Which defense is easier to find player for, the 3-4 or 4-3?

[NorFlaFin]

Soliai has done nothing in all but one year here. If you're a big guy and you play with a motor, you can make an impact in any scheme, but it looks like Paul is one of the many who ramped it up for one season so he could get paid, not one of those who ramps it up because he wants to be good.

Good, he'll be cheaper to resign especially to a cap friendly/trade-friendly contract. At the end of the day hes still a big body with some value.

 

[JFoxx]

4-3 is easier because most college teams run that (because it's easier to get player to fit that scheme). The reason the 3-4 is relatively popular with NFL teams is because if you can find the right personnel for it, you then have a dominant defense. You have to first and foremost have a tremendous NT. Decent DT's and OLB that are both good size, but extremely fast that can both rush the passer and drop into coverage. Problem with the 3-4 is if you don't have the best NT and OLB's, it's more of a liability than plus. That's where the Fins and several other 3-4 teams are running into trouble. My guess is that we'll revert back to a 4-3 with new coaching for at least a few years if not long term.

 

[LikeUntoGod]

the other thing thats overlooked but is something huge to consider is that our defensive line is built to play 3-4 yet we end up only playing it what? 35% of the time? We end up in nickel over 50% of the time anyways, so we end up with 4 downlineman. So we end up drafting guys that cant play every down, and they take up roster spots and cap room and they limit our defense. We get absolutely zero pass rush up the middle. None. Because we dont have anybody on the roster thats capable of doing it. Why?? Because of what we ask our lineman to do in the 3-4 and what we looked for in lineman, and it doesnt make any sense. If we are going to be in nickel more than half the time anyways shouldnt our line be built with this in mind??

Its just counterproductive to build a line and ask your lineman to hold the point of attack, stand up their blocker, shed him and make a tackle. And then somehow think that these same lineman will be able to penetrate and create pressure on the qb when we switch to a nickel defense. Weve got to be able to create pressure up the middle, and if we cant do it with our lineman we must be able to do it with scheme. So far weve done neither

well said

 

[juniorseau55]

I don't think there is nothing wrong with the defensive scheme we have. We just don't really have the right players. Other than Solai, Langford, wake, and Dangsby. We are missing a lot of speed in our defense even from our safety positions. We need a really nice group of 3-4 linebackers. Then add the problems with our secondary which we have 3 out of 4 starting positions that are questionable then you just have a personnel problem. We need to get younger thats all.

 

[NorFlaFin]

IMO part of popularity of the 3-4 is roster flexibility. Those extra LB's can pull double duty on special teams as opposed to carrying extra DB's/WR's tackling ability is adventurist at best.


Now with the extra player active on gameday; the point is moot.