We could build a good 4-3 DL and get a pass rush through FA-if we want to

http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d81423860&template=with-video-with-comments&confirm=true

Guys who are FAs include:

Richard Seymour, Julius Peppers, Kyle Van Den Bosch, Aaron Kampman, Derrick Burgess, Tank Johnson, Adewale Ogunleye, Jarvis Green.

I know we run the 3-4, but damn 5 years trying to get the players for it and we still don't have the OLBs? PATHETIC. The fact of the matter is it's easier to build a 4-3 DL than a 3-4 front 7. It's easier to get a pass rush like that. The 3-4 is a superior scheme, don't get me wrong. You can blitz from more angles, bigger DL should do a better job stopping the opponent in short yardage, etc. But we don't blitz a whole lot or get pressure when we do and we can't stop the other team in short yardage on 3rd and 1s or 4th and 1s because the only 3-4 DLineman we got anyway is Franklin.

I know what you guys are going to say. Peppers is too expensive, Seymour is too expensive, KVDB is too old, Johnsons a thug, blah blah blah. But these guys, they're going to get a pass rush. Justin Smith, he's a 4-3 DE not a 3-4 DE. He's not a guy who is meant to take on blockers, his best job is vs the run and getting after the QB. Balmer, I don't think that dude is ever going to fit in a 3-4. He's a 4-3 DT, he gets some penetration the few times he's in the game because he's athletic, but he's not built to take on 2 blockers like a 3-4 DE. Soap gets manhandled a lot and he's strong but he gets no push. He can't push guys back. And our pass rush, relying on Haralson and Manny just wont work. Manny's good in coverage, he's goot at setting the edge, he's a LB that flies all over the field. But the only pass rushing move he has is the bull rush or the speed rush. He has no spin move or swim move. Haralson's just not talented enough to be an every down player, and Brooks doesn't play the run well enough to be in there on 1st and 2nd down.

Solution, play to our personnel. I think that we can play Justin Smith at one end, Balmer at one DT spot, then if we can land one of Peppers or Seymour for the other side, Peppers for the LDE spot or Seymour for the LDT spot, then we could get a lesser player and be okay like an Ogunleye or Tank Johnson or even draft a guy. But we can't keep playing like this, our defense will never take the next step. We'll always be a bend but don't break, but when we need to not break, we don't have the playmakers. It's easier to find the playmakers for a 4-3 front 7 than a 3-4 front 7. What say you WZ?

It really depends on our coaching situation.

But our D is pretty good. We just need legit pass rushers, and we'll be set. There's no guarantee that reverting back to the 4-3 will improve our pass rush.

Originally posted by GEEK:
It really depends on our coaching situation.

But our D is pretty good. We just need legit pass rushers, and we'll be set. There's no guarantee that reverting back to the 4-3 will improve our pass rush.

If we go back to the 3-4 and somehow miraculously snag Aaron Kampman, I would say our pass-rush has been improved.

only one passrusher IMHO is not enough. Look at van den Bosch this year. Without Hayensworth all attention is directed towards him.

We need one dominat passrusher and one decent ( better would be two dominat), this would split the attention of the OL.

Originally posted by JeuSF49:
only one passrusher IMHO is not enough. Look at van den Bosch this year. Without Hayensworth all attention is directed towards him.

We need one dominat passrusher and one decent ( better would be two dominat), this would split the attention of the OL.

I think Peppers and Smith would make for good bookends.

We really need to get either Peppers or Merriman and go from there with the scheme.

Originally posted by znk916:

Originally posted by JeuSF49:
only one passrusher IMHO is not enough. Look at van den Bosch this year. Without Hayensworth all attention is directed towards him.

We need one dominat passrusher and one decent ( better would be two dominat), this would split the attention of the OL.

I think Peppers and Smith would make for good bookends.

We really need to get either Peppers or Merriman and go from there with the scheme.

Peppers would but doesn't he want to play OLB in a 3-4?

Ya that's what he said apparently...whatever he wants lol, we need a guy like him bottom line.

no we couldnt

Either way, we're still one pass rusher away from having an ideal unit. Kampman would solve our problems at OLB. I didn't know he was a FA.

We're not changing our defensive scheme anyway. Sure, we'd have the DTs, easily, and Justin Smith is a solid 4-3 DE. As for a true pass rusher though, most of those guys listed don't bring much heat. Peppers and Seymour are legit, but they'd cost a fortune.

Originally posted by strickac:
Either way, we're still one pass rusher away from having an ideal unit. Kampman would solve our problems at OLB. I didn't know he was a FA.

We're not changing our defensive scheme anyway. Sure, we'd have the DTs, easily, and Justin Smith is a solid 4-3 DE. As for a true pass rusher though, most of those guys listed don't bring much heat. Peppers and Seymour are legit, but they'd cost a fortune.

Kampan is not a great fit in the 3-4 at OLB and is not happy with the scheme. He will look to go somewhere with a 4-3 base.

No.

Originally posted by saj4423:

Originally posted by znk916:

Originally posted by JeuSF49:
only one passrusher IMHO is not enough. Look at van den Bosch this year. Without Hayensworth all attention is directed towards him.

We need one dominat passrusher and one decent ( better would be two dominat), this would split the attention of the OL.

I think Peppers and Smith would make for good bookends.

We really need to get either Peppers or Merriman and go from there with the scheme.

Peppers would but doesn't he want to play OLB in a 3-4?

eh, he said he wants to go to a 3-4, but i think he means he wants to go to a creative defense. he would be okay with a zone blitzing team, he is just tired of a predictable 4 man rush.


the 3 i would want seymour, peppers, ogunleye. they will help our D. and except for ogunyele they would not require us to change our scheme too much.

I'm hoping we find a couple dominating pass rushers, we need a couple pure pass rushers to strengthen our defense and loosen up the offensive line for our 3 down lineman to create some pressure.
Haralson is a solid OLB, but OC's dont lose any sleep at night preparing a game plan to defend him, once we land that dominating pass rusher, this defense will improve bigtime.

do it