Owen Posted January 30, 2012 Posted January 30, 2012 I just read Chan Gailey is going to a 4/3 defense next season... http://www.rtsports.com/football-news/1000087938 I wonder how this will affect free agency and the draft?
Chris in Syracuse Posted January 30, 2012 Posted January 30, 2012 I just read Chan Gailey is going to a 4/3 defense next season... http://www.rtsports.com/football-news/1000087938 I wonder how this will affect free agency and the draft? I think we will look for DE more than OLB. The question is do we cut Merriman or switch him to DE?
Cheddar's Dad Posted January 30, 2012 Posted January 30, 2012 Gailey said one of the reason he was going 43 was that it was harder to find players that fit the 34. Specifically, Gailey said, "it gets extremely hard to find those outside backers year after year". That sounds like Upshaw and Ingram will not rank as priorities for their defense unless he feels that slower players with shorter arms can be OLBs in a 43.
PromoTheRobot Posted January 30, 2012 Posted January 30, 2012 Correct me if I'm wrong but weren't we all screaming to be 3-4 about two years ago? Had to be 3-4 because everyone was running 3-4! What changed? PTR
K-9 Posted January 30, 2012 Posted January 30, 2012 I think we will look for DE more than OLB. The question is do we cut Merriman or switch him to DE? Of course it's all bases on his health, but assuming he can come back, I see him being used more as a situational pass rusher. Although, again if health permits, and even though he's never played in a 43 front, I think he'd be a good SLB in the 43 alignment. He wouldn't garner the sack stats from there but he can set an edge and cover guys so I think we could do worse than him. Again, health permitting. GO BILLS!!!
Dr. Trooth Posted January 30, 2012 Posted January 30, 2012 In case you didn't get the memo, I made this announcement as soon as Wanny was promoted. How does it affect things? A lot. 1) Bills have at least 3 LBS that should be able to play MLB. They have one that might be able to play OLB... and then a huge dropoff. No one has ever played OLB in a 43 on the current roster. So, there needs to be at least 2-3 43 OLBs brought in. No ands, ifs, or buts. 2) All of the Bills Defensive lineman (except Kelsay)(not counting the two street FAs the Bills pickeup toward the end of the season) are all 300 and above. Well, DEs in the 43 usually weigh in anywhere from 240 lbs. to 275 lbs. Jenny Craig ain't running the strength and conditioning program and neither is nutrisystem. So, do the math... a few of them will be sent packing and new and competent ones brought in. In other words, one step forward 2 steps backwards. I aint saying the Bills won't improve significantly on defense. But by the time that happens will the Bills still be in Buffalo?
snamsnoops Posted January 30, 2012 Posted January 30, 2012 (edited) Correct me if I'm wrong but weren't we all screaming to be 3-4 about two years ago? Had to be 3-4 because everyone was running 3-4! What changed? PTR Cause bills fans constantly need something to B word about, and usually dont have patience with anything. O ya and everything is subject to change! Edited January 30, 2012 by snamsnoops
BEAST MODE BABY! Posted January 30, 2012 Posted January 30, 2012 How does it affect things? A lot. 1) Bills have at least 3 LBS that should be able to play MLB. They have one that might be able to play OLB... and then a huge dropoff. No one has ever played OLB in a 43 on the current roster. So, there needs to be at least 2-3 43 OLBs brought in. No ands, ifs, or buts. Didn't Barnett play OLB at Oregon State?
Wagon Circler Posted January 30, 2012 Posted January 30, 2012 Um... during this entire 3-4 experiment, we never had a nose tackle type. Dareus and KW are both 4-3 tackles and should excel there. To me, nothing in this switch indicates we don't need to address our need for OLB's in a dramatic way.
NoSaint Posted January 30, 2012 Posted January 30, 2012 Correct me if I'm wrong but weren't we all screaming to be 3-4 about two years ago? Had to be 3-4 because everyone was running 3-4! What changed? PTR opportunity to work with a coordinator he trusted? also, more teams continuing to go 34 so its getting to be a bigger fight for that pool of guys, while 43 guys are again sliding down as fewer teams are fighting for them? though the latter was probably already more true than anyone wanted to admit 2 years ago. the 34 is the premium scheme but if you arent able to get the premium players - it doesnt do you much good.
boyst Posted January 30, 2012 Posted January 30, 2012 Meh, I wil have to toil over this in my head but I really do not think it's a big deal. We will still run a hybrid system. We will still have the 3-4 at times and I am sure we will use Nickel a lot similar to what we have in the past because unfortunately it is our best defensive front. We never should have left the 4-3 and only got more versatile players.
NoSaint Posted January 30, 2012 Posted January 30, 2012 Didn't Barnett play OLB at Oregon State? yes - ten years ago, at a collegiate level he did play SSOLB Meh, I wil have to toil over this in my head but I really do not think it's a big deal. We will still run a hybrid system. We will still have the 3-4 at times and I am sure we will use Nickel a lot similar to what we have in the past because unfortunately it is our best defensive front. We never should have left the 4-3 and only got more versatile players. One might even argue that outside some late picks and mid tier guys, thats pretty much what weve done. just on the interior, and not the outside. other than merriman the outside was pretty well neglected for either approach.
mob16151 Posted January 30, 2012 Posted January 30, 2012 (edited) Meh, I wil have to toil over this in my head but I really do not think it's a big deal. We will still run a hybrid system. We will still have the 3-4 at times and I am sure we will use Nickel a lot similar to what we have in the past because unfortunately it is our best defensive front. We never should have left the 4-3 and only got more versatile players. That's basically what happened. ninja'd by NoSaint Edited January 30, 2012 by mob16151
BillsVet Posted January 30, 2012 Posted January 30, 2012 I think we will look for DE more than OLB. The question is do we cut Merriman or switch him to DE? Merriman will be situational if he even makes the team. He's never rushed with a hand on the ground and it's a huge leap to hope he can in his 8th NFL season. I hope the personnel folks and scouts were looking for 40 front types when they began visiting campuses last April in anticipation for the 2012 draft. Something tells me they weren't and this change was made when Edwards was fired. Think of it this way: the Bills bowed to the needs of their 3rd DC in 4 seasons when it came time to choose a defense. A defense very much different than what the GM and AGM worked with in their previous positions and adamantly said they'd run. This defines dysfunction.
jcbillsfan Posted January 30, 2012 Posted January 30, 2012 any thoughts could it be kelsey williams darius carrington merriaman sheppard barnett looks like dwan edwards might be out of a job this might be a good thing for moats and bannon. with troupe and spencer johnson they are very deep at tackle If the first round pick is coples then carrington becomes the top back up In the end it was a smart move, when you are starring at williams and daruis they should be the focal part of your d. Plus I agree with Chan's points in reguards to finding 4/3 players is easier .
reddogblitz Posted January 30, 2012 Posted January 30, 2012 We ran 4-3 most of the time this year anyway. When Merriman was playing he was playing at DE primarily. And now we can finally get Williams and Darius clogging up the middle. If we can generate a better pass rush with this and blitz strategically our secondary immediately becomes better. I like it. Just because a guy played a 3-4 in college or the pros doesn't mean he can't play 4-3 as well.
playman Posted January 30, 2012 Posted January 30, 2012 (edited) where to begin............ ok, lets start with DE: there is no RULE that DE´s in a 4-3 have to be freeney-types. thats the TAMPA 2. you can very well play a 4-3 D with good sized guys. in fact, i think carrington has played 4-3 in college? and hes what? 6-5 300? and kelsay will like beeing back with his hands down. hands down sure this coples? guy or that kid from indiana will rise up on our draft board a bit. and though everyone knows wanny is a 4-3 guy has he ever been mentioned as a tampa 2 guy? and though kyle williams isnt on any depth chart right now, given his brand new 6-years contract hell make a very good tandem with dareus in the middle. or was he traded or released? that may as well be the case but i haven took notice. depth is pretty good at DT with heard showing he can play there. and his play beeing mentioned as " more of a 4-3DT in that hes more of a penetrator " or whatever the press said will serve as a bonus here. our hybrid LB/SS scott will propably be our WLB as of 2day all in all, i really dont see roster structure as any kind of problem. sure there are holes, but they are probaly smaller than staying with the ill-advised change to 3-4 anyway. at the very least we are able to field some pretty good DT right now. and we are in position to draft a pretty good ( hope so ) DE. and thats a lot better than looking for 2 OLBs and a capable 2-gap DE with none of these on the current roster and sorry. beeing 1-handed it took awhile to type this so it might already be outdated Edited January 30, 2012 by playman
syrcuse315 Posted January 30, 2012 Posted January 30, 2012 I think switching to a 4-3 just ended the idea of drafting upshaw because we need a full time DE now. If we draft defense with the first pick I'd guess we are down to coples or ingram at our pick at this point. I'm pulling for Melvin Ingram still. This to me is good news and I think we might draft an OLB with the second pick, maybe a guy like ronnell lewis from oklahoma.
boyst Posted January 30, 2012 Posted January 30, 2012 I'd take Dwan over Troup at this point. Dwan Edwards is a solid player who plays consistent football and has shown he can play an entire game. Troup is still young and learning but it is debatable if he is progressing. Dwan will make the team over Troup, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him bumped in to DT some. We won't be a cold-hard 4-3. We will switch.
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