In top level sport if you're standing still, you're going backwards. JLT in the team means we're not evolving, not developing and all the time the teams around us are.
Souttar showed us what the next level of modern defender looked like and raised the standard for those around him. Without him I fear we'll regress and the likes of Burrows & Gilchrist/Seriki won't develop in the way they could have!
JLT is a 5/10 defender at this level, which is fine if you're mid table. No doubt he could go to Preston and play like that for another 3 seasons. We're hoping our trajectory is different.