Samkon Gado traded for Vernand Morency

[Fonzie]

The Packers and Texans completed one of those rare player-for-player trades today when they swapped Gado and Morency.

hxxp://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=497566
------------------------

Gado's gone in trade
Green Bay gets Morency from Houston
By TOM SILVERSTEIN
[email protected]
Posted: Sept. 13, 2006

Green Bay - Either convinced that he was not going to be the running back they hoped or desperate for a third-down back, the Green Bay Packers traded Samkon Gado to the Houston Texans on Wednesday afternoon.

In exchange for Gado, the fan and media darling who came off the practice squad last year to become the team's leading rusher, the Packers received backup running back Vernand Morency from the Texans.

It was a trade of two backs with vastly different running styles.

Gado, at 5-10 and 226 pounds, has the strength and burst to run the ball up the middle, and Morency, at 5-9 1/2, 212 pounds, is a quick, shifty runner whose decent hands make him a good fit for third downs.

The Packers are giving up on the athletically gifted Gado because they feel they need someone who can take some of the load off starter Ahman Green. Because neither Gado nor backup Noah Herron is quick enough to excel as a pass catcher, Morency, a third-round pick of the Texans in 2005, should be able to take on some of the load on passing downs.

"He's going to help us on third down," coach Mike McCarthy said. "He's OK (as a blocker). He's a shifty, make-you-miss kind of guy. He's good on check downs and things like that."

Green played almost the entire game against Chicago on Sunday, and while he came out of it healthy, McCarthy began to worry that kind of workload would be too much for him over the course of the season. General manager Ted Thompson had been speaking with the Texans for several weeks about Morency, 26, and finally sealed the deal Wednesday.

Morency, who played center field in the Colorado Rockies system for four seasons before enrolling at Oklahoma State, runs the 40-yard dash in the mid-4.5-second range, according to Thompson. He carried a full load in the Oklahoma State backfield two years ago, but some scouts have doubts about his ability to start in the NFL.

"We'll have to see how that works out," Thompson said. "He has the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield, has done some kickoff return - very little in the NFL. We'll see how that goes, but for now we just felt he was a good fit with our present backs."

In 13 games, Morency has rushed 51 times for 197 yards (3.9 average) and two touchdowns and returned 20 kickoffs for a 21.9-yard average. He carried five times for 13 yards and caught one pass for 6 yards in Houston's opening-game loss to Philadelphia Sunday.

With Gado, there were some indications that he was miscast in the zone-blocking system the Packers run, and even he questioned whether he was a better fit for Mike Sherman's power gap scheme. Gado will be joining Sherman, now assistant head coach with the Texans, but he'll be playing in a system similar to what Green Bay runs.

Houston coach Gary Kubiak coached in Denver before being hired by the Texans and has been apart of the zone blocking style most of his professional coaching career. Whether Gado can adjust to it is unknown, but it appears he'll get more of an opportunity to run it because lead back Domanick Davis is out for the year and rookie Wali Lundy and veteran Ron Dayne are sharing the load.

In an interview Aug. 30, Gado admitted that the power gap system was something he fit into well and wondered whether it was a better match for him.

"The thought did cross my mind because I was better in that, but I'm willing to bet if I had busted a 200-yard game in this system, I'd say this is definitely the best system," Gado said. "Whatever works."

Gado received 27 carries in the exhibition season and gained a disappointing 65 yards with a long run of 10. By comparison, Herron ran 30 times and gained 119 yards with a long run of 23.

Against Chicago, Gado was used most often as Green's backup, but he only carried twice for minus-7 yards. He caught one pass for 5 yards.

The affable and polite Gado was signed to the Packers' practice squad Oct. 17 of last season after he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.43 seconds in front of team scouts. Within two weeks he was elevated to the active roster to help fill the void left when Green and Najeh Davenport went out with season-ending injuries.

In his first game as a starter, he rushed for 103 yards and two touchdowns against Atlanta Nov. 13, and he went on to have two more 100-yard rushing days, including a 171-yard effort against Detroit Dec. 11, breaking the franchise's single-game rookie rushing record.

"He proved last season that he can be an every-down back," Texans general manager Rick Smith told the Houston Chronicle. "His size and style is more in line with what our offense needs. He's good at picking up the blitz. He's tough and physical, and he's got good hands."

The Nigerian-born Gado became a fan favorite because of his broad smile and courteous manner. During the off-season, Gado, who took pre-med courses at Liberty University and one day wants to be a doctor in Nigeria, interned at a local hospital.

"He has a very infectious personality," Thompson said. "I've never seen him without a smile on his face. He loves to play, loves people here and he's looking forward to being able to play in Houston. He's excited about it, but also probably sad to be leaving friends."

-------------------

Not a huge trade, to be sure, but I'm sad to see Gado go. He was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise dreadful 2005 campaign. He seemed talented, but his talents apparently only lent themselves to the right system. He didn't take well to the zone-blocking scheme Green Bay adopted this year and was deemed expendable (some thought he'd get set free in the final cutdowns), but my recollection is that Houston is adopting the same zone-blocking scheme, no?

A mildly intriguing undercurrent to this story: Mike Sherman is now coaching for the Texans, and I can only assume he had a lot to do with this trade. It'll be interesting to see who comes out ahead here - the Packers' old crappy GM vs. their new crappy GM.

And does anyone know anything about Morency?

[-Mojo Jojo-]

This bloody zone blocking scheme better yield some results, because it just chased two solid backup backs out of town (Gado and Najeh Davenport) despite the fact that Ahman Green is showing some mileage and spent most of last season injured...

[Passacaglia]

I'm surprised they said Herron can't excel as a pass catcher.

[Mustang]

Originally Posted by -Mojo Jojo-

This bloody zone blocking scheme better yield some results, because it just chased two solid backup backs out of town (Gado and Najeh Davenport) despite the fact that Ahman Green is showing some mileage and spent most of last season injured...

You mention Green's injury last season, Davenport couldn't stay on the field in any season enough to be a solid backup. Guy was always injured with one thing or another. I don't disagree with him being shown the door

As for Gado, it did not look like he adjusted to the blocking scheme at all. So, no sense keeping him around if he is not adjusting but, then again.. Morency was having trouble adjusting Houstons one cut system too from what I've read.

Either way, I figure we have 2 more seasons of 3-13 ball before Thompson and McCarthy are gone.

[BrianD]

So what does this do to the respective fantasy values of these RBs?

[Mustang]

Originally Posted by BrianD

So what does this do to the respective fantasy values of these RBs?

I'd say increases them both but, depends on the league. Gado could be the starter (I've even seen reports that he starts this weekend) and Morency is probably the clear #2 back in GB. I'd grab Gabo before Morency though. Morency I wouldn't pickup unless it was a sizable league with deep rosters.

[PackerFanatic]

This kinda irritates me, I liked Gado and despite him having troubles with the new blocking scheme, he was still a serviceable backup.

I think he ends up better off in Houston though, who still doesn't have a proven #1. He could end up having a big year (if Houston's O-Line can give him any holes)

[tabucko]

Too bad - Gado seemed like he had a future in Green Bay after last year. Too bad for those stores like Scheels that have a shit load of Gado jerseys that they have to clearance out now.