Well said Tharne.

Thinking in terms of my static, I (the main healer) can take something besides Protect because usually, my co-healer casts protect while I Stoneskin the party. In areas where I don't need Esuna, I can slot something else, or perhaps our SMN can.

It's all a matter of versatility. Create the build that works best for you and your party. People wanted a little more flexibility, and now we're getting it. I see nothing wrong here.