Simpleton
DCC 4Life
- Joined
- Apr 8, 2013
- Messages
- 17,595
After listening to Quinn's PC, and considering that it's unlikely that we add anybody else of significance, here's how I see the defense going into 2021.
First, a few takeaways from Quinn's PC:
1. We'll be in nickel/dime with a 4-man line 60-70% of the time (which is pretty standard, @Iamtdg hollatchaboi), but our base looks will be closer to a 3-4 which makes a lot of sense given the Urban signing and the Odighizuwa/Golston picks.
2. Keanu Neal is a LB (I assume this is a function of being nickel/dime primarily but in base I'm sure he'll toggle).
3. Odighizuwa will start off focusing on being an interior pass-rusher in nickel/dime, although I'm sure the long term goal is to have him playing a role similar to Brent Urban as a jumbo/5T DE in base.
With all that said, here's how I see our personnel, starting with nickel/dime since that's where we'll be most of the time:
And the base "3-4":
Conspicuously absent of course is Micah Parsons and I did that purposely because I think he's a massive wild card who needs his own discussion. I believe he is a rare outlier like a Jamal Adams or Devin White who is capable of putting up 8-10 sacks at a non-pass rushing position, probably not this year, but soon. On top of that he has the athleticism to be an amazing coverage LB.
I could easily see him being moved all over the place like a Troy Polamalu or Adams, sometimes playing your traditional Mike/Will in base, sometimes lining up as a LEO/something similar to a 3-4 OLB who could either drop in coverage or blitz. In nickel/dime I could see him being one of our top traditional coverage LB's while simultaneously being one of our most feared blitzers who can be brought off the edge, through the A/B gap, or off stunts/twists. I wouldn't be shocked if by the end of the year the pass protections of opposing offenses are primarily focused on Lawrence first and Parsons second.
We've definitely added some viable pieces who should improve the defense but the big question marks are what they were previously, FS and DT. I think a 3-4 base look will help mitigate the DT situation against the run with 5T's like Urban eating up blocks but ultimately those two positions could easily be our Achilles heel yet again.
Theoretically I'm sure the idea is to have what should be an elite offense build leads and then unleash guys like Lawrence, Gregory and Parsons and hopefully force a good amount of turnovers with ballhawks like Diggs/Joseph/Kazee/Wilson on the back end. It makes a lot of sense, particularly because you aren't going to go from a historically bad defense to an elite one in one offseason.
First, a few takeaways from Quinn's PC:
1. We'll be in nickel/dime with a 4-man line 60-70% of the time (which is pretty standard, @Iamtdg hollatchaboi), but our base looks will be closer to a 3-4 which makes a lot of sense given the Urban signing and the Odighizuwa/Golston picks.
2. Keanu Neal is a LB (I assume this is a function of being nickel/dime primarily but in base I'm sure he'll toggle).
3. Odighizuwa will start off focusing on being an interior pass-rusher in nickel/dime, although I'm sure the long term goal is to have him playing a role similar to Brent Urban as a jumbo/5T DE in base.
With all that said, here's how I see our personnel, starting with nickel/dime since that's where we'll be most of the time:
- Edge Rushers: Lawrence, Gregory, Basham
- Interior Rushers: Gallimore, Hill, Odighizuwa, Golston, maybe Lawrence/Basham rotate on the interior here and there
- Coverage LB's: Neal, LVE, Smith, Cox
- Secondary: Diggs, Kazee, Wilson, Brown, Lewis, Joseph
And the base "3-4":
- 5T "DE's": Urban, Odighizuwa, Golston
- 1T: Woods, Watkins, Bohannon, maybe Hill?
- 3T: Gallimore, Hill, Odighizuwa
- Traditional DE's who will likely also stand up: Lawrence, Gregory, Basham, maybe Armstrong?
- LB's: LVE, Smith, Neal
- CB: Diggs, CB2 (Brown/Joseph?)
- S: Kazee, Wilson/Neal
Conspicuously absent of course is Micah Parsons and I did that purposely because I think he's a massive wild card who needs his own discussion. I believe he is a rare outlier like a Jamal Adams or Devin White who is capable of putting up 8-10 sacks at a non-pass rushing position, probably not this year, but soon. On top of that he has the athleticism to be an amazing coverage LB.
I could easily see him being moved all over the place like a Troy Polamalu or Adams, sometimes playing your traditional Mike/Will in base, sometimes lining up as a LEO/something similar to a 3-4 OLB who could either drop in coverage or blitz. In nickel/dime I could see him being one of our top traditional coverage LB's while simultaneously being one of our most feared blitzers who can be brought off the edge, through the A/B gap, or off stunts/twists. I wouldn't be shocked if by the end of the year the pass protections of opposing offenses are primarily focused on Lawrence first and Parsons second.
We've definitely added some viable pieces who should improve the defense but the big question marks are what they were previously, FS and DT. I think a 3-4 base look will help mitigate the DT situation against the run with 5T's like Urban eating up blocks but ultimately those two positions could easily be our Achilles heel yet again.
Theoretically I'm sure the idea is to have what should be an elite offense build leads and then unleash guys like Lawrence, Gregory and Parsons and hopefully force a good amount of turnovers with ballhawks like Diggs/Joseph/Kazee/Wilson on the back end. It makes a lot of sense, particularly because you aren't going to go from a historically bad defense to an elite one in one offseason.
