Saints Sign Ex-Browns LB Craig Robertson, 3 year deal (merged)

ELLIASJWILLIAMS said
No...doesn't make any sense.

When u think of 3-4 Sam LBs u think Justin Houston, Von Miller, Anthony Spencer, guys that can...you know....rush the passer.

Now look at the two guys you have playing Sam...do they fit that criteria?

Actually it looks more like

Sam Anthony, Mauti,
Mike Laurinitis
Will Ellerbe, Robertson

STs Stupar and can play all the LB positions in a pinch.

Robertson could eventually beat out Ellerbe or be an injury replacement
If Laurinitis would go down Anthony would slide to Mike,Mauti to Sam like last year when Kikaha went down.

I know I said 3-4 in a recent post but it was a knee jerk reaction. These are clearly 4-3 signings and the FA guys we've been looking at scream 4-3 anyway...wouldn't be checking out Fairly or Hatcher if we were looking to play a 3-4.

It's very likely we will be multiple fronts but mainly a 4-3 base team

It kind of depends on the scheme. In a 4-3 some defenses like to blitz the WILL because they are often unblocked on the line and/or are blocked by the RB lined up in the back field. A SAM LBer maybe asked to set the edge and engage the TE. They also often have to cover the TE off the line p, so if can negate the SAM's ability to pass rush.

It,is a little different in the 3-4 because most teams rush 4 anyway and a team can get a little more creative with where they are sending them. So a SAM can be more flexible in coverage and pass rushing.

Of course this is all scheme dependent regardless of alignment.