The magic 8-ball is telling me we go back to the 4-3. Who is our SLB?

by RBbills on Jan 8, 2012 9:00 AM EST

-The best choice among the players currently on the roster is arguably Kirk Morrison.

-We can use Arthur Moats on passing downs, but his limited coverage skills make him more of a specialist and not a true Sam.

-Scott McKillop also provides potential depth here, but he is probably not starter material.

-Shawne Merriman would be out of position at SLB, and is best suited as a DE in a 4-3. Nick Barnett should probably play weak side linebacker, but I wouldn't be surprised if he made a good fit at SLB as well. Still, that's a last resort type of move.

I must admit, I find our chances of drafting or acquiring a strong side linebacker to be much greater than drafting the mythical OLB that will solve our pass rush woes. I hate to change horses in mid-stream, but I feel we are truly halfway between the 3-4 and the 4-3 as it is, and any direction we go in will be just as difficult as the other. At least the 4-3 gives us the chance of generating pressure up the middle.

Thoughts?

Just another great fan opinion shared on the pages of BuffaloRumblings.com.

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i think today

it will be from weakside to strongside:
Merriman – Meatball – Dareus – Kelsay
Barnett – Sheppard – Moats

Since they tried Moats at ILB a lot of times, he looks like the choice. Maybe they could put Shep as SOLB and Morrison at MLB, but i don’t think it’s the right move, Shep needs to stay inside, he will be our MLB for yers to come.
In a 4-3, i think the OLB guy from North Carolina will be a strong option in the draft. Nix loves guys from NC and this guy can be special with his speed. I forget his name and i’m too lazy to search now.

by Fernando brazil on Jan 8, 2012 10:14 AM EST reply actions

Go back to the 4-3? Did we ever leave? We play a hybrid defense, with both 3- and 4- man fronts, and it’s not going to change.

"Slowly all the roles we act out become our identity. And in the end we are what we pretend to be." - Jerry Cantrell.

by stetzwebs on Jan 8, 2012 10:42 AM EST reply actions

exactly

if we can draft a couple edge guys who are around 6’3" 260lbs that would be perfect for the Hybrid.

You are now Watching The Throne.

by tomcs on Jan 8, 2012 10:54 AM EST up reply actions

No, we didn’t really leave and that’s the problem. We don’t have enough 3-4 or 4-3 talent, and we see how well George Edwards’ hybrid D worked out. I’m not saying that we should never change our base look, I’m just saying that we need to stop fitting round pegs in square holes.

I like to believe this has more to do with the Bills players feeling like they can be something special. They started a year 0-8 and finished 4-4 while taking playoff and championship game bound teams to OT and 3 pt nail biters. All this with one year under a new coach and with a young roster. Im sure they can feel what they are capable of. -poz

by RBbills on Jan 8, 2012 11:00 AM EST up reply actions

Nick Perry of SoCal...

He could play Sam, and wouldn’t be much of a reach at #10.

by RBbills on Jan 8, 2012 11:09 AM EST reply actions

I am not real sure on the measurables for 4-3 OLBs.

But wouldn’t he be more of DE in a 4-3. I also think he might be a reach at this point in the draft process because there are a few similar players ahead of him on most boards it seems to me. I definitely think we need to draft a couple players similar to him (size, athleticism wise) because either way we need 2 OLBs or 2 DEs depending on the system, but they are very similar anyway. But if we switch for a 4-3 that SLB becomes a position of need, I think a guy like Zach Brown would be perfect there (size wise, athleticism). If we stay with a 3-4 we have Carrington/edwards at end, so we might have one less need.

Either way we need edge players, but with a 4-3 base we would need to get a SLB for sure. So a hybrid is what I see us going with, while we develop a 4-3 SLB and Carrington as our 3-4 DE.

You are now Watching The Throne.

by tomcs on Jan 8, 2012 12:57 PM EST up reply actions

you think so? i think hed be a fish out of water as a 4-3 OLB (even the sam). j
just doesnt have the movement skills. perrys more of a pure pass rusher, and a pretty unproven one at that

Its fun to think quarterback, but i think the odds of nix taking one in the first are close to 0%.

by boomsauce on Jan 8, 2012 8:23 PM EST up reply actions

McKillop is a tell here

He is a MLB and knows Wanstedts system
Sheppard to SLB and Barnett is WLB
Morrison is a backup at MLB and SLB
Davis and Torbor are history

Moats, Batten and others are fighting for a job now

by freddyjj on Jan 8, 2012 11:30 AM EST reply actions

Does this mean that we are giving up the hybird

by Winnie33 on Jan 8, 2012 12:31 PM EST reply actions

Are you asking if RBbills’s fanpost means we’re giving up on the hybrid?

"Slowly all the roles we act out become our identity. And in the end we are what we pretend to be." - Jerry Cantrell.

by stetzwebs on Jan 8, 2012 12:43 PM EST up reply actions

Well, I did consult the magic 8-ball…..

by RBbills on Jan 8, 2012 1:26 PM EST up reply actions

Reply hazy….try again later.

by RBbills on Jan 8, 2012 1:42 PM EST reply actions

4-3 over

Actually, the switch to a 4-3 over would mean we’d likely only be starting 2 ‘true’ LBs. Barnett would still be the mike (more experience) and Shep the sam (depends on TC, possibly flip the two), with Shep likely off the field in the nickel. The will would actually be manned by Scott/Searcy.

The defense is simpler than other schemes, requiring dominant DTs in the middle and a true mike but the rest of the front seven are smaller, faster tweener players. The DEs job is to penetrate and not set the edge, to spill the play to the outside if necessary for the secondary to mop up.

Psycho Jungle Cat

by kanatablues on Jan 9, 2012 7:20 PM EST reply actions