Oh, and yes – I’ve had this story in my back pocket for a while now. Just had to add in the “George Edwards” and the “Edwards” stuff. :)

Nice article Brian

I have a feeling this is probably how we’ll start the transition, but eventually it wouldn’t surprise me if the big, fat NT makes an appearance. I’d like the versatility of being able to run both types of 3-4 D’s…which leads right into your point about depth. We need much, much more of it, and better depth players overall.

It’ll take time, but if built right, it should be worth it.

Who would be the first you’d look to upgrade in the offseason?

Why cant Maybin play ILB. He is only 250, keep him small and fast as lightning, and he could do some good things!

make the Bills active in player for player trades this off-season? We have a lot of 4-3 personnel that other teams would covet. The Giants need DTs badly and Perry Fewell is the defensive coordinator. Im sure he’d love to have one of his best players from last year, Kyle Williams, for a guy like Mathias Kiwanucka who I think would be much more effective in a 3-4 as an OLB. Hes already causing problems in the Giants DE rotation with Osi close to demanding a trade because of playing time between Kiwi, Tuck and Osi. Both are young players who need system changes.

What about Dick Jauron and Bobby April being in Philadelphia? Send them a player for a lineman or something (not named Jason Peters). With our coaching diaspora around the league we should be able to get player-player trades going. Or at least player – pick trades.

Then of course we have the aging veterans we can send to contenders who want to make a run like Stroud, Schobel, or Whitner.

Buffalo can go in so many different directions at this point now, that it literally will have to wait until they are on the clock.

Depending on who was chosen ahead of them, I think there is a decent possibility to trade down and aquire more picks, which would really do them well as the new coaching staff will have more of “their guys” as well as add depth.

Thats if their guy at LT or QB has been taken.

And then there is McClain.

So. This response is very little help. My opinion is that whoever they choose that is of the same value as the pick is going to be a good decision.

Starters:
Maybin: 6-4 250lbs
Poz: 6-1 238lbs
Mitchell: 6-1 253lbs
McClain 6-4 258lbs

If we get a Joey Porter type player, thats 5 quality starting LB’s, 3 of which can play either inside or outside

He wants BIG money, if the Bills threw it at him, he may follow it like a big, juicy steak. SO FAT!!!

I disagree with most that Williams is going to be ineffective as a 3-4 DE. Yes his arms are short, but his penetratic speed compensates for that. I think that if we us him in a Arizona Hybrid type deffence and put him in the same 1 gap role that Darnell Dockett has with the Cards that Williams would do VERY well for us.

Basicly it all depends on the type of 3-4 that we use. A traditional 3-4 would be a DISASTER for us. Luckily I don’t see Edwards being stupid enough to try to do that. And Arizona Hybrid D with Stroud and Williams as 1 gap DE’s, Schobel and Maybin as rushing OLB’s and Mitchell and Poz in the middle and all we are really missing is a NT (yes I know, HUGE need and i agree) and another OLB to go opposite Schobel/Maybin. We really wouldn’t be that far off.

Why do they call this defense the 3-4 Over

And let’s say Maybin isn’t quite ready to learn a new position…you didn’t mention Kelsay at all…could he be capable of manning one of the OLB spots? And what about Chris Ellis at OLB, if he isn’t the complete bust most of suspect he is?

I don’t think our depth is as bad as you state here, Brian. Ellison is still a capable reserve, as is Bryan Scott.

That said, I love the transition plan to the conventional 3-4. In 2011 we can target the mammoth run-stuffer early in the draft.

Make some more informed speculations. We now know we are going to be palying some form of a 3-4. We know are coaching staff. I feel pretty confident that we know what we need for this team.

too bad that we will need time, AND about 9 starters on defense. no one on our team has the true skillset required to transition into the role. even mcgee is a question mark as a true man corner at this point. better draft real well for 2 or 3 years before we think there will be much of a defense in buffalo. i just wish we didn’t have to take 7 steps backwards and not address the side of the ball that’s been the true consistant issue for multiple years. which isn’t the defense. (psssst…. for the slow ones i mean its the OFFENSE that has been consistantly weak)

Even though it is put together with the thought process of how to make a 3-4 defense out of our personnel, I am not sure it really matters considering I am sure George Edwards or Chan Gailey will be taking notes on this scheme… Like labill says… you might as well email it to Edwards.. Rec’d.

Not one of us really know what the defense will look like or be like until OTA’s, Training Camp and/or preseason.

My guess is our whole way we go about playing football will be a lot different that what we have seen in the past 4 years. A new coaching staff with potentially a lot of new players and new QB’s will allow for a lot of speculation like this post, but until we see it on the field, no one can say for sure…

Sorry Brian but I don’t think anyone at OBD will care (however, I am sure Fans will have our input as we ALWAYS DO)

I like this idea the more I think about it! Either way, our defense wouldn’t be amazing next year anyway

Draft Cody in the 2nd round, keep stroud, bring Lonnie Harvey off the practice squad.

His problem has never been talent, it’s endurance. So let him play say 75% of 1st and 2nd downs. Then let Lonnie handle say 10%-15% of the remaining 1st and 2nd down snaps. Let Stroud play the remaining 10% (say, 2nd and longs) and then play 3rd downs at NT. Then you keep Cody fresh, get Harvey snaps, and let Stroud use his bizarre ball-swatting skills without making him play a position he’s not comfortable in. Lonnie Harvey obviously isn’t a starter yet, but if he goes full throttle for 8-10 plays a game, I have a hard time imagining he can’t get it done as a bit player.

Would this approach be a playoff worthy NT next year? probably not (definitely not), but it’d be ok, and we’d only need to acquire 1 player, and we’d still get to use Stroud a little bit.

is how talented your defensive secondary actually is. I’ve shared this here before, but the Chiefs were a custom built 4-3 team under Herm Edwards. When we adopted the New England system and switched to the 3-4 every fan believed our biggest strength was going to be our young defensive secondary. After switching schemes from a more zone orienated defense to one which required more man-to-man coverage’s our young DB’s weaknesses were quickly exposed. Our two starting safeties who we considered to be legitimate starters in the league (2nd & 7th round picks) were proven to be anything but, our promising rookie of the year from the season prior turned out to be anything but, and #2 corner looks more to be suited a #4 on the depth chart. Basically, it wasn’t a pretty conversion. While I’ve always considered Buffalo’s secondary fairly solid thru the years I wouldn’t be surprised to see a change in play. Namely I’m interested in how the change is going to effect Byrd’s production.

Namely I’m interested in how the change is going to effect Byrd’s production

His production could have been up or down even had we stayed in a 4-3…his production was a result of many factors including the opposing offenses having the ball so much of the time. IMO though, Byrd will continue his ball-hawking ways.

Nice article Brian. It hasn’t changed my mind about being disappointed but gives me some hope that 2010 won’t be awful awful.