What to expect from the 4 technique?

[Ryno]

*If any of this is wrong please correct me!

Previous implementations of Gus Bradley's defense used a bigger 2-gap player at strong-side DE with stopping the run being the priority. Red Bryant, Jared Odrick etc.

I haven't watched much of the Chargers but assuming Joey Bosa covered this role. Was this a difference in approach by GB or was he still a 2-gap player?  

 

If the role remained unchanged then what are we expecting from Maxx Crosby? Not seeing holding the point of attack/playing the run as a strong point...

 

Should this not be a blessing for Clelin Ferrell who at the very least was able to play the run last year 🤔

Clelin Ferrell pass rush saga: What can Raiders DE build on? - Silver And Black Pride

Edge Defender Rankings: The 32 best players entering the 2021 NFL season | NFL News, Rankings and Statistics | PFF

32. CLELIN FERRELL, LAS VEGAS RAIDERS

[Rich7sena]

This should probably be posted in the defense thread. Bradley didn't copy paste Seattle's scheme when he was with the Chargers. There will be no 4-technique. Bosa played 6/7 tech. Ferrell will be a backup in 2021 barring injury.

[Jeremy408]

I expect Cle to kind of be in that role. I think he's going to play a lot in this Monday night football game with it being so run heavy. He is not necessarily red Bryant but he's also a very good run defender

Edited September 9, 2021 by Jeremy408

[Rolni]

Bradley's scheme is quite different now.

With Bosa and Ingram he used the 4T less and less and with the Crosby-Yannick duo we will also use that less. Ferrell, Thomas or Massive could play that role and will do so in certain situations, but that is not the base, core of our D now.

[Darbsk]

1 hour ago, Rolni said:

Bradley's scheme is quite different now.

With Bosa and Ingram he used the 4T less and less and with the Crosby-Yannick duo we will also use that less. Ferrell, Thomas or Massive could play that role and will do so in certain situations, but that is not the base, core of our D now.

Looked like on Monday the two ends played quite wide, outside the tackles often. I assumed when we employed Gus Bradley he'd have a wide set, almost wide 9 like Ngakoue and the a 5 Tec that maybe Ferrel would have played.

Of course, we might have been just playing 'horses for courses' against the Ravens and using our two fast pass rushers wide to corrall Lamar Jackson and keep him from rolling out and getting outside the pocket, making him step up and try and contain him inside the hashes (isn't it great to be able to think that your DC can think outside the box a little like that and may be able to scheme and adapt for once 😀).

Or it could, as Rolni says, be a natural evolution from his Seattle days, they did do that in San Diego I believe. It will be fascinating moving forward to see how they line up as that would be a good wrinkle to have against a team with a great RB and a less mobile QB to bring in a bigger 5 Tec and be more 'solid' up front.

[Ryno]

48 minutes ago, Darbsk said:

Looked like on Monday the two ends played quite wide, outside the tackles often. I assumed when we employed Gus Bradley he'd have a wide set, almost wide 9 like Ngakoue and the a 5 Tec that maybe Ferrel would have played.

Of course, we might have been just playing 'horses for courses' against the Ravens and using our two fast pass rushers wide to corrall Lamar Jackson and keep him from rolling out and getting outside the pocket, making him step up and try and contain him inside the hashes (isn't it great to be able to think that your DC can think outside the box a little like that and may be able to scheme and adapt for once 😀).

Or it could, as Rolni says, be a natural evolution from his Seattle days, they did do that in San Diego I believe. It will be fascinating moving forward to see how they line up as that would be a good wrinkle to have against a team with a great RB and a less mobile QB to bring in a bigger 5 Tec and be more 'solid' up front.

Nooo I thought this thread had successfully been buried... Happy to be wrong on Crosby here! Looks like we have a good variety of players and Bradley should be able to get creative as you said.

I thought the weakest link on the line was Hankins who has been Mr Reliable in the past... Saw him losing ground over and over in single blocks. Wouldn't mind seeing Thomas steal some of his reps and see what he has, but that's because I'm a sucker for a reclamation project and just finished watching the below two vids...

49ers Playbook: Solomon Thomas pt 1 of 2, pass rush breakdown - YouTube

49ers Playbook: Solomon Thomas Pt 2 of 2, defending the run inside - YouTube