New England Patriots Sign DE Mark Anderson: What It Means for the Defense

Early indications out of New England Patriots training camp are that the defense, once a 3-4 front, could be switching to the more standard 4-3.

With the signing of veteran defensive end Mark Anderson (as announced by Patriots.com), the switch could be on.

At 6'4", 255 pounds, Anderson is a traditional 4-3 defensive end. Although he has the frame to play outside linebacker in the 3-4, he has played end for the duration of his career in his tenures with both the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans.

Not much can be expected of him in run defense, as part of the reason for his diminished playing time in Chicago was his inability to hold up against the run. What he undoubtedly could add, however, is that ever-important pass rush potency.

As a rookie out of Alabama in 2006, Anderson registered 12 sacks and led all rookies in that category. His production has taken a dip since then, as Anderson has recorded 13.5 sacks in the four years since then.

After being released by the Bears four weeks into the 2010 season, Anderson finished the season on a strong note by registering four sacks in 11 games and two starts with the Texans.

It bears mentioning that the Texans had a chance to retain Anderson, but declined to do so. They are switching from the traditional 4-3 to the 3-4 under new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips. With that, it would seem that the Texans aren't sold on his fit in the scheme.

He's a long way removed from his 12-sack rookie season, but the potential is there. He will push upstarts like Jermaine Cunningham, Eric Moore and a host of rookie free agents for playing time.

There have been rumors, however, that Anderson has problems with his effort. That simply won't fly by Bill Belichick, who will push Anderson to the limit in practice.

From this latest roster transaction, it would appear that the Patriots have moved on from Shaun Ellis, the former New York Jets defensive end who was in for a workout on Thursday. He left Foxborough without a contract, and this signing could mean that the Patriots have lost interest in the former rival defensive end.

While the signing may not be anything to get terribly excited over, it's just another bullet point in a mountain of evidence that the Patriots could, in fact, switch to a 4-3 defensive alignment for the 2011 season.

One thing is for sure: The Patriots are desperate for pass rush help, and will leave no stone unturned in their search for fits and potential contributors to their front seven.

Erik Frenz is the co-host of the PatsPropaganda and Frenz podcast. Follow Erik on Twitter @erikfrenz.