Video: Tank playing some OLB?

Kolemmitt said:

I've posted this a few times, but it all makes sense if you look at Nolan's defenses in the past. And, it also explains why were are in no hurry to get Everson Griffen or Clowney.

In our base, DLaw will play primarily as the WDE. At that spot, he may have his hand down, or he may be in a two-point stance. I don't think he will fall back in coverage very much, but he may now and then to confuse the QB. Keep in mind, that was the role he played at Boise. Crawford will be the SDE/5T, where his primary responsibility will be to keep the T occupied, so our SLB/DPR will only have to beat the TE on the outside. The SLB/DPR will likely be Smith, Gregory, or Anae.

In our nickel, DLaw will switch back to the SDE with the SLB/DPR becoming the traditional WDE, BUT - in Nolan's defense, in Nickel, sometimes both ends will be in a 3, sometimes they will be in a 2. Most of the time they will rush, but sometimes they will drop. And in Nolan's defenses, the WLB will be rushing the QB A LOT more than they did in Rod's basic 4-3, which is why Smith is moving to that spot.

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we will be running a 4-3 base core (with interchangeable hybrid 3-4 and nickel)

Dlaw- LDE (strong)
Poe - 1 tech (leftside)
McCoy - 3 tech (right side)
Crawford (ugh) RDE

Very rare occasions did DLaw switch to RDE in the 4-3, and when he did he wasn't very effective. a far cry when he is going up against lesser
of the unit's OT pass blockers on the right side RT of the OL.
in the 4-3, Dlaw did have some periodical success moving inside at right side interior tackle in
either one on one vs OG, or used on stunts and twists en route to the QB.

Is the plan to use Dlaw as a Kevin Greene stand up OLB in the 3-4 look when we go to it on occasions ?
i dunno if he has that kind of agility and burst off the edge for that as a 3-4 rush OLB.
But i could see instances of where he moves inside as a nickel rush end in the 3-4 and going against the OG in pass downs.
just as he did on occasions in the 4-3.

It wouldn't be his first time rushing in the 3-4 either as ex-defensive assistant Matt Eberflus employed in 2016 when we supposedly struggled mightily
in trying to generate enough of a pass rush in the 4-3 scheme but Matt E decided to employ more DBs nickels than DL nickel.
Ironically DLaw generated only one lone mere single sack all year.(2016)

Eanwen said:

Maybe I'm slow but I hadn't thought of this as a possibility. The RDE I figured might play some OLB (or be replaced by our rookie, forget his name) but I didn't think the coaches would change Tank at all. I guess it makes more sense if you want to disguise who's rushing and who's in coverage.

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I must have missed something because nowhere in that video did a COACH say anything about turning Lawrence into a hybrid LB. The only one to suggest that was DeMarcus Ware.
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Kolemmitt said:

It goes far beyond just simple 4/3, 3/4. We are moving into 21st-century hybrid defenses. We really have been playing a high school, 20th-century defense under Rod.

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In trying to show your dislike for Marinelli, you made a foolish statement. Playing 4 -3 defense that didn't blitz much IS NOT a 20th century high school defense. More than half the teams in the NFL last year ran 4 - 3 defense. Yes most blitz more often the Cowboys but just because Marinelli didn't blitz often didn't make it a high school defense. Before you say anything, no I'm not a Marinelli fan and I'm happy he's gone.
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darthseinfeld said:

He would be the LOlb in any odd front

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Right. In a 3-4, he's the left outside linebacker and Smith/Gregory/Anae are the right outside linebacker, with Jaylon Smith and LVE as the inside linebackers.

I would think the DL would be Crawford and McCoy at end positions and Poe at NT at this point, but it could change depending on who steps up in camp.

gjkoeppen said:

I must have missed something because nowhere in that video did a COACH say anything about turning Lawrence into a hybrid LB. The only one to suggest that was DeMarcus Ware.
.

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That's why the title has a question mark in it and not an exclamation point.

Ware says Lawrence came to him for pointers. He's not just him opining about Nolan's system.

Eanwen said:

That's why the title has a question mark in it and not an exclamation point.

Ware says Lawrence came to him for pointers. He's not just him opining about Nolan's system.

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It's still is just Ware speculating. Until a direct quote from McCarthy or Nolan that states they were making Lawrence a hybrid LB then anything along those lines is just speculation. Every day there are people here that read some speculation and regard it as fact. Either that or take some kind of actual quote and read more into it than what it actually is.
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Whatever Tank is destined to do in the capacity of serving as a 3-4 LB should be determined by Mike Nolan. It's anyone's guess if and when that might happen. He may have the speed and aptitude to play LB in a 3-4 setting. Maybe he'll have to prove it in TC. It'll be interesting see if that occurs. It'd be fun to see if he's able to provide pass coverage, if allowed to try.

I feel like this has fail all over it. But hey, maybe we can throw more money at him so that we can pay him record money for playing what has historically been a low paid position in the NFL. I can only really see him playing at SOLB in a 34 front. You can get those guys pretty cheap but sure, lets go ahead and try it.

Wow.....

Jake said:

Let's hope he's better at it than Greg Ellis, a good DE who looked like a fish out of water at LB.

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Guess I watched a different player
I thought he was pretty good

stasheroo said:

Didn't Ellis achieve a career-high in sacks playing the OLB position?

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Yes

stasheroo said:

Didn't Ellis achieve a career-high in sacks playing the OLB position?

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He did. He played remarkably well at the position. Parcells did him a favor.

ABQCOWBOY said:

I feel like this has fail all over it. But hey, maybe we can throw more money at him so that we can pay him record money for playing what has historically been a low paid position in the NFL. I can only really see him playing at SOLB in a 34 front. You can get those guys pretty cheap but sure, lets go ahead and try it.

Wow.....

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Need RDE/weakside OLB/EDGE more to maximize hybrid defense.

Trade Tank to traditional 4-3 team.

Sign Clowney.