I think our defensive personnel fit the 4-3 better than the 3-4.

[AsthmaField]

Burnett at MLB wouldn't be a bad choice either. He's definitely got the speed and coverage ability to get deep when we call cover 2.

While I'd prefer to have a good 3-4 guy like Wade Phillips run our D and keep it 3-4... I wouldn't be too upset if we went back to a 4-3. If we do go back, I see MLB as an important position to fill. A few days ago I wrote that I thought Burnett would be great at MLB in the Tampa/Chicago 4-3. Here's what I wrote:

"You might think I'm a little crazy... but I'd say put Burnett at MLB and let him run to the ball and make plays. I think he'd be very good in that role. Plus, just like Urlacher, Kevin is a former safety... so he would be just fine in coverage out of his MLB position. I think he's big enough and his athleticism is maybe even better than Urlacher's. His explosion and his speed are rare. He'd be a terror on blitzes up the middle and not many backs would get the corner on him.

I just think Burnett would be very good at MLB in an aggressive 4-3 scheme that protects him with big DT's and lets him run to the ball and use his athleticism. I think he'd be pro bowl caliber, with his tools."

I do think he's big enough for that position. When we drafted Kevin, Parcells said he saw him as a "bubble" player, meaning that he saw him as an ILB who could take on guards in the running game. Now if Parcells thought he could do that... then he's big enough to play MLB in a 4-3.

Having said that, Parcells did move him to OLB and so maybe saw that he couldn't be a "bubble" player. I don't know. Still, he's pretty big and he'd be one of the more athletic MLB's in the league.

I just think it is a better option than Brady, or anyone else currently on the roster. With someone like James at MLB, you run the risk of him being exploited big-time in the passing game, and frankly I don't think he's nimble enough to play sideline-to-sideline like Burnett could. Same goes for Carpenter. I just see Kevin as our best bet at MLB.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

James played WLB before why are people labeling the ILB all of a sudden its not like the two positions translate. Might as well put Ayodele there then.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

The difference is that you only have available with pedigree mind you one LDE each and every year it seems and half of those flop whereas last year you had Wimbley and Carpenter and a couple other tweeners and its like that each and every year.

that being said Hatcher at 6'6" 290 screams LDE. i love when we draft BPA.

I look at these guys and I see more and more of these 260 pound 34 OLBs playing DE in a 43. That, to me, is the impact of Freeny and Taylor effect.

You look around the league and you see guys at DE who are producing. There not exactly name guys all the time.

Jacksonville has McCray with 10 sacks this season. Baltimore has Price and Suggs (who plays a lot do DE as well as OLB). Oakland has Burgess. Miami has Taylor. Chicago really has guys all across the line when healthy but at DE they have Ogunleve and Brown. Carolina has Peppers and Rucker when healthy. Saints have Will Smith and Charles Grant. Packers have Kampman. Bronco's have two or three guys with 6 or 7 sacks at DE and then Dumervil. KC has Tamba Hali and Jared Allen. Bills have Schobel. Jets have Thomas and Ellis. Colts have Freeney and Robert Mathis. Atlanta has Abrahms. Rams have Little. Gmen have Gaptooth and Kiwanuka. Bengels have Justin Smith and Gaithers.

I mean, I start looking around the league and there are a lot of DEs putting up numbers. I just wonder if the trend might not be swinging back towards 4 man fronts with DEs who can apply pressure. As we all know, the NFL is cyclical. Things go away and then they come back. I have a feeling the trends are changing in the NFL.

 

[AsthmaField]

James played WLB before why are people labeling the ILB all of a sudden its not like the two positions translate. Might as well put Ayodele there then.

I agree Fuzzy. Who would you play at MLB in a 4-3?

 

[Rack]

Look at their depth chart on their home site and on nfl.com. They run a base 3-4. They ran a base 46 in 2005 and went 6-10 and gave up 49 points to the Colts.

http://www.baltimoreravens.com/team/depthChart.jsp

According to Baltimore's official team page, they run a 3-4.

They haven't ran a 3-4 fulltime since 2004. They still run SOME 3-4, but they are primarily a 46 team. Go to a Ravens msg board and ask around.

 

[The Realist]

No, they didn't. They played more 4 man line in that season then they did 34. Especially in the latter part of the season.

If it's so easy to find 34 LBs who can play that scheme, why doesn't everybody use it? If it's so easy to do, why don't we have them on our team? When you only had Pittsburgh and New
England running the 34. I think this was true. Now that there are 7 or 8 teams it's not as easy to find 250/260 pound OLBs who can cover and rush the passer while still holding up against the run.

No, they didn't. Prove it.....back at ya.

Dose everyone know how to run a 34?

There's your answer as to why.

How many years have we been drafting for the 34?

Two.

How many OLB's do we have?

Two.

How many years did JJ/Lacewell strike out looking for 4-3 DE's and DT's?

If you wanna call BC a bust then we still have 1 OLB in 2 years drafting for 34.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

While I'd prefer to have a good 3-4 guy like Wade Phillips run our D and keep it 3-4... I wouldn't be too upset if we went back to a 4-3. If we do go back, I see MLB as an important position to fill. A few days ago I wrote that I thought Burnett would be great at MLB in the Tampa/Chicago 4-3. Here's what I wrote:

"You might think I'm a little crazy... but I'd say put Burnett at MLB and let him run to the ball and make plays. I think he'd be very good in that role. Plus, just like Urlacher, Kevin is a former safety... so he would be just fine in coverage out of his MLB position. I think he's big enough and his athleticism is maybe even better than Urlacher's. His explosion and his speed are rare. He'd be a terror on blitzes up the middle and not many backs would get the corner on him.

I just think Burnett would be very good at MLB in an aggressive 4-3 scheme that protects him with big DT's and lets him run to the ball and use his athleticism. I think he'd be pro bowl caliber, with his tools."

I do think he's big enough for that position. When we drafted Kevin, Parcells said he saw him as a "bubble" player, meaning that he saw him as an ILB who could take on guards in the running game. Now if Parcells thought he could do that... then he's big enough to play MLB in a 4-3.

Having said that, Parcells did move him to OLB and so maybe saw that he couldn't be a "bubble" player. I don't know. Still, he's pretty big and he'd be one of the more athletic MLB's in the league.

I just think it is a better option than Brady, or anyone else currently on the roster. With someone like James at MLB, you run the risk of him being exploited big-time in the passing game, and frankly I don't think he's nimble enough to play sideline-to-sideline like Burnett could. Same goes for Carpenter. I just see Kevin as our best bet at MLB.

The problem is that Burnett didn't get any bigger. He needs to be bigger IMO to play MLB. MLB sustains a lot of contact in a 43. You gotta be able to hold up because he's also the QB of the defense. If he's out with injury, that means that you not only have to replace the position physically but you also have to replace it from the stand point of leading your team. I think he has the speed to be able to play a Cover 2 but I don't know that he could hold up for a whole season and I also wonder if he's intelligent enough to be able to call the signals defensively. I recall Parcells saying that part of Burnett's problem was that he wasn't picking up the defense quickly enough. I see why you say this but I think I would rather see him at WOLB.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

No, they didn't. Prove it.....back at ya.

Dose everyone know how to run a 34?

There's your answer as to why.

How many years have we been drafting for the 34?

Two.

How many OLB's do we have?

Two.

How many years did JJ/Lacewell strike out looking for 4-3 DE's and DT's?

If you wanna call BC a bust then we still have 1 OLB in 2 years drafting for 34.

We didn't know how to run a 34 before we did it two seasons ago. If it was so much easier to stock with players, it wouldn't matter. Teams would move to it. In the NFL, it's a copy cat league if they believe that what your doing will work. That's not a valid reason as to why more teams don't do it.

Currently, we have Ware who could really play either DE or OLB. We have Singletary (FA not drafted)who was here before we ever went to the 34. We have Carpenter who will probably end up good in a 34 or a 43. We have James who we drafted and will probably not be good in either scheme. We have Ayodele who we signed as an FA (not a drafted player). We have Burnett who will not work in a 34 who we drafted, we have Glymph and Fowler (not drafted) who are nothing special. We also have Hoyte who is now a FB.

In short, we have two guys IMO that we can say we drafted that would probably work. Having said that, one of those guys is going to be good as an OLB or a DE and the other is going to be good as a 34 LB or 43 LB. By the way, we spent 1st round picks on both those guys. The idea, I thought, was to find OLBs for a 34 that would be easier and cheaper to find.

If your going to say that Lacewell and Jerruh drafted guys for 10 years that never worked, that's not entirely true. They did draft some good DEs in that time but that's here nor there. We could say in a 34 and Jerruh and Lacewell could do the same masterful job of drafting for the 34 they did for a 43 DE. It's the people drafting not the available talent in that deal.

 

[AsthmaField]

The problem is that Burnett didn't get any bigger. He needs to be bigger IMO to play MLB. MLB sustains a lot of contact in a 43. You gotta be able to hold up because he's also the QB of the defense. If he's out with injury, that means that you not only have to replace the position physically but you also have to replace it from the stand point of leading your team.

You're correct there, for sure. I would worry about his injury history some if he ran our defense from the MLB spot. That may be more of an injury prone thing than simply being too small, although that could play into it too. I suppose if the coaches put him at MLB then they think he is big enough and if they don't... then they don't.

I still think that (if I remember correctly with Parcells calling Burnett a possible "bubble" player) he should be able to hold up at MLB. Ray Lewis with Baltimore likes to play MLB in a 4-3 much more than an ILB in a 3-4 because he said he takes much less punishment as a MLB. He mainly runs to the ball and hits at MLB where as at ILB he takes on OL a lot. That leads me to think that Kevin could hold up at MLB better than he could at ILB.

Again... I could be wrong about that though.

I also wonder if he's intelligent enough to be able to call the signals defensively. I recall Parcells saying that part of Burnett's problem was that he wasn't picking up the defense quickly enough.

I don't know... wasn't Burnett an academic all american and team captain at Tenn? Am I remembering correctly? I know he was team captain, but it seems like he was academic all american too. If that's the case, then you'd think he has the head on his shoulders to play MLB. The guy seems pretty bright to me, but I've only seen him interviewed a couple of times.

I guess this is another case of, if he's not smart enough for the position, then they won't play him there.

All of this probably doesn't matter anyway, because we'll likely end up staying in a 3-4 anyway. In that case, I don't know why they wouldn't give Burnett a try at SOLB opposite Ware. The guy has crazy athleticism.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I look at these guys and I see more and more of these 260 pound 34 OLBs playing DE in a 43. That, to me, is the impact of Freeny and Taylor effect.

You look around the league and you see guys at DE who are producing. There not exactly name guys all the time.

Jacksonville has McCray with 10 sacks this season. Baltimore has Price and Suggs (who plays a lot do DE as well as OLB). Oakland has Burgess. Miami has Taylor. Chicago really has guys all across the line when healthy but at DE they have Ogunleve and Brown. Carolina has Peppers and Rucker when healthy. Saints have Will Smith and Charles Grant. Packers have Kampman. Bronco's have two or three guys with 6 or 7 sacks at DE and then Dumervil. KC has Tamba Hali and Jared Allen. Bills have Schobel. Jets have Thomas and Ellis. Colts have Freeney and Robert Mathis. Atlanta has Abrahms. Rams have Little. Gmen have Gaptooth and Kiwanuka. Bengels have Justin Smith and Gaithers.

I mean, I start looking around the league and there are a lot of DEs putting up numbers. I just wonder if the trend might not be swinging back towards 4 man fronts with DEs who can apply pressure. As we all know, the NFL is cyclical. Things go away and then they come back. I have a feeling the trends are changing in the NFL.

All of those guys are going to be playing the weakside. Im talking about an end that primarily lines up against the TE in the traditional set. 290ish guys that get to the QB.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I agree Fuzzy. Who would you play at MLB in a 4-3?

Burnett 'could' do it but to be honest i seem to remember him not performing well last year. If that was coaching and not him sucking i would go with him otherwise i would say Carpenter as I think hes quick enough to handle it and actually seems to make plays in the passing game with regularity.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

James played WLB before why are people labeling the ILB all of a sudden its not like the two positions translate. Might as well put Ayodele there then.

James, to me is the part that don't fit IMO. But, I do like Ayodele there better then anybody.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

All of those guys are going to be playing the weakside. Im talking about an end that primarily lines up against the TE in the traditional set. 290ish guys that get to the QB.

No, not all. There are more and more guys playing LDE that are producing. Just as a casual thing, try to focus on DEs across the league this next year. I've noticed that there are a lot of guys who are showing up that I didn't really expect much from that are producing. Also, there young. I do think the trend might be changing a little bit.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

You're correct there, for sure. I would worry about his injury history some if he ran our defense from the MLB spot. That may be more of an injury prone thing than simply being too small, although that could play into it too. I suppose if the coaches put him at MLB then they think he is big enough and if they don't... then they don't.

I still think that (if I remember correctly with Parcells calling Burnett a possible "bubble" player) he should be able to hold up at MLB. Ray Lewis with Baltimore likes to play MLB in a 4-3 much more than an ILB in a 3-4 because he said he takes much less punishment as a MLB. He mainly runs to the ball and hits at MLB where as at ILB he takes on OL a lot. That leads me to think that Kevin could hold up at MLB better than he could at ILB.

Again... I could be wrong about that though.




I don't know... wasn't Burnett an academic all american and team captain at Tenn? Am I remembering correctly? I know he was team captain, but it seems like he was academic all american too. If that's the case, then you'd think he has the head on his shoulders to play MLB. The guy seems pretty bright to me, but I've only seen him interviewed a couple of times.

I guess this is another case of, if he's not smart enough for the position, then they won't play him there.

All of this probably doesn't matter anyway, because we'll likely end up staying in a 3-4 anyway. In that case, I don't know why they wouldn't give Burnett a try at SOLB opposite Ware. The guy has crazy athleticism.

Tell ya one thing, if Burnett could play MLB, that would be huge IMO. To my way of thinking, we've already missed on one LB in James. I like the guy but I just don't know if we can hide him. It would be a real save to have Burnett show up and be able to contribute at MLB for us.

 

[eduncan22]

The front 7/8 is not the problem.

Our problems start at Corner.

Namely, our $11 million corner who cant cover.

 

[BigDFan5]

The front 7/8 is not the problem.

Our problems start at Corner.

Namely, our $11 million corner who cant cover.

DUMB *** AGENDA ALERT!!

Take cover 13 more posts about this will be coming tonight!

 

[AsthmaField]

Tell ya one thing, if Burnett could play MLB, that would be huge IMO. To my way of thinking, we've already missed on one LB in James. I like the guy but I just don't know if we can hide him. It would be a real save to have Burnett show up and be able to contribute at MLB for us.

It would be huge. Assuming the guy stayed healthy then really the only question would be above the shoulders, because he is truly an athletic specimine. He'd be all over the field and IMO he would probably be the best coverage starting MLB in the NFL.

The question though is, like I said... and like you said... above his shoulders. Really, I think it would boil down to his instincts for the position. No matter how athletic a guy is... if he takes false steps, he's going to get made a fool of at MLB. That's why a player like Dat could play that position... becuase he had such great instincts. If you have a player like Burnett who is the whole package, physically speaking... and he also has the instincts for MLB... then you have really got something.

If he could play the position naturally, then the sky would be the limit for him. You certainly wouldn't see him messing up coverage deep down the middle of the field. He could run with just about anybody and his coverage is almost always very good.

You're right... it would be huge if he could play MLB. That's assuming we switch back to a 4-3 of course.

 

[theebs]

I have a question for all you guys arguing about this, Where does kenyon coleman fit in with a 43?

Or does he suck too much?

I am curious.

 

[AsthmaField]

I have a question for all you guys arguing about this, Where does kenyon coleman fit in with a 43?

Or does he suck too much?

I am curious.

Personally, I don't think he really fits anywhere in a 4-3. Too small to play DT... plus he's too high-cut IMO, and leverage would be a real problem for him. I also think he's too big and slow to be effective at DE... even as a LDE.

I just don't see him as a fit anywhere in a 4-3. Now in a 3-4, I think he's a servicable DE who can clog against the run and that's about it. A decent rotation guy, IMO.

 

[eduncan22]

DUMB *** AGENDA ALERT!!

Take cover 13 more posts about this will be coming tonight!

I think its pointless to talk about the front 7, when the biggest problem we had last season was corner coverage.

One of the biggest disappointments had to be the play of Henry and Glenn.

These guys are paid a combined 13.6 million, but neither one of them can cover.