With so many LBers. run a 3-4

CowboysFaninHouston

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If LVE and Gregory play well this year..I definitely would like to keep them. I am against letting talent walk. It's too hard and too costly to replace them later.
if they play well and reasonable price. yes, would like to keep both on incentive based contracts.
 

gimmesix

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Lawrence is just a bad fit for a 3-4. Having no football philosophy in the front office has consequences. We change defensive schemes with changing DCs, turning players into bad fits with every such churn.

I can't see Quinn not knowing how to use Lawrence in whatever he wants to call his scheme. You'd have to be a pretty bad DC to not make the scheme work around your best defensive player. I truly believe he's going to be essentially an end in what I consider a big 4-3 front (on early downs). I think it will be him and three DTs out there, with one of the DTs at nose tackle. Quinn might call it a hybrid 3-4, and it will function at times like one or a 5-2, with one of the linebackers (likely Parsons) moving to a pass rusher position.

I don't see Lawrence being a linebacker at all, but he may be considered a defensive pass rusher or LEO instead of an end, but it's really the same thing. I would expect Basham and possibly Gregory to get some snaps in that role to create a rotation and then the three of them also rotating at end in the nickel.
 

Mr_437

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I wouldn't push it. There's some question marks at LB, so a solid 2 in the nickel is what I'd be happy with.
 

BAT

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Dallas suddenly has a deep investment in Lbs. We are going to need some playcalling from our LBS. Suppose we put 4 LBers out there now.

A 3-4 defense would be a interesting. Defense with the talent we have now why not run a 3-4 defense and make us a special defense Like Doomsday or the Steel Curtain whatever.

I want our defense to really do something to shake up our rep. Winning would be a nice start.

Wrong DC to run a 3-4.

Wade could have turned these guys into a top 10 defense in 1 season.

Quinn will run a 4-3 with 3-4 personnel. As in 4-3 LBs with 3-4 DL.
 

BAT

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I don't think we're built to put four true linebackers out there. Doing it also would take our best defender (DeMarcus Lawrence) off the field because he's not a linebacker and he's far too small to play 3-4 end unless maybe we're running the Phillips' 3-4.

If you put four linebackers out there, who are your pass rushers? I believe that Parsons could be one (and will be some), but I wouldn't want Smith, LVE or Neal rushing the passer over Lawrence or Gregory, who might could play 3-4 OLB.

I think wanting to play our best pass rushers is why our 3-4 will be more of a hybrid. Lawrence will line up as a LEO or DPR, essentially making him the fourth linebacker, and he might stand up some, but he's not going to drop into coverage.

If we do end up playing Lawrence as a 3-4 DE and putting Neal, Parsons, LVE and Smith out there at linebacker, I will be curious how Quinn will manage that.

Even a Phillips 3-4 is not running a 265-270 lbs DE. Wade liked his DE's long but they were all near or above 300 lbs.
 

gimmesix

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Even a Phillips 3-4 is not running a 265-270 lbs DE. Wade liked his DE's long but they were all near or above 300 lbs.

I don't disagree, but the only way I could see using Lawrence as a 3-4 DE is if he was one-gapping. I don't think that's how he'll be used though.
 
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buybuydandavis

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I can't see Quinn not knowing how to use Lawrence in whatever he wants to call his scheme. You'd have to be a pretty bad DC to not make the scheme work around your best defensive player. I truly believe he's going to be essentially an end in what I consider a big 4-3 front (on early downs). I think it will be him and three DTs out there, with one of the DTs at nose tackle. Quinn might call it a hybrid 3-4, and it will function at times like one or a 5-2, with one of the linebackers (likely Parsons) moving to a pass rusher position.

I don't see Lawrence being a linebacker at all, but he may be considered a defensive pass rusher or LEO instead of an end, but it's really the same thing. I would expect Basham and possibly Gregory to get some snaps in that role to create a rotation and then the three of them also rotating at end in the nickel.

Quinn will know how to use Lawrence, but Lawrence just isn't a good fit for more 3-4 looks. He's a hand on the ground 4-3 DE.
 
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blueblood70

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That's predicated on having enough GOOD Linebackers. Jaylon doesn't count. Vander Esch doesn't count because of his health issues.
umm they both count until they dont..

so get passed whatever happens in years past. New year new DC and they will figure out what to do without keyboard gm input's..


so laughable fans around here think they are plugged into what sports franchise is doing and what they should do..

no one here knows anything more then the DC FO wants them to know they funnel it through the media and all the little birds come to the regurgitated information and then it grow's into false narratives with heated debates around these parts..


they are going to run a 3-4 flex scheme and some 4-3 mixed in and who knows maybe some games more 4-3 then 3-4 im sure game plans to who we are facing will dictate schemes,. Most nfl teams today do NOT run one scheme anymore..
 

blueblood70

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Don't think any team does....


right and we have the payers to run a flex and i know this wasn't a popular term last year for Nolan but thats not why Nolan failed he failed his hybrid flex schemes because one he had no offseason and his first evals were incomplete on players and well 90% of the FAS failed, injuries everywhere etc etc he didnt adapt well early on but DQ has the obvious advantage where the draft was mostly all for fixing huis defense, he got some of his pet cats to come help transition the scheme and he has full offseason and 3 PS gams to experiment with his rotational groupings..

sure i agree nolan had to go but truly he was the scapegoat's, given a shot this year to do the same thing DQ is doing, im betting he would have been fine..
 

Typhus

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All of the LBers have inexperience or health related issues. They have almost zero info on what they have but lets put more LBs on the field. Parsons LVE in Middle with Smith and Cox on the outside, or Smith and LVE in the middle and Parsons and Coax on the outside, I guess then Gregory would need to be in the LB room for meetings.
Quinn wanted available pieces and he got a few, so the mark of a great coach is being able to take the talent your given and place them within your scheme that should be designed to each players strengths,, sounds simple right?
 

jazzcat22

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We only have 9 LB's on the roster. They always are short on LB's for going into TC. I never understood this.
They have more OL, DB, DL, WR than is needed but never enough LB's.
They will keep 6, even though some suggest 7, but usually only 6. Which means they are not going to a mainstay of a 3-4. Unless the drop a DE back, which I hate. It did not work for Nolan, it was a disaster.

And one of the LB's is a hybrid S. I still think they need a few more in TC. I know they play only 2 LB's often instead of 3. Which is why they only keep 6, but they need a few more as I said for TC.
 

Typhus

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How about a hybrid? Situational...
I find it funny that the term 3-4 or 4-3 is still used as if its an either or situation.
Most defenses in the league, run a transitional D with multiple sets, all it really means is the deeper you are the more flexibility your defense has.
The players like Neal, Kazee, Parsons, Gallimore, etc..etc... allow for position flexible options esp with Neal and Parsons early.
When you have flexibility where you can move Neal from LB to safety and Parsons from MLB to pass rushing DE before snap than you have the ability
to give a QB an entire different look.
The biggest issue early will be getting players comfortable with the shift changes on the fly, but why I feel Neal and Kazee where so very important, they were already fluid with Quinns scheme,
and why Kazee seemed to just move so well in early observations during OTAs,, sure he is healthy, but the fluidity was also very indicative of what Quinn wanted,, players that already know the pre snap
adjustments, and transitional movements esp with the DBs.
 

LACowboysFan1

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right and we have the payers to run a flex and i know this wasn't a popular term last year for Nolan but thats not why Nolan failed he failed his hybrid flex schemes because one he had no offseason and his first evals were incomplete on players and well 90% of the FAS failed, injuries everywhere etc etc he didnt adapt well early on but DQ has the obvious advantage where the draft was mostly all for fixing huis defense, he got some of his pet cats to come help transition the scheme and he has full offseason and 3 PS gams to experiment with his rotational groupings..

sure i agree nolan had to go but truly he was the scapegoat's, given a shot this year to do the same thing DQ is doing, im betting he would have been fine..

And the defense did improve late in the year, at least the turn overs did. Nolan might have turned things around this year, but we'll never know....
 

ESisback

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I find it funny that the term 3-4 or 4-3 is still used as if its an either or situation.
Most defenses in the league, run a transitional D with multiple sets, all it really means is the deeper you are the more flexibility your defense has.
The players like Neal, Kazee, Parsons, Gallimore, etc..etc... allow for position flexible options esp with Neal and Parsons early.
When you have flexibility where you can move Neal from LB to safety and Parsons from MLB to pass rushing DE before snap than you have the ability
to give a QB an entire different look.
The biggest issue early will be getting players comfortable with the shift changes on the fly, but why I feel Neal and Kazee where so very important, they were already fluid with Quinns scheme,
and why Kazee seemed to just move so well in early observations during OTAs,, sure he is healthy, but the fluidity was also very indicative of what Quinn wanted,, players that already know the pre snap
adjustments, and transitional movements esp with the DBs.

Astute!
 

jrumann59

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And the defense did improve late in the year, at least the turn overs did. Nolan might have turned things around this year, but we'll never know....
They went back to a more traditional defense and gap assignments towards the end. Simplification plus the players picking up the concepts allowed the staff and players to meet somewhere in the middle.
 

LACowboysFan1

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They went back to a more traditional defense and gap assignments towards the end. Simplification plus the players picking up the concepts allowed the staff and players to meet somewhere in the middle.

Yep, and who's to know who the Cowboys would have drafted had Nolan been the DC still? Maybe players that would fit his scheme better?
 
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