MassPackersFan
16 years ago
Link 

UserPostedImage

Draft puts Packers ahead of the 3-4 curve

By Steve Wyche | NFL.com
Senior Writer

Editor's note: This is the second in a series of occasional offseason stories following the progress of the Green Bay Packers' installation of a 3-4 defense and the challenges facing teams that switch base formations.

Stage II of the transition is under way in Green Bay. The draft supplied the Packers with the nose tackle (B.J. Raji) and the outside linebacker (Clay Matthews) they need to expedite their switch to the 3-4 defense (three linemen, four linebackers). Proper personnel is required to make the trendy, successful defense work and the Packers may have put themselves ahead of the curve by selecting two talented young players who fit the blueprint.

"In any defense you try to project how a guy is going to fit in to the things you're trying to do, no matter what defense you're playing," Green Bay's new defensive coordinator Dom Capers said. "Good football players will normally end up playing, but there are certain areas you might emphasize a little more depending on the scheme qualities you need to have."

That's why Kansas City bypassed a standout player like Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry for LSU defensive end Tyson Jackson and San Diego replenished its outside linebacker stock with Northern Illinois' Larry English instead of taking an inside linebacker like USC's Rey Maualuga. Jackson and English fit the 3-4 scheme those teams play.

Jackson, at 6-foot-4 and 295 pounds, is a prototypical 3-4 end, like Pittsburgh's Brett Keisel, who stifles tackles and sometimes tight ends, so linebackers can clean up the ball carrier or get to the quarterback. English (6-2, 274) is put together like Baltimore outside linebacker Terrell Suggs and possesses the versatility to play on the line against the run or in coverage. He can capitalize on the freedoms the three brutes on the defensive line provide him.

They are scheme-specific players, much the way Mississippi's 6-2, 298-pound defensive tackle Peria Jerry is an ideal fit for Atlanta's 4-3 front. In that scheme, the emphasis is less on massive lineman holding up blockers so linebackers can make plays and more on the quick, agile linemen making plays themselves.

Raji (6-2, 337) is the mold for a 3-4 nose tackle. Matthews (6-3, 240) has the size and ability to play outside linebacker in any scheme. They were chosen in the draft at No. 9 and No. 26 overall, respectively. Five of Green Bay's eight draft picks came on defense.

"There's been a lot mentioned about the guys we took in the first round being prototype 3-4 players," Packers general manager Ted Thompson said. "I believe that they could play in any defense or scheme. They are that talented and versatile. The fact that they look a little more prototypical for a 3-4 is fine with us, but you have to be more well-rounded than that."

"We like the guys," Thompson added. "We think they are good players and they'll play well in our system."

The Packers, like Denver and Kansas City, are switching from a 4-3 to a 3-4. The moves are being made, in part, because coaches or management have used the schemes before. They're also being implemented because of the success of 3-4 teams like Super Bowl-champion Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Dallas, Miami, New England and the New York Jets.

For Green Bay, the change also was made because what it was doing didn't work. The Packers allowed 23.8 points per game, 334 total yards and 131.6 rushing yards in 2008.

The 3-4 is alluring, because of it allows defensive coordinators to mask coverages and blitzes - in a 4-3, the safety or a linebacker tends to tip those before the snap - and because it gives athletic linebackers more freedom to make plays. Three of the top four sack leaders from 2008 were 3-4 outside linebackers. Harrison, one of two Steelers outside linebackers to finish among the top 10 in sacks (LaMarr Woodley was the other), was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year, followed by Dallas' DeMarcus Ware, who like Harrison, is a 3-4 linebacker.

"There is a transition but our guys are pretty excited about it," Thompson said. "We have, for a number of years, tried to add and keep as many versatile players as we could. Guys like Cullen Jenkins, who is an untypical body type but has tremendous ability to play defensive end, he moves down inside in (substitution) packages."

It's hard to make a blunt transition from one scheme to the other because it takes time to get the proper personnel in place. The Packers are making quick headway.

They plan to move former 4-3 defensive end Aaron Kampman to a 3-4 outside linebacker on the left side, Capers said. Matthews is projected to work his way into the rotation or into a starting spot at right outside linebacker.

"He's got a little height to him, some suddenness," Capers said of Matthews after the Packers' non-contact, rookie minicamp. "He has the build of a pass rusher but he's physically tough enough to play the run. He is going to do nothing but continue to get better. He made a lot of strides during his time at USC. He is a motivated young man. He'll leave no stone unturned in terms of trying to get better."

Raji, meanwhile, could be the key to the defensive front. The cog in a 3-4 is a massive, space-eating, tough guy (Pittsburgh's Casey Hampton or Baltimore's Haloti Ngata, for example) who can hold up a center and a guard without giving up ground. If there is too much give at that spot, then the defense is vulnerable. Guards and lead blockers (fullbacks or H-backs) can blow through a hole, swallow linebackers and force safeties to make tackles.

Raji, who played in a four-man front at Boston College, boasts the skill set to play the unglamorous position. He will initially rotate with Ryan Pickett (6-2, 330), with the starter being determined during training camp. Capers said both are athletic enough for the non-starter to be moved to defensive end.

That is a whole lot of beef up front.

Raji "gives us really good flexibility," Capers said. "We're going to have to see how fast he picks things up and comes along. I sure like what he brings in terms of size and ability."

While many rookies will struggle with learning a new scheme or adjusting to the NFL lifestyle, Raji and Matthews are pretty much on equal footing with their veteran teammates in terms of learning the new defense.

Capers said their development will become evident during OTAs, which leads to Thompson's point of the best football player emerging, regardless of the scheme.

"The defense offers a few more things in the packages to get your blood flowing," Thompson said. "Dom and his staff have been very good about showing what we can do if we do this thing right."
UserPostedImage
Mckennj3
16 years ago
I love throwing two impact players from the draft into this scheme, it only speeds up the tansition and i can see either being key players.
We are born naked, wet and hungry. Then things get worse.
Blank402
16 years ago
I think some have been making too big a deal out of the switch to the 3-4. Some have been going so far as to say it'll be 2-3 years before we make a full adjustment. In my opinion the hardest part of the transition for the players will be learning the new playbook with all of its terminology, and it's not like they haven't had to do things like that before. I'm not saying we'll automatically have a top ten D next year, but I don't think the struggles are going to be as hard as some are making them out to be.
blank
zombieslayer
16 years ago
:lol:

good article. The reason I got a chuckle out of that is you keep hearing people saying over and over that we draft BPA and not need. This clearly shows that the '09 was a needs draft and not BPA. Or it was one hell of a coincidence the BPAs were exactly our needs.
My man Donald Driver
UserPostedImage
(thanks to Pack93z for the pic)
2010 will be seen as the beginning of the new Packers dynasty. 🇹🇹 🇲🇲 🇦🇷
PackerTraxx
16 years ago
I believe it is argueable he took the best player available, especially with Matthews. At least I hope they turn out to be the best players. It was a real bonus that they were also positions of need.
Why is Jerry Kramer not in the Hall of Fame?
Fan Shout
Zero2Cool (8h) : Both LB Quay Walker and Rookie DB Micah Robinson have passed their physicals
Zero2Cool (9h) : Happy to see site feels more snappy snappy
Zero2Cool (9h) : No sir. I did not.
dfosterf (9h) : You didn't get free childcare when you were at work?
wpr (10h) : These guys make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. Pay for their own childcare.
dfosterf (11h) : 2nd issue. Number 1 issue was no gameday childcare. 1 of 3 teams not providing it
Zero2Cool (11h) : Suppose if locker room is main issue, we sitting pretty
wpr (11h) : I thought so Mucky. In those useless player polls GB always rates high overall. Locker is a part of it.
Mucky Tundra (12h) : Wasn't the locker room just updated like 6 or 7 years ago?
Zero2Cool (12h) : I have forum updated on different site. We'll see how this one goes before going to that
Zero2Cool (13h) : Elgton Jenkins has a back injury, is expect to end contract dispute
wpr (15h) : It's funny the PA complained about the locker room. It wasn't that long ago it was top shelf. Things change in a hurry.
wpr (15h) : The site is much more better.
Zero2Cool (15h) : NFLPA report said Packers lockerroom needed upgrade. Whining bout where you change?
Zero2Cool (15h) : I saw that and thought it was kind of lame.
dfosterf (15h) : Packers new locker room is pretty awesome. Great for morale, imo
Zero2Cool (16h) : Shuffled things on the web server. Hope it makes it faster.
Zero2Cool (16h) : Other times, it's turtle ass
Zero2Cool (16h) : Sometimes it's snappy, like now.
beast (17h) : I feel like it's loading at the top of the next minute, or something like that.
beast (17h) : Also the thanks/heart takes FOREVER to load, and posting in the shout box takes three times FOREVER!
beast (17h) : Thanks for saying something, I thought it was slow, but assumed it was on my end
beast (17h) : Thanks for saying something, I thought it was slow, but assumed it was on my end
Zero2Cool (17h) : Yeah, I noticed that too. Is it slow for PackerPeople.com too?
wpr (18h) : I don't know what you IT guys call it but the page loading is very slow for me today.
Zero2Cool (18h) : SSL might be settled now.
Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : Still working through SSL cert issues
wpr (23-Jul) : Glad to be back
Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : I think PH original finally working.
dfosterf (22-Jul) : Can tell you are having a fun day Kev
Zero2Cool (22-Jul) : Yep, I had to manually move them. It'll fix itself after more posts.
Mucky Tundra (22-Jul) : Same deal with the songs/videos thread, says you replied last but when I go there it's what I posted earlier is last
Zero2Cool (22-Jul) : I had to manually move three posts.
Mucky Tundra (22-Jul) : But when I go it, Martha's is the last reply
Mucky Tundra (22-Jul) : Still a little screwy; it shows on the main forum that you were the last person to reply to the Jenkins trade thread
Zero2Cool (22-Jul) : Host issues, been crazy day
Mucky Tundra (22-Jul) : Connect 4?
Zero2Cool (22-Jul) : Connecting to new database
Zero2Cool (22-Jul) : What the hell
beast (22-Jul) : Packershome going to the Whiteout unis again
Zero2Cool (21-Jul) : Oh wait, they got Cam Ward. 1st overall right? haha oops
Zero2Cool (21-Jul) : They could send Packers a 1st for a QB they are familiar with
Zero2Cool (21-Jul) : Titans QB Will Levis to have season-ending shoulder surgery
Zero2Cool (19-Jul) : Their season did kind of start there, so 🤷
dfosterf (19-Jul) : Eagles put an engraved Brazil flag on their super bowl rings
Zero2Cool (18-Jul) : Benton unsigned no more
Zero2Cool (17-Jul) : That's good analysis, yes you are getting old. It'd a blessing!
dfosterf (14-Jul) : *analysis* gettin' old
dfosterf (14-Jul) : One of the best analyisis I"ve ever watched at this time of an offseason
dfosterf (14-Jul) : Andy Herman interviewed Warren Sharp on his Pack a day podcast
Please sign in to use Fan Shout
2025 Packers Schedule
Sunday, Sep 7 @ 3:25 PM
LIONS
Thursday, Sep 11 @ 7:15 PM
COMMANDERS
Sunday, Sep 21 @ 12:00 PM
Browns
Sunday, Sep 28 @ 7:20 PM
Cowboys
Sunday, Oct 12 @ 3:25 PM
BENGALS
Sunday, Oct 19 @ 3:25 PM
Cardinals
Sunday, Oct 26 @ 7:20 PM
Steelers
Sunday, Nov 2 @ 12:00 PM
PANTHERS
Monday, Nov 10 @ 7:15 PM
EAGLES
Sunday, Nov 16 @ 12:00 PM
Giants
Sunday, Nov 23 @ 12:00 PM
VIKINGS
Thursday, Nov 27 @ 12:00 PM
Lions
Sunday, Dec 7 @ 12:00 PM
BEARS
Sunday, Dec 14 @ 3:25 PM
Broncos
Friday, Dec 19 @ 11:00 PM
Bears
Friday, Dec 26 @ 11:00 PM
RAVENS
Saturday, Jan 3 @ 11:00 PM
Vikings
Recent Topics
16m / Around The NFL / beast

1h / Green Bay Packers Talk / Mucky Tundra

3h / Around The NFL / Mucky Tundra

6h / Green Bay Packers Talk / bboystyle

7h / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

7h / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

18h / Green Bay Packers Talk / wpr

23-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

22-Jul / Random Babble / Zero2Cool

22-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

22-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

20-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / Mucky Tundra

20-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / Mucky Tundra

18-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

15-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / Mucky Tundra

Headlines
Copyright © 2006 - 2025 PackersHome.com™. All Rights Reserved.