Tom Silverstein @TomSilverstein
Pettine defense's have been successful but they're pressure-based and they use both 3-4 and 4-3 concepts. Lots of flexibility to do numerous things, which means players have to be flexible and football smart. However, in '17 he has been with Pete Carroll, whose D is much simpler.

Tom Silverstein @TomSilverstein
Source familiar with Pettine's scheme said "smarts will be a major factor when selecting players." GM Brian Gutekunst and McCarthy will have to be on the same page about what kind of player is needed to succeed in that defense.


KY might very well be correct in that the coverages are simpler, but the fronts are ever changing. That means the LBs, especially inside guys, will need to step it up. Probably true of safeties.

Good thing about Seattle experience is that he might have a simplified base he can use effectively in multiple situations. So they always have a safe space. You then can add complexity to it as they progress. Even before Seattle he talked about how players let you know when they had stopped absorbing new things.