Shanahan wants a 3-4 Defense

[Monkeydad]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

LOL. I see your username and all I can think of is

That video kinda pertains to his sig line.

[53Fan]

Originally Posted by SouperMeister

London Fletcher is a great football player. I'm pretty sure that he cound transition from 4-3 MLB to 3-4 ILB. What makes you think he would get his ass kicked? The guy still has excellent speed, and hits like a ton of bricks.

Inside LB's in the 3-4 don't get the protection from guards like they do in the 4-3, so smaller lb's are not usually what you want there. But Fletch IS a beast so...who knows?

[Monkeydad]

I have no doubts that Fletcher can excel in any system. The rest of the LB corps are what we should be concerned about. Fletcher, Blades, McIntosh could be fine, but where's the other LB coming from? Possibly Chris Wilson, hopefully not Orakpo at LB. Then depth?

At this time, our roster is better suited for 4-3, but that could change.

[53Fan]

I think in a 3-4, Orakpo definitely plays LB. They would want to use him like Ware.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by 53Fan

I think in a 3-4, Orakpo definitely plays LB. They would want to use him like Ware.

Yeah I agree, Rak has 3-4 OLB written all over him.

[freddyg12]

Originally Posted by 53Fan

I think in a 3-4, Orakpo definitely plays LB. They would want to use him like Ware.

yeah, and he would probably rush the passer more than he did overall this year, while only dropping into coverage a few times a game.

[Dirtbag59]

I just want to point out that a 3-4 doesn't have to have a huge nose tackle or huge defensive lineman for that matter. When Wade Phillips was in Atlanta running the 3-4 he was using Andre Carter type players at DE and stressing gap penetration. Hopefully they're thinking of using a 3-4 with an emphasis on gap penetration.

[Longtimefan]

Originally Posted by WaldSkins

Let's see what Haslett says at his press conference

Until we hear what he has to say the title of this thread is misleading. The title leads one to believe a decision has already been made, I haven't heard that as fact coming from either Shanahan or Haslett who we haven't heard anything from yet.

[DBUCHANON101]

All i heard from alot of posters on here last yr was how they wish the Skins D was more like the Steelers..... Well here it comes and now you will see first hand what it takes to make a defense of that caliber. How many 1st rounders have the Steelers used on their defense? Cody,McClain and Spikes are names we could be seeing on draft day. Oline is a need but for the 3-4 to work you MUST have a front 3 who can tie up blockers. if anything it will be interesting.

[DBUCHANON101]

How bout keepin an eye on NE and A Thomas? he can play OLB opposite of RAK.

[Ruhskins]

Originally Posted by DBUCHANON101

How bout keepin an eye on NE and A Thomas? he can play OLB opposite of RAK.

I thought he was pretty much gone, no way the Dark Hooded One keeps him. I'm surprised he didn't cut Thomas after the snow incident.

On a related note, I wish Darth Hoody would have a "F you, I'll do what I want" moment and let Wilfork walk, so we can pick him up as our NT.

[DBUCHANON101]

OK so if the Skins go OT in the 1st, which ILB or NT would you want to see them land in the 2nd? or is there a FA in the mixlike Wilfork? I like McClain from Bama but he will be gone high 1st.
Definately need a NT if AH is to play DE. Mount Cody?

[DBUCHANON101]

As we survey the NFL draft landscape following an eventful college football season one of the biggest storylines is the overall depth of the defensive tackle class. The 2009 draft saw six defensive tackles taken in the first two rounds but this year there could be as many as eight, making defensive tackle perhaps the top position in the draft.

Nebraska's Ndamukong Suh and Oklahoma's Gerald McCoy are the top-tier players in the class, ranking Nos. 2 and 3 on our overall board, respectively. Suh's powerful upper body, athleticism and versatility to play anywhere on the line in a 3-4 or 4-3 scheme give him all the tools to succeed in the NFL, while McCoy's elite explosion and quickness make him a disruptive force on the interior. Both will be high-first round picks.



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Fernando Medina/US Presswire

Jared Odrick can bring down quarterbacks in a variety of ways.
The second tier is made up of three tackles who also grade out as first-round talents after film study: Tennessee's Dan Williams, Penn State's Jared Odrick and UCLA's Brian Price.

Williams is a big, two-gap nose tackle prospect who can take up space and reminds us a bit of Baltimore Ravens NT Haloti Ngata with his anchor and athleticism. Price is a one-gap penetrator who uses his hands well to control and shed blockers, while Odrick developed into a very good pass rusher this season and would be a nice fit as a 5-technique in a 3-4 scheme.

With the value the second tier of defensive tackles presents late in the first round don't be surprised to see teams with more pressing needs take a defensive tackle simply because the return on the investment would potentially be much greater than at other positions.

The Ravens, for example, need a big-play wide receiver and help in the secondary, but late in the first round those positions will be thin on impact players and someone like Williams would give them a dominant combination in the middle for years to come.

Teams like Cincinnati, San Diego, Arizona and Minnesota also fit that mold, and we could very well see teams with early-to-mid second-round picks and need at defensive tackle trading back into the late first round to get someone like Odrick or Price.

The third tier is made up of two interesting prospects, both of whom have first-round talent but will likely end up in the second round because of other factors.

Syracuse's Arthur Jones dealt with a nagging hamstring issue this year before suffering a season-ending MCL injury in October, but we have talked to scouts who rave about Jones's junior film, including one NFL scouting director who said Jones's performance in the 2008 win at Notre Dame is one of the most impressive individual efforts he has seen in recent years.

Jones has an elite punch to jolt blockers, is hard to move inside and moves well for a 300 pounder. The injuries will keep Jones out of the first round but he will offer great value early in the second as a one-gap nose tackle in a 4-3 scheme. .

Then there's massive Alabama NT Terrence Cody. At 360-plus pounds Cody has the potential to become an elite run stuffer at the next level and he is surprisingly nimble for his size.

He's no ballerina and his motor runs hot and cold because of his considerable girth, but big bodies like his don't come around often and if used properly Cody will be an effective space-eater in the NFL. He will also offer tremendous value in the second round.

Finally, Louisiana Tech's D'Anthony Smith currently grades out as a fringe second-rounder but could move solidly into the second with good performances in all-star games and workouts. Smith is another big, one-gap penetrator but his strength is rushing the passer. He is still learning to play the run but flashes the ability to be stout in the middle, so look for his name to enter the second-round discussion

[CultBrennan59]

Originally Posted by DBUCHANON101

OK so if the Skins go OT in the 1st, which ILB or NT would you want to see them land in the 2nd? or is there a FA in the mixlike Wilfork? I like McClain from Bama but he will be gone high 1st.
Definately need a NT if AH is to play DE. Mount Cody?

Mount Cody could definitely be there for us in the 2nd round, but then again, Miami and San Diego may/do need NT's as well.

[Dirtbag59]

Shanny wants throwback offense?
11:50
AM ET
Mike Shanahan | Broncos Top Email

Mike Shanahan finally became the head coach (and executive vice president) of the Washington Redskins last Tuesday night, so let's continue to take a look at changes that might come to the organization. We had heard some rumors from several sources, and NFC East blogger Matt Mosley noted five specific things that Shanahan must address in the wake of his hire.

One decision that needs to be worked out before any offseason personnel moves can be made is the offensive strategy. Will Shanny stick with what worked for a while in Denver, a traditional "run to win" strategy as the Washington Post details, or will he join the rest of the league in realizing that a team needs to pass well in order to win?

Regardless, Clinton Portis might be a goner either way. Paul Tenorio of Redskins Insider pointed out that Shanahan didn't seem too high on Portis in his opening presser, and there appears to be some anti-Clinton chatter in the locker room.

No matter which offense Shanahan chooses, an upgrade to the offensive line is needed. Expect the 'Skins to address that issue in free agency and the draft.