Niners’ New Defensive Scheme May Look Like Seattle’s

Robert Saleh officially has been named the new defensive coordinator for the 49ers, and he's expected to bring some changes with him.For many seasons, the 49ers essentially have run a 3-4 base scheme, with three defensive linemen and four linebackers. Saleh, however, is expected to run a 4-3 base scheme, much like the one used in Jacksonville and Seattle, his two previous coaching stops.However, Saleh's system will be fluid. New 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said in a recent interview on KNBR that Saleh intends to run a defense very much like the one in Seattle under Pete Carroll. That system has been described by Carroll as a "4-3 front with 3-4 personel."Often, it features four defensive linemen plus a linebacker on the line of scrimmage, like a 3-4 scheme.The scheme – which favors quick, active linebackers – promotes an aggressive, attacking style, say Shanhan and general manager John Lynch. It gives an offense a lot of shifting, multiple looks."Here's what we know on defense: We want to be aggressive," Lynch said recently. "We want to be multiple. Kyle talked a lot about what gives him problems as an offensive coordinator, so I think those are things that we're...