3-4 Defense on the Horizon?
New defensive coordinator Jason Tarver and Linebackers coach Johnny Holland most recently came from 3-4 defenses. The writing may be on the wall for a defensive transition to a 3-4 base defense…The question is, can GM Reggie McKenzie successfully put the right players in place to make the transition? The Raiders do have some pieces in place, but will need to add some players to make it work. It’s well documented that the Raiders won’t have any picks before the mid rounds (at earliest) in this years draft. The salary cap situation is overblown by most observers, but the Raiders won’t be so far under the cap that they can make a huge splash in free agency either. It then falls on Reggie McKenzie to a.) work some magic on the current team salary (restructuring, cutting players), b.) finding value talent in the mid to lower rounds of the draft, and c.) finding starting caliber free agents at bargain prices. Here are some possibilities for the transition.
Defensive Line: The current projected starting unit (Shaughnessy, Kelley, Seymour, Houston) is a solid 4-3 front, a unit that can be dominant at times. What keeps them from being elite are inconsistency, and stopping the run. Lamar Houston could transition to 3-4 end given his size and athleticism. Of course, Richard Seymour spent most of his career playing end in a 3-4 alignment, and Desmond Bryant is a quality back up that has filled in nicely both inside and outside. The anchor, and the central piece that makes a 3-4 work, is the nose tackle, and a good one is hard to come by. The Raiders do not have anyone on the roster who can fill that role, with the closest fit being an injury prone and aging John Henderson. Fortunately for the Raiders, a really good nose tackle may very well hit the open market in the Miami Dolphin’s Paul Soliai. The Fins are switching from a 3-4 to a 4-3, which could make Miami a possible trade partner(like a sign then trade); Sending Seymour and Kelley to Miami for Soliai would be mutually beneficial. Miami gets one of the premier defensive tackle tandems in the NFL, while Oakland gets a very good centerpiece for their defense while getting some cap relief. Of course, that leaves us needing another end, and depth along the defensive line, which could be addressed in the draft. Possible pick ups for NT from the draft include Nicolas Jean-Baptiste and Alameda Ta’amu.
Linebackers: This is a unit that I think is better suited for the 3-4, as many of the players either have experience in that scheme or have the athleticism to play outside linebacker. There would need to be a restructuring of contracts to make this work, however. Perhaps the guy who would benefit most from the change would be MLB Rolando McClain (especially if we can get a massive, space taking, blocker eating NT). He was a stud in college (winning the Dick Butkus Award for best linebacker in the country) playing in a 3-4 defense. Having a co-captain out there also takes some of the pressure off him. The depth at middle linebacker is better than most would give credit for, but the best guy to fill that other ILB spot would probably be Aaron Curry. Taking Curry off TE’s in coverage and instead having him rush the passer or look to stuff the run would be beneficial to him as it would put him in the best position to succeed. Kameron Wimbley is a natural 3-4 OLB, and while Matt Shanghassy is probably too small to play end in a 3-4 alignment…his athleticism and motor would make him a great fit for outside linebacker. Trevor Scott, Quinton Groves, Travis Goethel and Darryl Blackstock could round out a very solid (possibly great) linebacking corps.
It seems all but certain the transition will take place, and even if the right players are brought in or put into position, the transition may not be complete for a season or two. The biggest issue for this defense is still the secondary, but that is next week’s topic. Have something to add? Share your opinion in the comments, or tweet me.
Tags: Defense
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