If we were to go 3-4, who would be our 4th LB?

[Mitchell55]

1st off, say we resign Crowell. Who would be the 4th LB. A FA, draft pick, Bowen, Corto, Costonzo, Digi????

[Dujek]

If the Bills go 3-4 with a re-signed Crowell, then Rey Maualuga becomes an almost automatic pick at 11 as long as he's still available.

[rcd333]

who said we're switching

[Mad Bomber]

who said we're switching
Nobody.

The question was IF we switched to a 3-4.

It's called a rhetorical question, my friend, and was (I assume) meant to start a discussion.

[OpIv37]

The 4th LB has to be someone not on the roster yet. We don't have a single LB or DE capable of playing the 3-4 hybrid LB/DE position.

[Kenny]

I dont even think the linebackers we have right now are capable of the 3-4... are any of them big/strong enough?
I suppose you could move Schobel, but he's not athletic enough.

[OpIv37]

I dont even think the linebackers we have right now are capable of the 3-4... are any of them big/strong enough?

They're not even big or strong enough to play a 4-3 cover 2.

A few years ago, I thought the 3-4 was dead, but now it's clear that it's superior to our system. We just don't have the personnel and it would be too much of a transition to try to obtain it.

[yordad]

We would probably roll with Digi and no depth.

[Dr. Lecter]

The bigger question would be who becomes the NT.

Or the DEs.

Or the starting LBs.

The Bills do not have many guys suited for a 3-4.

[acattack15]

The Draft and Free Agency is full of DE/OLB Hybrids. Orakpo, Selvie, maybe Aaron Maybin form PEnn st., Selvie... Free agency theres Berry or Dansby from Arizona cardinals,

I like the idea of a 3-4 switch.. Personally i think a mix kinda like the Ravens is the best. You show 3-4 and 4-3, confuse the other teams QB.

[jamze132]

Perry Fewell thinks of himself as a genius. No way is he swallowing his pride and admitting that his BS version of a Cover2 is exactly that. We are going to stay the course which means more freakishly small NFL players who will be over matched 90% of the time.

[Mahdi]

1st off, say we resign Crowell. Who would be the 4th LB. A FA, draft pick, Bowen, Corto, Costonzo, Digi????
We dont even have 1 LB that can play the 3-4 on this team... we have LBs that are suited to a cover 2 scheme thats the opposite required for a 3-4... Puz, Mitchell, Dig, Crowell, Ellison are all out if we go 3-4.

[m1orenz]

Why would we even want to switch to the 3-4? There is only a couple teams who run it well, while the others have worse defenses than buffalo.

If anything the bills should switch to an aggressive 3-4 scheme. Then they dont have to find a nose tackle, a hybrid LB, and a good MLB for the 3-4

[Jan Reimers]

Schemes don't win games. Well coached, talented players win games. We won't win with the 4-3, 3-4, cover 2 or anything else until we get a new coaching staff and better players at DE, LB and DT.

[wozrob11]

what about Laurinitus ? or does everybody think he'll be gone by the time it gets to us

[Bling]

Your defense is far too small at just about every position to even have a 3-4 defense.

[Mahdi]

Perry Fewell thinks of himself as a genius. No way is he swallowing his pride and admitting that his BS version of a Cover2 is exactly that. We are going to stay the course which means more freakishly small NFL players who will be over matched 90% of the time.
Any version of a defense without the correct players is a BS version. You cant play cover 2 or even a base 4-3 or 46 without good DEs. In fact can you name a defense or DC that is successful in one of those schemes without good DE play?

[ParanoidAndroid]

Orakpo - Poz - Crowell - Mitchell

That actually would not be too bad, but depth would be a problem.

On the other hand, we are a good DE away from a pretty solid front 7 if the 4-3 stays.

[PECKERWOOD]

Nobody.

The question was IF we switched to a 3-4.

It's called a rhetorical question, my friend, and was (I assume) meant to start a discussion.

Sir, not to correct you but I believe that it's a hypothetical question.

[BillsWin]

for the answer to who would be a good option if we switched to 3-4 for that spot, see my thread DRAFT PROFILE 1: Everette Brown DE Florida State

[Ingtar33]

1st off, say we resign Crowell. Who would be the 4th LB. A FA, draft pick, Bowen, Corto, Costonzo, Digi????


you'd have to swap schobel outside. he's too small to play end in a 3-4

[Marvelous]

I dunno..Becaue POZ needs to be moved back outside..I was super-stoked when i heard he wa gonna be our starting MLB, but it's clearly handicapping him.. Some players need the range of OLB to maximize themselves..A MLB has many many responsibilities on most plays, where a OLB can roam sideline -to- sideline more freely....

---I would say Digi. ((lol at the nickname))..Maybe it's the softspot for our UDFA's..rags -to- riches sorta way,,or maybe it's the tackling machine "Digi" became last season.. I dunno. But i know i like him..
---Is Digi a free agent?
--I don't have any reason to have any confidence in Corto or costanza.. Which one of the two is the bonehead who held on a McKelvin TD in the Jets game? GRR! That cost us the game form a point o' view....Neither LB has done anything to enter this convo...
---It's clear that we need to draft a LB in the 1st 3 picks for atleast depth. Depth is the minimal, so starter could happen..
--Crowell resigned? I dunno..He will be reasonably priced because he was hurt all season,,but righfully so. Will he be as effective. Injuries to LB's scare me..Spikes was but a fraction of his former self. i know, i know..That was a major Achillies & SPikes ankle all but fell off etc,,but the fear remains...
--ROLB----MLB----LOLB---
--Poz-----?/Crowell?--------Digi/Crowell

Teddy Lehman- is he worthy to stay & compete for starter? i know nothing about him except he was highly rated in that years draft..
-Ellison(resigned?)
--Crowell resigning is feesable but his health a questionmark...
?

[Mahdi]

Orakpo - Poz - Crowell - Mitchell

That actually would not be too bad, but depth would be a problem.

On the other hand, we are a good DE away from a pretty solid front 7 if the 4-3 stays.
That works except for the Poz, Crowell, Mitchell part. Mitchell might be able to adapt to a 3-4 as an ILB but Poz and Crowell have no chance in a 3-4. We would need 2 ILBs, 2 OLB, a DT and 1 more DE. Stroud would be perfect as a DE in a 3-4 since he is the typical size of a 3-4 DE (6'6 300+) but he would not be a nose, a nose in a 3-4 has to be at least 330. Kyle Williams, Spencer Johnson would not fit either in a 3-4. Too short for DE, too light for NT.