4-3 concern....any RDE

[Portland Fanatic]

I will start out by stating I'm an advocate of the 3-4...if we land the right players...at a minimum mixing it in to provide pressure.

Here's one of the biggest reason's why I'm hoping we get the right players to make it happen...it seems as though since Hailey left we have not allowed any other RDE to pin his ears back and play the position. I'm sure it's a combination of both inefective players and scheme, but what really is starting to scare me is hearing about trade rumors to get Howard, who in my mind is a pure pass rusher in this league, that we will force him to occupy and engage before pinning his ears back and getting to the QB (PLEASE do NOT turn this into a Zimmy sucks thread).

We know the 3-4 allows all kinds of pressure on the QB and can be very confusing...granting we have servicable players to run it...

In theory a front four with Ellis, Glover, Fergi, and Howard sounds Awesome...it really does. What scares me is IF we do not allow them to pin their ears back, then we are wasting a great level of talent...not to mention $$$....

Everyone has been going crazy over Howard threads...and it sounds great if we stay 4-3, BUT will we use the front four as we should...will we allow them to create pressure???

Just something to think about...my base reason I like the 3-4 is the pure pressure part of it, and confusion it can create. However, with a top front 4...we should be able to do the same....but will we?

[conner01]

i think if we get howard we will stay with the 4-3,because thats what he fits.you have to balance stopping the run with pressuing the passer.if you just cut people loose like cleveland did last year you get sacks but you give up tons of yds and loose.it's a fine line,but with he talent we would have on the dline i think they can play run first and still get to the qb.none a true speed rushers and those are the guys who get hurt in the run first scheme,there game is pure speed and you need that big jump.thats not really howard or ellis's game so i don't see that being a problem.now if no howard and we could get spears i would switch to a combo of both 3-4 and 4-3.we then would have the pieces to do it.but you need a bigger de in the 3-4 and right now we don't have one and there's not many in this draft.it will be interesting to see how this all shakes ouyt