The Gnat Posted August 15, 2017 Share Posted August 15, 2017 What would the defense look like? DE: Tom Johnson NT: Linval Joseph DE: ??? (Brian Robison?) OLB: Anthony Barr ILB: Eric Kendrick ILB: Ben Gedeon OLB: Everson Griffen CB: Xavier Rhodes S: Harrison Smith S: Andrew Sendejo CB: Trae Waynes That seems like it could still be a solid defense to put out there. Where would Danielle Hunter play on that defense? Could he play as an OLB in a 3-4 defense or DE or is he just a fit for a 4-3? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SemperFeist Posted August 15, 2017 Share Posted August 15, 2017 I don't think we'd be very good. But, for the purpose of the exercise; LDE: Datone Jones NT: Linval Joseph RDE: Everson Griffen LOLB: Anthony Barr LILB: Ben Gedeon RILB: Eric Kendricks ROLB: Danielle Hunter CB: Xavier Rhodes CB: Trae Waynes FS: Harrison Smith SS: Jayron Kearse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vikingsrule Posted August 15, 2017 Share Posted August 15, 2017 Barr would probably be better at MLB. I'm not sure if he has the technique to be an effective edge rusher but he certainly looks the part. LE Shamar Stephen NT Linval Joseph RE Datone Jones need to find a true 3-4 DE, neither Jones or Stephen are ideal fits. Floyd would be an ideal fit if he ever plays again. OLB Danielle Hunter ILB Anthony Barr ILB Eric Kendricks OLB Everson Griffen LBs are set. Robison would also be in the mix, as he is now. Overall, the defense doesn't look as good on paper given the lack of a 3-4 DE on the active roster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede700 Posted August 15, 2017 Share Posted August 15, 2017 We've seen Everson Griffen at LB. It wasn't a pretty sight. He's not the same guy without his hand on the ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kparty15 Posted August 15, 2017 Share Posted August 15, 2017 I'm not a fan of 3-4 defenses at all. Sure it can help disguise blitzes, but we haven't been having trouble with that in our 4-3. In its base form it's almost like having 5 defensive linemen on the field and I'm not a fan of asking pass rushers to cover. The past few years the Bills and Cardinals would just get decimated by tight ends. I can't think of any scheme I'd rather be running more than Mike Zimmer's 4-3 that we currently use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRider Posted August 15, 2017 Share Posted August 15, 2017 Not that it is too closely related, but this read reminds me of when we experimented with placing Kevin Williams at DE. That also wasn't a pretty sight. We actually have the three most important pieces to make an effective 3-4: a great nose tackle (Joseph), and if they get the technique down two good-great exterior rushers (Barr, Hunter). We'd be pretty lost in the front 7 after those three, though. The biggest loss would be that Griffen has no fit whatsoever. On another her side note, I'm very happy with our current defense - the scheme and the players. I couldn't be more satisfied with it, as long as some of our developmental players come along. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VikeManDan Posted August 15, 2017 Share Posted August 15, 2017 1 hour ago, RedRider said: On another her side note, I'm very happy with our current defense - the scheme and the players. I couldn't be more satisfied with it, as long as some of our developmental players come along. Hitting on Kearse sure would be nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RpMc Posted August 15, 2017 Share Posted August 15, 2017 I think we could run more of a penetrating 34 front than a two gap front with reasonable success. A Wade Phillips style defense where the 2-4-5 nickel look isn't dissimilar to our 4-2-5. The way DeMarcus Ware describes it, it's basically a five defensive lineman front with two linebackers. The defensive ends are generally taller and range from 275 to 290 lbs DE - Tom Johnson NT - Linval Joseph - Jaleel Johnson DE - Datone Jones WOLB - Danielle Hunter WILB - Eric Kendricks SILB - Anthony Barr SOLB - Everson Griffin Depth wise, we would be pretty screwed, but we could put together a solid front seven. The outside backers are allowed to be aggressive and set the edges to funnel everything back inside to Barr, Kendricks, and Joseph. The defensive lineman don't read and react, they attack their gap and attempt to disrupt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnus-Viktor Posted August 15, 2017 Share Posted August 15, 2017 I'd say your best bet with the current roster to maximize your playmaking would be this: DE: Tom Johnson/Datone Jones NT: Linval Joseph DE: Jaleel Johnson OLB: Danielle Hunter ILB: Anthony Barr (more of a Brian Cushing type) ILB: Eric Kendricks OLB: Everson Griffen (Brian Robison is your 3rd OLB......he would've been a monster 34 OLB) secondary no change from now Griffen and Hunter are ideal athletes for a 34 OLB, but I don't know how they'd do in space. Some teams have those guys do nothing but rush the passer anyway, and even from a 3 point stance, so it's all good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplexing Posted August 15, 2017 Share Posted August 15, 2017 IF the Vikings ran a 3-4, and assuming the above assemblies of current roster players, it's likely that one of the coaches who decided to do so would be sent home to sofa-surf for the rest of the year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthCountryEvo Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 I think a 3-4 shift would look attrocious with our current personnel. The only guy who might benefit would be Barr, but it immediately takes two of our top defenders in Griffen and Hunter and places them in less than ideal conditions. Hunter may be able to play at OLB, but that has generally been unseen, so it couldn't be banked on. Griffen was pretty bad when he was tested at OLB, so you would have to keep him at DE, where he could still be successful even in a 3-4, though his skill set would probably be underused. 3-4 defenses are better suited for big lines with a strong linebacker corps, and 4-3's are much more suited for the strength to lie on the D-line along with adequate LB's (which we have). You only (usually) see the 4-3 to 3-4 swap or vice versa on a team rebuilding it's defense. This isn't to say that in certain scenarios that we couldn't have a 3-4 look, but I think in the end it would just be a disguise to get Barr in loved as a pass rusher. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kparty15 Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 As much as I dislike 3-4 defenses I would be ok with occasionally using 3-4 looks a couples times per game similar to how the Patriots and Raiders use both schemes throughout a game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteelKing728 Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 16 hours ago, Purplexing said: IF the Vikings ran a 3-4, and assuming the above assemblies of current roster players, it's likely that one of the coaches who decided to do so would be sent home to sofa-surf for the rest of the year. If they're smart, they quit mid-season like Norv Turner did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RpMc Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 9 hours ago, NorthCountryEvo said: I think a 3-4 shift would look attrocious with our current personnel. The only guy who might benefit would be Barr, but it immediately takes two of our top defenders in Griffen and Hunter and places them in less than ideal conditions. Hunter may be able to play at OLB, but that has generally been unseen, so it couldn't be banked on. Griffen was pretty bad when he was tested at OLB, so you would have to keep him at DE, where he could still be successful even in a 3-4, though his skill set would probably be underused. 3-4 defenses are better suited for big lines with a strong linebacker corps, and 4-3's are much more suited for the strength to lie on the D-line along with adequate LB's (which we have). You only (usually) see the 4-3 to 3-4 swap or vice versa on a team rebuilding it's defense. This isn't to say that in certain scenarios that we couldn't have a 3-4 look, but I think in the end it would just be a disguise to get Barr in loved as a pass rusher. Griffen has never played as a true 3-4 OLB. He was tried as a gimmick stand-up rusher. In a one gap 3-4, his role would be virtually identical to what it is now. Rushing the passer and setting the edge. He would only drop into coverage on zone blitzes, which he occasionally does now as an end anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 The 3-4 defense gives me the same kind of headache I get when I have a sinus infection!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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