How many true 4-3 DEs do we have? What will the front 7 look like?

[BIG JAY]

Wasn't Graham also a 4-3 DE at first? Cox, Curry, Barwin, Graham all DEs in a 4-3? Will Beau Allen start next to Logan? How does this play out?

[Cheesesteak]

Graham, Cox, Logan, Curry is my guess. Wonder if they'll give Smith a shot at DE...he sure isn't a LB.

[Melchior]

Wasn't Graham also a 4-3 DE at first? Cox, Curry, Barwin, Graham all DEs in a 4-3? Will Beau Allen start next to Logan? How does this play out?

Cox would play DT in a 4-3. I'd say Graham rotates with Barwin at LE. Logan/Cox at DT and Curry as your starting RE with Graham/Smith mixed in for ~15% of the snaps.

Barwin and Graham are both pretty stout against the run. A lot of people are talking about trading Barwin, but that leaves you with no depth at DE.

[JuTMSY4]

Barwin struggled in the 4-3 in Houston.

[Melchior]

That's why I'd rotate him at LE with Graham. At least until you have another option at DE. No one wants to see Marcus Smith starting because Graham or Curry goes down.

[Eagle Road]

That's why I'd rotate him at LE with Graham. At least until you have another option at DE. No one wants to see Marcus Smith starting because Graham or Curry goes down.

Barwin is fairly quick and has played some coverage in the past why would OLB out of the question for him to play?

[Melchior]

Barwin is fairly quick and has played some coverage in the past why would OLB out of the question for him to play?

He's 275 pounds. He can drop occasionally but he can't be in coverage on a regular basis. He'd get killed by slot receivers and quicker TEs.

[Eagle Road]

He's 275 pounds. He can drop occasionally but he can't be in coverage on a regular basis. He'd get killed by slot receivers and quicker TEs.

I know Mel, but that is the position he played for the Texans for a year, was he lighter then? Just thought he might not be a bad option.

[Melchior]

I know Mel, but that is the position he played for the Texans for a year, was he lighter then? Just thought he might not be a bad option.

I think they ran a 1-gap 3-4 and he was a hybrid OLB in that scheme. So he was mostly an edge rusher/defender. I think that was under Wade Phillips?

[Eagle Road]

I think they ran a 1-gap 3-4 and he was a hybrid OLB in that scheme. So he was mostly an edge rusher/defender. I think that was under Wade Phillips?

Too be honest I can't remember, I just know that he played some OLB for them and was lined up out there quite a bit, not sure of the scheme.

[nor'easter]

If Barwin rotates at DE then what happens at LB? Unless Kiko resurrects his 2012/13 self then putting #98 on the front line weakens LB further. IMO

[Loki]

It plays out like VI Warshawski

Perhaps a good and noble idea at first, then a train wreck of a finished product.

[BIG JAY]

Rotoworld...


Mychal Kendricks is expected to play weak-side linebacker in the Eagles' new 4-3 defense.

Kendricks will be new DC Jim Schwartz's next DeAndre Levy. Levy was a do-it-all WILL linebacker under Schwartz, and it earned him a big pay day. Kendricks has the speed and range to make plays sideline-to-sideline, but is coming off a really disappointing 2015. Early projections have Kendricks at WLB, Jordan Hicks at MIKE, and Connor Barwin on the strong side. That'd leave Kiko Alonso as the odd man out. It's possible the Eagles will look to trade Alonso.

[nor'easter]

And then is Thornton odd man out on the front given UFA status and the fact Bair is still signed for another year?

[Ground_Meat]

Rotoworld...


Mychal Kendricks is expected to play weak-side linebacker in the Eagles' new 4-3 defense.

Kendricks will be new DC Jim Schwartz's next DeAndre Levy. Levy was a do-it-all WILL linebacker under Schwartz, and it earned him a big pay day. Kendricks has the speed and range to make plays sideline-to-sideline, but is coming off a really disappointing 2015. Early projections have Kendricks at WLB, Jordan Hicks at MIKE, and Connor Barwin on the strong side. That'd leave Kiko Alonso as the odd man out. It's possible the Eagles will look to trade Alonso.

Ahhahahaa, right. LOL @ Kiko's trade value.