where we're able to pick up off the street.
• 5:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: Watching their both of their tape, I just think Austin Johnson is a better player.
• 5:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think that he executes at a higher level more consistently and helps out his teammates around him more consistently.
• 5:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's my personal opinion.
• 5:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: Hopefully Colin comes in here and does a great job.
• 5:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: Now, could he be better than Jordan Jefferson, which this Jack Wars regime has no ties to Jordan Jefferson.
• 5:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: Tyler Lacy, not really the same type of player.
• 5:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: This is an interesting one because again, not surprised that the Jaguar is wanted to trade Luke Fortner if they could trade Luke Fortner, but Colin Saunders is an interesting fit for sure.
• 6:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's going to come in and I know some folks on the Twitter have talked about the Jaguar has got a starting defensive tackle.
• 6:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: He started games, but
• 6:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't think you look at him in relation to the rest of the Jaguar's defensive front and say he's definitely a starter.
• 6:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: Again, unless you have Armstead and Smith not available for the start of the season.
• 6:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: And even then, I personally would rather have Austin Johnson and Devon Hamilton on the field and running downs and then kick in, travel on or smooth or agba on the interior to pass rush.
• 6:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's how I would be looking to play it.
• 6:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: But I think he can be good depth for the Jaguars.
• 6:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think he can be a good rotational player.
• 6:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: You need to have a good rotation up front.
• 6:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think that he can come in and provide some decent rotational snaps for the Jags.
• 6:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's also a good locker room guy, a good person to have in your community.
• 7:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: He was part of a leadership group in New Orleans in that locker room.
• 7:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: He also put together LGBTQ football camp.
• 7:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: I know not everybody's going to be fired up about that, but somebody who's trying to do things
• 7:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: In this community, somebody who's trying to lead within from the football team and he feels like football is a safe space.
• 7:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's football is for everyone as kind of his mantra.
• 7:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: So I can respect that for sure.
• 7:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: No question about it.
• 7:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: The leadership.
• 7:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: that he's going to bring, like, you know, being intangibly rich.
• 7:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think the Jack Wars are going to view him as an intangibly rich player.
• 7:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: Liam Cohen did coach against him twice last year.
• 7:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: Buccaneers versus Saints and then obviously coach against him yesterday as well.
• 7:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: So to me, this is
• 7:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: move where you bring in someone you think can compete for your roster you ship out somebody who you don't think has a chance to make your roster is that a good trade I think so that's that's pretty much where I'm at with this one and again intangibly rich good guy kind of a very well-liked everywhere he's been
• 8:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: Just I wouldn't get your expectations like too high for this one.
• 8:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: Seeing some things that I don't think are quite representing at least what I've seen on tape from Colin who to me again is just someone who's going to be competing for, you know, rotational depth with the Jaguar's defensive front versus coming in to be a legitimate starter.
• 8:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't see that.
• 8:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: Really appreciate y'all tuning in.
• 8:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you enjoy the content, please like and subscribe.
• 8:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: Y'all have a good one.