Jason Babin's Departure Could Mean Bigger Role for Derrick Morgan

It was still uncertain whether or not Jason Babin would be retained by the Tennessee Titans after the lockout finally came to an end.

Now we can say for sure that Babin will not be a member of the Titans in 2011.

This could actually be a blessing in disguise for the Titans, because now, it frees up more room for the Titans' 2010 first-round draft pick Derrick Morgan.

Morgan started off his rookie season in promising fashion before going down with an unfortunate ACL injury after playing in four games.

It obviously won't be easy figuring out a way to replace the 12.5 sacks that Babin produced in 2010.

Although expecting 12.5 sacks from Morgan is probably overshooting a bit, it's not crazy to think that Morgan could have a breakout sophomore campaign in the NFL.

The type of defensive system that new defensive coordinator Jerry Gray plans on installing is a system Morgan excelled in at Georgia Tech, where he had 19.5 sacks.

Gray has also said that he plans on using Morgan a lot in the new system, and that was before Babin had been officially lost to the Philadelphia Eagles.

A guy of Morgan's size can be such a versatile weapon for a defense. He has the ability to do what Babin couldn't offer.

What Babin did last season was a great story. An NFL journeyman having revived his career and taking the NFL by storm.

However, Babin is in his 30s and will start declining while Morgan will almost certainly be reaching his potential.

Babin wasn't the only notable defensive lineman the Titans will part ways with.

Long-time Titan Tony Brown was released as well, and Titans general manager cited physical issues as the reasoning in a statement.

Everyone should expect big things from Morgan this season as long as he can stay healthy, and his success will play a major role in whether or not the Titans can bounce back from an abysmal 2010 season.