The switch to a 3-4 defense (40 Viewers)

[Elvis]

This is a bottom 5 defense in the NFL.

Before any retooling at all. Give it a draft and some cheap free agents and it might look better.

 

[WhoDat?DrewDat]

Before any retooling at all. Give it a draft and some cheap free agents and it might look better.

There's realistically no retooling possible to keep us from being an awful defense.

We don't have any cap space to sign any stud FAs.

We would need to draft slam dunk defensive studs to keep us from being awful which we haven't been able to do recently.

 

[Elvis]

There's realistically no retooling possible to keep us from being an awful defense.

We don't have any cap space to sign any stud FAs.

We would need to draft slam dunk defensive studs to keep us from being awful which we haven't been able to do recently.

I don’t expect free agents studs, just some guys that already play the new positions if we’re transitioning to a 3-4 to soften the blow.

It’s funny how so much focus has been put on the offense and Carr with some people thinking he gives the team the best chance to win and then they hire a 3-4 DC to coach aging 4-3 personnel. That doesn’t look like we’re putting any priority on winning anything in 2025.

 

[St. Widge]

Where could Foskey fit in a 3-4. He seemed to be in the doghouse for all of his time here. Is he a better fit for Staley than he was for DA?

I think so, he mostly played as a stand up rush edge at Notre Dame. He's probably a more natural fit for a 3-4 OLB or just a stand up edge rusher in a hybrid 3-4. I doubt he becomes "good" but at this point even if he just gives you some productive snaps I'd be happy.

 

[St. Widge]

this is why i hate seeing all these mocks taking the DE's from Tennessee, Marshall and Georgia.
id rather shemar stewart at DE in a 3-4

The Marshall "DE" would be a rush OLB or stand up edge in Staley's scheme.

 

[Mamba]

This whole 4-3 vs 3-4 issue is overrated. It’s a throwback to 90s-era football conversation. The game has changed.

 

[Mamba]

I’m all for Mike Green at #9. He reminds me a lot of Khalil Mack.

 

[Chuck McGill Esq.]

Maybe so, but I don't trust that any of the young players on defense were ever given any coaching or a chance to improve under DA.

Especially front 7 guys.

 

[meily]

What does the Saints' defensive front look like with Brandon Staley?

The Saints will change to an odd front after hiring Brandon Staley. What does that look like using only players currently under contract?

saintswire.usatoday.com

The New Orleans Saints defensive line room will see the biggest shift after the team hired Brandon Staley to become the unit’s coordinator.

The transition to Staley will feature the Saints playing more three down linemen, or odd fronts, opposed to primarily playing four down linemen, or even fronts, as was the case under Dennis Allen. What does that look like for New Orleans?

 

[nakadish]

I don’t expect free agents studs, just some guys that already play the new positions if we’re transitioning to a 3-4 to soften the blow.

It’s funny how so much focus has been put on the offense and Carr with some people thinking he gives the team the best chance to win and then they hire a 3-4 DC to coach aging 4-3 personnel. That doesn’t look like we’re putting any priority on winning anything in 2025.

You mean like when Payton brought in players like Shanle, Fujita, and Mark Simoneau his first year as HC?

Nah, that would never work.

 

[StudioSaint]

A lot of people will focus on the linebackers and edge, but your front 3 drive the defense. If any of those 3 fail to do their job the whole defense crumbles.

Spot on. The Saints front 3 during the Dome Patrol days don't get the attention and credit they deserve, because they didn't make all the flashy plays. The Dome Patrol linebackers don't have the success they did without the front 3 dominating their assignments on almost every snap.

 

[StudioSaint]

This whole 4-3 vs 3-4 issue is overrated. It’s a throwback to 90s-era football conversation. The game has changed.

Amen. Some variation of a nickel defense is every teams base defense now. The base defense being defined as the defensive that you run the most on the field. Almost every defense spends most of their time in a nickel defense.

 

[StudioSaint]

What does the Saints' defensive front look like with Brandon Staley?

The Saints will change to an odd front after hiring Brandon Staley. What does that look like using only players currently under contract?

saintswire.usatoday.com

The New Orleans Saints defensive line room will see the biggest shift after the team hired Brandon Staley to become the unit’s coordinator.

The transition to Staley will feature the Saints playing more three down linemen, or odd fronts, opposed to primarily playing four down linemen, or even fronts, as was the case under Dennis Allen. What does that look like for New Orleans?

That's all speculation by the writer. Not once in that article does it quote Staley or refer to Staley saying what kind of defense he will run with the Saints.

What has Staley himself said about what kind of defense he will run with the Saints?

 

[St. Widge]

Amen. Some variation of a nickel defense is every teams base defense now. The base defense being defined as the defensive that you run the most on the field. Almost every defense spends most of their time in a nickel defense.

There are versions of the Nickle that use an odd front. For instance, Staley runs a lot of 3-3-5. He also uses 2-4-5 and 4-2-5. Sometimes his 3-3-5 looks like a 4-2-5 because one of the LBs comes up the the line as a stand up edge.

 

[St. Widge]

That's all speculation by the writer. Not once in that article does it quote Staley or refer to Staley saying what kind of defense he will run with the Saints.

What has Staley himself said about what kind of defense he will run with the Saints?

Why do you refuse to believe that Staley is going to run the same base 3-4 defense, including some versions of the Nickle with 3 or 3 DL? It's his scheme it's what he is going to run. He may run more 4-3 than he would if he has more time to pick his personnel. But it's going to be the same scheme he has always run with some odd fronts and some even fronts.