Does Abraham's Release Open The Door For A Switch To A 3-4 Base Defense?

[toddwchandler]

As many of you will recall this past season, we would often slide Babs out to DE in running situations. I thought he did a pretty solid job at DE.

I am wondering in some ways of the release of Abraham could be paving the way for a switch to a 3-4 base defense. Maybe we are looking for a different kind of DE at this point to accommodate the switch.

Could it be that we would move Babs to DE in a 3-4 base alignment?

Just a thought. I know there are weaknesses to this theory, among them:

1. We don't have the big body to play DT that is traditionally needed in a 3-4. As with any need, this could potentially be addressed in free agency or the draft (Like a Jonathan Jenkins).

2. We may not have enough solid linebackers to man all four linebacker spots. We would have Spoon and Biermann at OLB and Dent inside, but who would go inside with Dent?

Very interesting turn of events with the cutting of Abe. He served us well.

[ryanATL1988]

why is a strike bad in baseball but good in bowling?

[Tribal Chief]

Possibly. Needs to be announced soon

[DMT11]

Hope so - we need to put to use these draft picks we have, release all these guys Nolan has to have a plan - pretty sure we sign Grimes now

[DonDaLuvMaker]

It is possible.

I find it odd that the Falcons released their best pass rusher when they already needed another pass rusher on the other side him so this would make a lot of sense..

[Psychic Gibbon]

That was going to happen anyway. Also, just say no to Johnathan Jenkins. He has the worst conditioning of any player in this draft and would die on the field if a team ever went no huddle against us. I'd vastly prefer Brandon Williams as far as NTs go.

[SkerFalcon8710]

Maybe kroy or massi gets tossed over to the blindside and gets similar or better production. We know cliff didnt but how often did anyone else get a chance coming off that left side? We saw sidbury could do it in very limited time.

[malak05]

Definitely feels that way Both Corey Peters and Babs can be solid DE in a 3-4 and Kroy seems to me alot like P.Kruger from the Ravens albeit just a little lighter

Need to add some bulk with NT and get another quality 3-4 LB I guess most likely resign Grimes to a proven yourself contract

[muskokas finest ©]

Abe was a situational pass rusher. Could have done that from OLB.

[Exp]

I think the time may be right.

We have seen what Nolan has built in SF.

[dmo_dlo]

That's the only way releasing Abe would make sense.

[belmont4213]

Does Spoon fit in a 3-4? I know he had 3.0 sacks (which sadly is a lot for us) but he is about 20 pounds underweight and 3 inches too short to play OLB in a 3-4. With his size he might be able to play MLB, but they are normally block-shedding run-stuffers. Or is this not a concern b/c we will spend so much time with 5 DBs and Spoon on the field to defend the pass? I know that changing schemes will always cause problems, but I can't help but notice that arguably our best defender might not fit in a 3-4 scheme.

Edited March 1, 2013 by tipler4213

[~SEAMILL~]

.....One more thing on Falcons release of Abraham: Keep an eye on Massaquoi. He has pass-rush hops. - Pete Prisco (CBS)

[Guest Fibonacci/Mashburn]

Possibly. Needs to be announced soon

With Dimitroff you can bet it will not be anounced until they get the pieces to try it.

Need Geathers or Jenkins or Sheldon possibly.

[DonDaLuvMaker]

Does Spoon fit in a 3-4? I know he had 3.0 sacks (which sadly is a lot for us) but he is about 20 pounds underweight and 3 inches too short to play OLB in a 3-4. With his size he might be able to play MLB, but they are normally block-shedding run-stuffers. Or is this not a concern b/c we will spend so much time with 5 DBs and Spoon on the field to defend the pass? I know that changing schemes will always cause problems, but I can't help but notice that arguably our best defender might not fit in a 3-4 scheme.

He was also projected as a possible 3-4 ILB before he was drafted.

Spoon is also bigger than Willis, Bowman, and Ray Lewis.

Edited March 1, 2013 by DawnOfThemBirds™

[Shelley#37]

2. We may not have enough solid linebackers to man all four linebacker spots. We would have Spoon and Biermann at OLB and Dent inside, but who would go inside with Dent?

schiller

Edited March 1, 2013 by Shelley#37

[MSalmon]

That's the only way releasing Abe would make sense.

Interestingly enough, the jets' move to a 34 is how we got Abe in his prime via trade

[Osiruz]

Spoon will probably move inside with nicholas and we'll have biermann, sidbury, or mossaquio on the outside. Des would be walker and babineaux, and tr would be our nt?

Its possible.

[DonDaLuvMaker]

2. We may not have enough solid linebackers to man all four linebacker spots. We would have Spoon and Biermann at OLB and Dent inside, but who would go inside with Dent?

Spoon

[belmont4213]

He was also projected as a possible 3-4 ILB before he was drafted.

Excellent news. I thought that seemed somewhat logical given his size in comparison to others at the position (Ray Lewis, etc.), but I didn't know about those projections. If Nolan sees him as a 3-4 ILB, I think the switch is inevitable. Massaquoi and Beerman (Sidbury and Mathews to a lesser degree) seem like they would improve as 3-4 pass-rushers.

I would like to see one veteran addition and 1-2 draft picks. This would take us off the market for Freeney and Osi, which would likely be downgrades from Abe anyway. Kruger makes sense but wouldn't come cheaply. My pick for OLB would be Lemonier. He has ideal size, blazed at the combine (4.6), did 27 reps on the bench, finished in the top third in all other categories, and apparently looked good in position drills. Although he did not produce last year (5.5 sacks) he was very impressive the year prior (9.5 sacks), and he actually started out very well last year with something like 4.5 sacks in the first 4 games. Wish he hadn't quit, but he was doubled as the teams only pass-rusher and everything at Auburn was a trainwreck that got worse as the season progressed.

Edited March 1, 2013 by tipler4213

[Jamesgall13]

Possibly but I am very worried about next season now.