Panthers moving to a 3-4??? Says McDerm

[FugginPoo]

might could get Everette Brown back, he owns a house in CLT and I'm sure can't sell it anytime soon in this market.

[Silent Majority]

Sounds like they are clueless. 6 games into the season and NOW you consider switching? That would be ANOTHER suspect move, imho.

[Swarly]

why is there even talk of Brown? you realize every other 3-4 team in the league felt he was worthless and that's why he's a free agent, right?

I'm sure they tried him out in training camp/etc as a 3-4 OLB and he failed miserably, if he was at all valuable he'd still be on the team.

[FugginPoo]

Say Rivera/McDermott are plotting a long-term permanent switch to 3-4

Where does that put Beason? Would it mean we are drafting that Burfict kid/thug?

[DaCityKats]

why would Hardy have to leave the field in a 3-4 look?

[CatMan72]

I think a move to the 3-4 also acknowledges that it's becoming much easier to find "tweener" type DE's/OLB's in the draft then it is true 4-3 defensive ends. You can still find good 4-3 DE's in the draft, but you have to wait longer in between finding them then you do in between finding guys like Brown/Norwood.

[carpanfan96]

Say Rivera/McDermott are plotting a long-term permanent switch to 3-4

Where does that put Beason? Would it mean we are drafting that Burfict kid/thug?

I'm not sure about that, but it makes the #2 need in the draft a 3-4 tech DE. That is unless the team is confident that McClain and Hardy can fill those roles.

Other wise, I think they might ask Johnson to lose some weight, Hardy to gain some weight in the off season you'll see this next season.

RE - McClain/draft pick

NT - Kearse / Sua

LE - Hardy / FA

OLB - Johnson / Norwood

ILB - Beason / Gaithers

ILB - Anderson / Connor

OLB - FA or Draftpick/ Applewhite

[CatMan72]

Say Rivera/McDermott are plotting a long-term permanent switch to 3-4

Where does that put Beason? Would it mean we are drafting that Burfict kid/thug?

Puts Beason at ILB next to Connor.

Sam Mills was smaller than Beason and was a highly effective ILB in a 3-4 scheme.

[teeray]

Some of you guys act like you have to play one way or another every week. If we do try to transition to a 3-4 I imagine it would be a gradual change. You would see more and more of it each week and eventually run it as your base formation if that truly is where we are going.

But they aren't going to change it overnight. it would be implemented piece by piece over the course of several weeks.

[panthers55]

There are less and less true 3-4 teams or 4-3 teams. Many teams play a combination of both or change things up quite a bit. For example Dallas was a 3-4 team but when they played us they often had 5 men on the line by bringing at least 2 LBs up to the outside on either side.

[blackcatgrowl]

LoL. I guess we are throwing poo against the wall and seeing what sticks.

Actually, I think it has more to do with having more confidence in our LBs than we do our DTs.

My problem with this though... aren't we sort of getting tapped out on LBs due to injury?

[CatMan72]

Yeah, I'd guess this really means we're going to run many more 3-4 plays then we have been to this point, but it's not a mid-season shift to a different base scheme (that would be suicidal).

I suspect we will gradually run more and more 3-4 plays until we make the transition to a 3-4 base scheme.

Since our DT's are turnstiles anyways, might as well put one more ILB on the field and try to get in the backfield with him.

[mj4life]

my guess is try to run something like the chargers,cowboys & texans. they all run a 1 gap variation of the 3-4 which is not much different than running a 4-3

[carpanfan96]

My question is this,

Do you start Anderson at the other ILB spot or get rid of him? I'm not sure he would fit well as the other OLB in the 3-4. I mean it's worked for Pittsburgh having a smaller OLB on the opposite side as the bigger guy....so who knows.....

Just for a comment, compare Carolina's LB's size against Pitt.

Assuming that Johnson is one of the OLB.

You have Johnson 6-2 270 compared to Woodley 6-2 265

Beason 6-0 240 compared to Farrior 6-2 243

Connor 6-2 230 compared to Timmons 6-1 233

Anderson 6-2 235 compared to Harrison 6-0 242.

Dline would be McClain, Kearse, Hardy

McClain 6-2 296 compared to Smith 6-5 298

Kearse 6-5 325 compared to Hamton 6-1 325

Hardy 6-4 277 compared to Keisel 6-5 285

Not outlandish size wise as you would think, the question is will the players be able to run it effectively and fit with in it's style of play....