A 3-4 Defence Might Just Could Happen Next Season

[joo 2h]

A 3-4 defense makes sense, if Robert Mathis is not resigned

Since bill has been fired with his son, I feel that a 3-4 style defense could just likely be on the way.

Here is why

Position break down: D-line

If Robert Mathis is gone, Jamaal Anderson could fill the roll of a left side DE in the 3-4 as he is young (25 yr) has a good size of 289 pounds and is 6-6. Jamaal is a good run stopper de

Antonio Johnson could make the switch from DT to Right side DE in the 3-4 style at 310 pounds this might just work out as Johnson has been a big part of the run stopping game over the last 5 weeks of the season, he was making tackles everywhere. You will want your strongest DE on the right as we will be starting a very inexperience ROLB on that side.

For the NT position, this is the void I still fill is the biggest we need to fill on the roster. I feel maybe between Drake Nevis or fili Moala they may be able to play this position, but as I will say again, I still feel this is a spot that we could tackle in the draft/fa if these guys don’t pan out.

LB

MLB Pat Angerer size is fit for this job and this is a no brainer. Some reports say we wont save much cap space cutting Gary bracket so he would have to play the other MLB role here, also Gary is more of a coverage guy then a pure go getter tackler like Angerer.

ROLB

2010 First round pick……. Jerry Hughes- Jerry better be ready to step up and play like a true first round pick. It is said that jerry was always has been a better stand up type of pass rusher. So Fans and the colts are going to expected him to produces.

LOLB

Dwight Freeney. It will take the right coaching staff and training to get this done, as Dwight will have to learn a whole new defence. But just image Dwight doing what Dware is doing in Dallas. Dwight might not be on the field on first down.

FS

Bethea, this spot is already filled and does not need change

SS-> this spot needs to be filled via, the draft/fA will bob sanders being a free agent, we might be able to resign him, for vet min, if he is willing to come back here and we do not find a draft pick ready to step in and play this year. Even if it is for 1 year im sure the fans would welcome him back.

Right side CB J-powers would be our number 1 cb as he is the only solid player we have at the position.

Left Side CB…….Pat McAfee – Pat McAfee has great good footwork, and is a great tackler, He can play the ball in the air, as he uses his feet to get into position for the bat down. He cannot be any worse then the other corners we have on the team…. Ok seriously all jokes aside; this is a position that Jacob lacey would probably have to have, because we simply don’t have anything better. This is a spot we have to hit in the draft this year. It’s a must!, pick up a free agent or do something because this is our weakest position on the field

Discuses

[Blue Horseshoe]

Has Freeney ever covered a pass in his entire playing career starting in junior high school?

[colts18]

I'm not very sure about Freeney playing LB, maybe on goaline or 4th and 1 situations but not as a starter. For the secondary I say we take Morris Clayborn, CB from LSU, in the draft. At SS we have Melvin Bullet, why do we need to fill that spot? He is young, he just happened to get hurt this year. If we want to improve our run defense why would we change to a 3-4? Drake Nevis just finished his rookie season and he is not that bad, he could turn out to be a decent DT. We have some guys that are just going to get better, there is no reason to switch to a 3-4.

[Fatboyslim11]

Has Freeney ever covered a pass in his entire playing career starting in junior high school?

Freeney has on rare occasions in the past dropped back into zone coverage. I don't believe he has the lateral quickness necessary for man-to-man or even zone coverages in a 3-4 style defense.

[jbaron04]

my line up would look similar to yours

le - a. johnson, anderson

nt - draft dermitri poe 350 in second round

re - d. nevis, moala

lolb - jerry hughes, e.sims

ilb - k. conner

mlb - p. angerer

rolb - d. freeney, wheeler to spell freeney little more exp at lb

ss - bulitt or legefed , or draft if cant stay healhty

fs - bethea

[Bubba_Rebel]

It would actually be pretty easy.

Trade Freeney and dont resign Mathis

DE- Brayton or Nevis

NT- A. Johnson or draftee

DE- J. Anderson

LOLB- J. Hughes

MLB- K. Conner

MLB- Pat Angerer

ROLB- Phillip Wheeler

CB- would love Morris Claiborne, Powers, Thomas, Lacey, Rucker

SS- Draftee or Bullitt

FS- Bethea

[jbaron04]

u need guys like freeney i would like to run a hybrid 3-4 . 4-3 sheme so freeney would be key when he get up in age which he is jerry hughes gonna step up

[Fatboyslim11]

It would actually be pretty easy.

Trade Freeney and dont resign Mathis

DE- Brayton or Nevis

NT- A. Johnson or draftee

DE- J. Anderson

LOLB- J. Hughes

MLB- K. Conner

MLB- Pat Angerer

ROLB- Phillip Wheeler

CB- would love Morris Claiborne, Powers, Thomas, Lacey, Rucker

SS- Draftee or Bullitt

FS- Bethea

The issue wouldn't be the scheme but the players playing the defense. If we go to a 3-4 defense and those are our players, this would be one of the worst defenses talent wise in the NFL.

[TheNextGM]

I like the idea, but the personnel has to fit the scheme. Not sure if Freeney would be great in coverage... not sure if our lbs would be talented and big enough to make it work, not sure if J.Hughes is suddenly the answer!

I don't mind staying in a 4-3, just no more soft cover 2. Try something new...

[ACollie17]

How will we be able to get Morris Claiborne? He's the top CB in the draft on most Big Boards. I say he goes at the latest top 10. That would mean not taking Luck, which Irsay already said he wanted to do. Can't have Claiborne

[MKDK]

34 with that personel would kill the colts on the ground. More than now.

In 34 the ILBs has to take on OL players and Angerer and Brackett are way too undersized in this scheme. At least playing together.

Colts need to retain the talent they have on defense and that means resigning Mathis - and stay in 43 with Freeney and Mathis at end and Angerer in the middle

[Case]

34 with that personel would kill the colts on the ground. More than now.

In 34 the ILBs has to take on OL players and Angerer and Brackett are way too undersized in this scheme. At least playing together.

Colts need to retain the talent they have on defense and that means resigning Mathis - and stay in 43 with Freeney and Mathis at end and Angerer in the middle

Exactly. If they wanted to go to a 3-4 they would have to start drafting for it now and in a couple years slowly transition.

[joo 2h]

well

Exactly. If they wanted to go to a 3-4 they would have to start drafting for it now and in a couple years slowly transition.

ya thats the point, the colts may just in fact do this, and start drafting now, and slowly build for the future. Im not saying that i want for say this to happen, but it depending on the new gm and HC this could happen, its not like we have a lights out defence now. so switching defence styles isnt going to make a huge differnts. im sure we are rank somewhere in the bottom 6. I guess this off season we will find out what would happen

[bWild]

Personally, I don't see it happening. That's not to say it can't or won't, but I don't think it's likely to come to fruition. We're a bit light and under sized, and we lack the man cover corners necessary to run the 3-4 system as it's intended to be run. No matter what's said about it, Freeney and Mathis are NOT stand up type OLB's! They are pure speed rushers and lack the experience of dropping into pass coverage. Also, every interior D-lineman we have on the roster is built as an Under Tackle, so we would also be lacking in the MOST important part of running a 3-4; a true Nose Tackle that will control the Center and make teams use 2 linemen to block him. I just don't forsee this as feasible.

[doogansquest]

Exactly. If they wanted to go to a 3-4 they would have to start drafting for it now and in a couple years slowly transition.

This. I would go so far as to say the 4-3 isn't the problem, and a 3-4 isn't inherently better. It's all about how the scheme is utilized, and the personnel within said scheme.

We can have a much better defense inside the 4-3, just so long as we save the Tampa 2 for very specific situations instead of using it every down.

[IndyD4U]

The thought of seeing Freeney in coverage makes me giggle. I like the idea, just don't know if D-Free is LB material?

[21isSuperman]

I don't think AJ or Moala are fit to be a NT in a 3-4. 3-4 NT need to be huge, two gappers who won't get pushed back. The NT is supposed to occupy as much space and blockers as he can, allowing the linebackers to go unblocked and make plays. We don't have a DT on the roster that is capable of doing that

[joo 2h]

I don't think AJ or Moala are fit to be a NT in a 3-4. 3-4 NT need to be huge, two gappers who won't get pushed back. The NT is supposed to occupy as much space and blockers as he can, allowing the linebackers to go unblocked and make plays. We don't have a DT on the roster that is capable of doing that

That is true my friend, but who knows thats why the draft, and FA is a great tool to finding one.

[21isSuperman]

That is true my friend, but who knows thats why the draft, and FA is a great tool to finding one.

Yep. Aubrayo Franklin and Paul Soliai are both free agents

[21isSuperman]

The thought of seeing Freeney in coverage makes me giggle. I like the idea, just don't know if D-Free is LB material?

Demarcus Ware only dropped back into coverage 3 or 4 times in his whole time under Wade Phillips and same thing is going for Mario Williams in Houston. I wouldn't be surprised if Freeney was a solid LB; he is very mobile and can move well

[colts18]

How will we be able to get Morris Claiborne? He's the top CB in the draft on most Big Boards. I say he goes at the latest top 10. That would mean not taking Luck, which Irsay already said he wanted to do. Can't have Claiborne

When has Irsay ever said he wanted to take Luck, he has never came out and said that.

And besides that if the Colts wanted him they could trade after they take luck (if they do) to get the 8th or 9th pick and get him. There is a way to get him and luck.

[unitaswestand]

Why would we do this? Alignment is just that. If we don't have great talent, it simply won't do well no matter what alignment we use.

[GoColts8818]

Till we get a big NT that NFL teams have that run a 3-4 I don't see it happening. Frankly the secondary needs work rather we use a 3-4 or a 4-3 so that wont be a major factor other than the type of players we get. I think we have two guys in Conner and Angerer who could be the linebackers. Freeney and either Hughes/Mathis would have to make the move to 3-4 outsidelinebackers. Anderson would be a litte undersized for a 3-4 end. You are looking for guys who are small 4-3 DT size to play a 3-4 end spot. That's the deal breaks I am not sure we truly have the peaces needed for a 3-4 front line and it would be hard to find all three of those peaces in an off-season where we are likely to use the top pick in the draft on a QB and have limited at best cap space unless we release Peyton Manning.

[GoColts8818]

When has Irsay ever said he wanted to take Luck, he has never came out and said that.

And besides that if the Colts wanted him they could trade after they take luck (if they do) to get the 8th or 9th pick and get him. There is a way to get him and luck.

It's extremely hard to move into the top 10 of the NFL draft without having a first round draft pick in that trade and if we use ours at number one overall we would no longer have one.

Irsay has never been quoted saying he wanted Luck by name thanks in part because he can't be since Luck has yet to make it offical he's in the NFL draft and he's an underclassman. What Irsay has been quoted as of saying on live TV is that he can't envision Peyton Manning playing some place else next year if he's healthy but if a good young QB happens to be there in the draft they wouldn't hesitate to take him.

Also the people who get paid to know this stuff for a living keep saying the Colts are going to take Luck. There seems to be little question about it and unlike Mario Williams with the Texans the media isn't going well Bush should be the top pick but I am hearing whispers that the Texans are looking at Williams. This is the media saying Irsay wants Luck. It could be Irsay has told them something off the record. It could also be they are wrong too. Time will tell. It's only January and these things can and do change however I wouldn't expect it.

[shakedownstreet]

this would only work with peyton manning at nose tackle

[GoColts8818]

this would only work with peyton manning at nose tackle

There we go we juse close Peyton 21 times and start Peyton Manning at every poistion and we'll be good.

[ACollie17]

When has Irsay ever said he wanted to take Luck, he has never came out and said that.

And besides that if the Colts wanted him they could trade after they take luck (if they do) to get the 8th or 9th pick and get him. There is a way to get him and luck.

http://espn.go.com/n...ick-sources-say

ESPN.com

http://bleacherrepor...aft-andrew-luck

bleacherreport.com

Irsay said he wants him. As of now they're not trading down.

And in my opinion, they won't be willing to give up too much to have two top 10 picks in the draft. Irsay has other things to worry about with the roster.

[Fx Stryker]

DE- Brayton

NT- Nevis

DE- J. Anderson

LOLB- Sims

MLB- Brackett

MLB- Angerer

ROLB- Freeney

CB- Powers, Draftee, Lacey

SS- Draftee or Bullitt

FS- Bethea

That is what I would have.

[Thewholefnshow28]

The thought of seeing Freeney in coverage makes me giggle. I like the idea, just don't know if D-Free is LB material?

What I am giggling about is the idea of one our DTs attempting to play NT.

[ColtsLegacy]

3-4 will solve all of our defensive problems and Jerry Hughes will be All-Pro!! heck, how could we not switch to it?

[ColtsLegacy]

DE- Brayton

NT- Nevis

DE- J. Anderson

LOLB- Sims

MLB- Brackett

MLB- Angerer

ROLB- Freeney

CB- Powers, Draftee, Lacey

SS- Draftee or Bullitt

FS- Bethea

That is what I would have.

And you think this defense is bad now?

[joo 2h]

Im just saying that a 3-4 could happen next season, Im not really saying that i want it to happen, as i like a 4-3 based defence

[BProland85]

I actually would rather see Mathis at LB than Freeney. I feel Mathis would have an easier transition there plus we could get something in a trade for Freeney.(At least a 1st round pick which could be used to get our NT). Id be fine doing this since I feel we have plenty of LBs to make this possible especially when both Jerry Hughes and Philip Wheeler are better suited for the 3-4 LB pass rushing position.

[joo 2h]

I actually would rather see Mathis at LB than Freeney. I feel Mathis would have an easier transition there plus we could get something in a trade for Freeney.(At least a 1st round pick which could be used to get our NT). Id be fine doing this since I feel we have plenty of LBs to make this possible especially when both Jerry Hughes and Philip Wheeler are better suited for the 3-4 LB pass rushing position.

Ya i was thinking about the same thing, why not re sign mathis and trade freeney

[Warhorse]

Teams could go large with a 22 personnel package and steam roll us.

[Ramblinwreck7]

A 4-3 defense is my favorite type of defense, especially how the Giants and LSU Tigers use it. We could hire a very good defensive coordinator, draft some talented players at positions of need like CB, NT, and SS and we'll be in good position to improve. Kind of like what the Texan's did!

[Ramblinwreck7]

And Dwight Freeney would harldy ever play in coverage... what do yall think Mario Williams does? He basically strictly rushes the passer from the OLB position and he has his hand on the ground about half the time I think.

[Pancake Block]

Freeney has on rare occasions in the past dropped back into zone coverage. I don't believe he has the lateral quickness necessary for man-to-man or even zone coverages in a 3-4 style defense.

Not sure if Freeney carries extra weight to play DE or not. He fell to us in draft because he was kind of a tweener. Maybe he could drop 15-20 pounds and be a OLB capable of pass coverage as well as pass rush. Tough conversion, though.

[GoGoColts]

A playoff defense is one that can generate sacks to slow down these offenses. The best sacking defense over the last several years has been the 4-3 defense of the Giants.

[Ramblinwreck7]

A playoff defense is one that can generate sacks to slow down these offenses. The best sacking defense over the last several years has been the 4-3 defense of the Giants.

Like I posted before on another topic, I hope that the NFL reverts to more defense friendly. It is hard to watch some of these games. I wouldn't say the offenses have become to good for defenses to handle this year, just that the NFL has become sooo passing friendly that it is ridiculous.

And yes I hope the colts switch to the Giants type of defense.