Free Agents List with Comments

[KYPack]

I also would like to know how you could figure out which teams played a 3-4 at a particular time. I've wondered how teams fared in their first season with the 3-4.

I'd just like to read somebody else's work, I don't feel like doing all that shit myself! (insert wimpy smiley here)

http://www.packerrats.com/ratchat/viewtopic.php?t=16743&start=40

I did that the other day in that thread for all of the current 3-4 and hybrid teams.

I was actually pretty stunned. Unless coached by Mike Nolan, all of them improved significantly their first year running a 3-4 over the previous year as a 4-3 or hybrid.

Yeah, that was some good stuff.

I was gonna make a reply, yelling at Partial for saying your replies were too "wordy".

Then I went and yelled at him in the QB thread.

How'd you figure which team was running the 3-4?

Teams with NT's on their roster?

[ND72]

Personally, I think we have to make a run at a OLB, DE, & DT, besides drafting all 3 areas, & another CB, but I'd rather draft a CB/S.

[rbaloha1]

Personally, I think we have to make a run at a OLB, DE, & DT, besides drafting all 3 areas, & another CB, but I'd rather draft a CB/S.

Agreed. Defense, Defense, Defense.

[Waldo]

Well I know off the top of my head which teams run which base D in the NFL right now and which of the variants they run. That was my starting point, so I limited the scope to only current 3-4 teams and hybrid teams. Figuring out when the switch was made was just a matter of asking, google has all the answers if you know how to ask the question. Just like the press for the Packers right now, there are loads of old articles out there about the move to the 3-4 and what it means for each team. I also cross checked with historical depth charts to make sure. I used NFL.com for all the stats since their historical record goes back to the early 90's.

The one defense to really keep in mind if we don't full bore convert overnight is Miami's D. When they made the switch from the base 4-3 of Bates and began moving toward the 3-4, they ran a hybrid and Capers was part of the staff. He was under a defensive HC, so I'm not sure how much overall say he had in the base scheme, I get the sense in GB that he has 100% free reign. When he took over in Jax they had a similar situation and he went straight from the 4-3 to the 3-4 with no hybrid period (I don't see a lot of worth to the hybrid period, the results of an overnight switch speak for themselves, though some coaches are prudent and wait until they have most/all of the pieces lined up, I think we have enough of the important ones that an overnight switch is fine).

Miami's hybrid was the Joker DE type. If we have a hybrid period, IMO that is what we'll run. Kamp is comfortable on the left, whereas Taylor spent time on the right, so it'd be a mirror image. To do so they'd reverse the alignment of the DT's, with Pickett playing 1-tech in the right A gap and Jolly (or other) playing 3-tech outside shade over the RG, a reverse of what we ran under Sanders. Jenkins' alignment would be moved inwards slightly, back to normal DE alignment as opposed to the wide Bates thing, with an outside shade of the LT. Kamp then would be the Joker DE. Free to play hands up or down and free to pick his launch point.

The line could then shift in-stance into a true 3-4 alignment by stepping one half gap to the defensive left, with the SLB walking up to the line in OLB alignment. Pops already has DE and SLB experience so it is no stretch for him. Really the only difference is Kamp's freedom and the reversed interior, a pretty negligible difference. The other switch that may occur is Hawk moving to 4-3 mike and Barnett to 4-3 will. When executing the hybrid switch, Hawk then becomes the jack and Barnett the mike without switching location. If a pass rusher is drafted in this scenario (likely) he would replace Poppinga at 4-3 SLB (or sub in for on the job training), similar to the SLB's that the NYG and Eagles choose. With these alignment changes (which really are pretty minor), the defensive front could change between a 4-3 and 3-4 front at will, even in-stance, which is the type of hybrid that Miami ran under Capers (but a 100% mirror image of it). Doing so if they want to run a 3-4, over time they'll line up in the 3-4 alignment more than the 4-3 and the switch will be done.

A lot of people are far too worried about this switch, it really is a pretty smooth transition done the way that Capers did it in Miami, though they never did transition fully to a true 3-4, they stayed in the hybrid stage for 3 years until Parcells came in and finished the transition. Is it really a big deal if Pickett and Jolly switch sides (but keep the same job), Kamp has freedom of stance and can move around as he sees fit, Barnett and Hawk change places, and the SLB does more rushing and less covering? There really isn't much more too it than that. A half gap step to the left by the big boys up front and we are in a true 3-4.

[Packnut]

FA's

Can't remember the last time so many quality players were available. It would make no sense to give Capers all that money and not give him something to work with.

Thompson by all accounts is feeling a moderate degree of heat so I would expect him to go after a few guys on the defensive side. That would make everyone happy. We have huge need's at LB and DE so those are the two positions that common sense says should be targeted.

[Zool]

Re: FA's

Can't remember the last time so many quality players were available. It would make no sense to give Capers all that money and not give him something to work with.

Thompson by all accounts is feeling a moderate degree of heat so I would expect him to go after a few guys on the defensive side. That would make everyone happy. We have huge need's at LB and DE so those are the two positions that common sense says should be targeted.

I wonder how much a players decision is based on his respect level for his position coach/coordinator. It would seem like Capers is pretty well liked and respected around the league. Maybe that will help sway a guy or 2 our way?

[rbaloha1]

Re: FA's

Can't remember the last time so many quality players were available. It would make no sense to give Capers all that money and not give him something to work with.

Thompson by all accounts is feeling a moderate degree of heat so I would expect him to go after a few guys on the defensive side. That would make everyone happy. We have huge need's at LB and DE so those are the two positions that common sense says should be targeted.

I wonder how much a players decision is based on his respect level for his position coach/coordinator. It would seem like Capers is pretty well liked and respected around the league. Maybe that will help sway a guy or 2 our way?

Absolutely. Its probably not a reach stating free agents with prior 3-4 experience respect Capers.

Trust TT acquires the proper players to make the scheme work.

[sharpe1027]

If a pass rusher is drafted in this scenario (likely) he would replace Poppinga at 4-3 SLB (or sub in for on the job training), similar to the SLB's that the NYG and Eagles choose.

Or simply put J. Thompson opposite Kampman. They could then shift the line either way with JT or AK taking the open DL spot...or neither of them when they want to run the 3-4. Maybe that would be too complicated, but it sounds decent on paper.

[vince]

1. Hopefully either Clifton has some legs left or Tauscher is re-signed. I'm not convinced that it's not in our best interests to go after someone (1 guy with Colledge moving to Tackle) younger than both of those guys in FA.

2. Then Olshansky or Canty in FA.

3. Re-up these existing guys: Kampman, Chillar, Pickett, Collins, Colledge, Jennings, Spitz, Blackmon, Hunter, Kuhn, Martin, Bigby, Williams

4. Target a NT to rotate with Pickett as soon as you can fit one into the BPA slot in the draft (and don't miss on the guy), and let the rest of the talented draft picks fight for their spots on the roster.

That'd likely take up all the cap space we got - and I think make a team - if it can stay reasonably healthy - that can put itself in position for the playoffs for the foreseeable future.

[BZnDallas]

1. Hopefully either Clifton has some legs left or Tauscher is re-signed. I'm not convinced that it's not in our best interests to go after someone (1 guy with Colledge moving to Tackle) younger than both of those guys in FA.

2. Then Olshansky or Canty in FA.

3. Re-up these existing guys: Kampman, Chillar, Pickett, Collins, Colledge, Jennings, Spitz, Blackmon, Hunter, Kuhn, Martin, Bigby, Williams

4. Target a NT to rotate with Pickett as soon as you can fit one into the BPA slot in the draft (and don't miss on the guy), and let the rest of the talented draft picks fight for their spots on the roster.

That'd likely take up all the cap space we got - and I think make a team - if it can stay reasonably healthy - that can put itself in position for the playoffs for the foreseeable future.

i love the idea of olshansky being signed... he seems like a perfect fit for the city of GB... i'm not too sure about canty... i heard on the radio down here in dallas that he wants a similar contract that was signed by that raider dline man last year.. (Kelly?)... in my opinion that is waaaaay to much to money to give to a 3-4 de... and lets face it, doing anything the raiders do is questionable at best...

[run pMc]

The one defense to really keep in mind if we don't full bore convert overnight is Miami's D. When they made the switch from the base 4-3 of Bates and began moving toward the 3-4, they ran a hybrid and Capers was part of the staff.

This might be a very important factor -- Capers has already seen the Bates D and worked on a staff that transitioned from it. I'm sure he learned some things that will help the transition go faster/more smooth for GB.

I don't see a lot of names that TT will go after aggressively, but I agree Olshanky could be one. Having played for PIT, I wonder about Haggans, but I don't know if he has anything left or what his contract demands are.

I think this is a year where TT loads up on D in the draft.

[Guiness]

1 gap 5 technique DE's do not take on multiple blockers, otherwise the OLB has an unblocked run to either the QB or back.

5 tech DE? What does that mean? I've never heard of a '5 tech'

[Guiness]

Dewayne Robertson was released by Denver - big name on a horrible defense. He had a $16million cap number this coming year!!!

Guy's 27yrs old. Got to be a spot for him on our line...

[BZnDallas]

Dewayne Robertson was released by Denver - big name on a horrible defense. He had a $16million cap number this coming year!!!

Guy's 27yrs old. Got to be a spot for him on our line...

i had read that the other day and thought the same thing... most of the time when a guy is supposed to get paid that kind of money he has some skill... maybe TT brings him in under a smaller pay check and Dom can get him to play up to his $16 milllion potential... that would be sweet!!!!

but am i hoping for too much???... probably

[HarveyWallbangers]

I think Robertson was run out of New York because he was a bad fit for their 3-4 defense. Isn't Denver moving to the 3-4 this year as well?