Projecting a possible 3-4 defense for next year

[Stroupe-a-loop]

A lot of the talk this offseason has revolved around getting a new coach, and a change that may come with him might be a new defensive system. I'm kind of interested in how this team would make the switch to a 3-4, so I've assembled what I think this team may look like next year with players we currently have on the roster and a few possible free agents.

Free Safety-----------------Strong Safety

Sherrod Martin---------------Charles Godfrey

Left Cornerback-------------------Right Cornerback

Chris Gamble---------------------Jonathan Joseph

Outside LB--------Middle LB-------Middle LB-------Outside LB

Johnson/Lawson---Jon Beason-----Dan Connor-----Brown/Norwood

Left DE--------------NT----------------Right DE

Shaun Ellis----------Kelly Gregg---------Tyler Brayton

Safety: Safety is a position that has two promising young players in Godfrey and Martin. Martin has shown flashes at times and seems to have a future as, at least, an average starter for a few years. Godfrey is already playing at an above average level on a team with virtually no pass rush.

Cornerback: Chris Gamble is locked up for a few years and because of that he will probably be the guy at one corner spot. Marshall appears to be on the way out judging from the low tender we gave him in the offseason, and Munnerlyn is nice but seems better in a nickel/special teams role right now. For those reasons, I think the Panthers will look outside for help at corner. Jonathan Joseph is a talented young corner coming off his rookie contract. He has experience playing in a 3-4 and, though expensive, would give us a strong trio at the corner position.

Outside Linebacker: This is probably not going to be super easy. Outside linebacker in a 3-4 is a position where it is difficult to find a premium player, and teams don't let them go when one comes around. Therefore, we would need to make it work with some guys from in house or middle of the road free agents. Strangely enough, we have a few tweener defensive end/linebackers on the roster already. Everette Brown was seen as a 3-4 linebacker by many when he came out two years ago and he may be able to make the change, with the same being true for Eric Norwood. Charles Johnson has also shown a pretty good ability to get to the quarterback this year and may be able to make the change. We may also have to take a look at bargain bin free agents like Merriman (post steroids) and Lawson (pre steroids).

Middle Linebacker: I feel like this is one position where we could actually benefit from the switch. We would have a mix of Beason, Anderson, Davis or Connor and having those guys on the field is always a plus. I'd personally have my money on Beason, our defensive leader, and Connor, a great player against the run when healthy, as being the guys.

Defensive End: I think we would have at least one guy on the roster that can play this position in Charles Johnson, Ed Johnson, Tyler Brayton, or Nick Hayden. The other position would get filled by a free agent, and I think we could get a guy like Shaun Ellis who can play the position and might walk as the Jets have a million free agents this year.

Nose Tackle: I will go ahead and say that I went super upbeat in my projection of Kelly Gregg. I think there is some chance that he could be a cap casualty with the Ravens having his heir apparent in Terrence Cody and that would be fantastic. In all likelihood though, we would end up with some ancient retread (Jason Ferguson? Is he still a person) or some undersized player tasked with an impossible task (Ed Johnson, you ARE Vince Wilfork).

Looking at this, it appears a switch to a 3-4 defense would take either a couple years, or a lot of spending and might not show results for a while. It's a fun idea because our most talented position on defense is linebacker. However, it might be the case that we simply have a number of players that would be great at the middle linebacker position, and a number of other positions (outside linebacker and along the defensive line) that would get worse. It's something to get a little excited because any change after a terrible season is nice, but this particular change might make the defense a little worse before it gets better. Thoughts?

[FuzzyPanther]

What are your feelings on having the two MLB's we've used this year (Connor/Beason) having to line up over uncovered Guards? I've never liked this aspect of the 3-4 front, and think it takes away the greatest assets of speedy guys at the LB positions, because they often take on blocks from unfettered O-Linemen, making their size become a liability.

[OneBadassCat]

what are your feelings on having the two mlb's we've used this year (connor/beason) having to line up over uncovered guards? I've never liked this aspect of the 3-4 front, and think it takes away the greatest assets of speedy guys at the lb positions, because they often take on blocks from unfettered o-linemen, making their size become a liability.

you better stop making sense

[Stroupe-a-loop]

What are your feelings on having the two MLB's we've used this year (Connor/Beason) having to line up over uncovered Guards? I've never liked this aspect of the 3-4 front, and think it takes away the greatest assets of speedy guys at the LB positions, because they often take on blocks from unfettered O-Linemen, making their size become a liability.

Yeah, I would be more than a little worried about Beason getting "Vilma-ed"; where a great middle linebacker gets marginalized in a shift from a 4-3 to a 3-4, especially due to our lack of great players along the defensive line. I would hope the Sam Mills statue out front would give him the strength to get off of blocks consistently.

[Kurb]

I hope I have tiny perfect diamonds in my poo instead of corn as well.

[Stroupe-a-loop]

I hope I have tiny perfect diamonds in my poo instead of corn as well.

I pray for tiny perfect diamonds AND corn, to better confuse my enemies.

[Snake]

3-4 can work but just not for this team. It would require major retooling. I would not be opposed to having some 3-4 sets thrown in there but not as our base.

[Kurb]

I pray for tiny perfect diamonds AND corn, to better confuse my enemies.

Sorry Stroupe for being a dick.

But a 3-4 won't work here.

Pretty much out entire front 7 would be wrong for it.

You may have said that.

I tl;dr every 3-4 thread.

[R0CKnR0LLA]

Biggest need would be a massive stud NT and luckily there are two hitting FA. If we could net one of them the conversion would be much easier, although it looks very unlikely that they'd want to sign here.

[Stroupe-a-loop]

Sorry Stroupe for being a dick.

But a 3-4 won't work here.

Pretty much out entire front 7 would be wrong for it.

You may have said that.

I tl;dr every 3-4 thread.

It's so what ev, friend. I was just kind of curious if it could be done at all this offseason. My conclusion: not well or easily.

Biggest need would be a massive stud NT and luckily there are two hitting FA. If we could net one of them the conversion would be much easier, although it looks very unlikely that they'd want to sign here.

Who are the two hitting free agency?

Yeah SFGF, we really seem to lack several of the personnel required to make a 3-4, you know, good.

[Davidson Deac II]

Switch to a 3/4 and we would be really bad defensively for year, year and a half.

[Dpantherman]

this s**t again?

[bornCLTraisedILM]

We have a fast undersized defense, which some think will improve by switching to a 3-4? So instead of needing 2 to 3 new defensive starters we would need 4 to 6?

[Kurb]

We have a fast undersized defense, which some think will improve by switching to a 3-4? So instead of needing 2 to 3 new defensive starters we would need 4 to 6?

Hey another beach huddler.

welcome