Green Bay Packers: 4-3 Defense or 3-4 Defense?

What could 2009 bring to the Packers?

Well, the obvious changes include bringing in a new defensive coordinator, not to mention multiple assistant coaches, after the cleaning of house done recently by the packers.

By all rights, Bob Sanders has no reason to stay. He had the a young talented defense that he not only failed to coach to full potential, but he may have sent in motion changes that could bring significant growing pains. Mainly, I’m referring to the potential defensive scheme change that has been rumored.

Currently, the Pack run a traditional 4-3 defense, as of next year that defense could become a 3-4. Now, the question is: Do the Packers have the correct personal?

According to early rumors floating around the wire, Mike Nolan (former head coach of San Francisco) is a top runner to replace Bob Sanders. While Nolan is capable of running a 4-3 scheme defensively, the past has shown that he favors the 3-4, and that he is very capable of running such defense, evidenced by his stint with the Baltimore Ravens from 2002-2004.   

But, you say, the Ravens had the personnel. The question is, do we?

Well...We have about half of the required positions.

One of the biggest things (literally) that a 3-4 defense needs is a massive two-gap nose tackle. We don’t have that. The best fit for this role would fall to Ryan Pickett (6’2” 330), who is by all rights a good player against the run, but better suited as a DT in a 4-3.

While Pickett is a strong and tough player that most coaches would envy to have, he doesn’t have the pure bulk and strength that is required. In order for a scheme transition to work, Green Bay must find a two-gap player who will constantly face doubles teams and yet still find a way to impact the game.

While the NT takes credit for most run-stopping effects, the defensive ends have just as big of responsibility. Not so much are they expected to create a pass rush as they are to keep linemen off of linebackers and play the run effectively.

While some people say that Aaron Kampman (6’4” 265) is not the normal fit for such a scheme, I disagree. Most DE in this system are required to be bigger and better suited to stop the run, but with Kampman's never-say-die attitude, I think he can provide a unique twist to the system.

He has always played well against the run and has proven that he is a tough son of a gun. On the other side of the line, we have a perfect fit in Cullen Jenkins (6’2” 305). Truly a perfect fit; he once played DT and is a good run defender.  

Linebackers are truly the play makers of a 3-4 scheme. They are expected to be the athletic, free roaming, in-your-face players that they should be anyways. Well, the Packers have something along the lines of this.

On the outside we have a converted DE from his college days in Brady Poppinga (6’3”, 247). First off, he has pass rushing skills, just not great skills, he has improving coverage skills, but yet not great skills, and he has yet to show true explosiveness that is asked for by out side linebackers. Sorry Brady, but your not a good fit.

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