The 2008 3-4 Defense Depth Chart for the Panthers

by Revshawn on Jan 23, 2009 9:24 PM EST Comment 8 comments

This is the Depth Chart for Panthers if we took up a 3-4 formation right now and all our players were healthy.

LDE: Tyler Brayton, Charles Johnson

NT: Maake Kemoeatu, Damione Lewis, J'Vonne Parker, Darwin Walker

RDE: Julius Peppers, Hilee Taylor

SLB: Na'il Diggs, Landon Johnson

SMLB: Jon Beason, Adam Seward

WMLB: Dan Connor, Adam Seward

WLB: Thomas Davis, Landon Johnson

LCB: Chris Gamble, Richard Marshall

RCB: Ken Lucas, Richard Marshall

SS: Chris Harris, Quinton Teal

FS: Charles Godfrey, Nate Salley

This is just the Depth Chart starters and their immediate backups. Emphasizing a strong linebacker core, it might be a better defense next year than if we had a 4-3, especially if we lose Julius Peppers.

Just a little nudge nudge for the fans out there. This may actually be a good idea. With all the defensive coaches we lost this week, anything is possible.

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great post

Hilee Taylor is kind of small for the DE position, but he is really fast. He played DE in college and would be able to do both DE and OLB in a 3-4, especially since he’ll be a backup, we can certainly play him to his strengths. I like it because of our LB corps. I think Landon Johnson is going to be more competitive for PT next year, and Connor, Penn State’s all-time leading tackler, has to get on the field, too.

by usana_gaines on Jan 24, 2009 8:10 AM EST reply actions

Thanks for breaking it down

In the back of my head, I had it that the Panthers loaded up on LB’s last year for Special Teams, but it makes sense to get them on the field, if the Line is thin.

by panthersnbraves on Jan 24, 2009 9:40 PM EST reply actions

I thought

JP wanted to play OLB in the 3/4, so I’m not sure this would make sense from the standpoint of keeping him…

by ClaytonFire on Jan 25, 2009 6:35 AM EST reply actions

Haha, it's very nice that he wants to play OLB

Julius Peppers is a textbook DE. That’s just putting it frankly. I think it’s very nice that he wants to play Linebacker, but he’s waaaaaaaaaaay overweight by a good 40-50 pounds. Even if he drops the pounds, I don’t think he’s fast enough to be that good. There isn’t any question he’ll be able to make the tackle, there is the question of if he’ll be able to even make it to the running back.

There’s just so many issues. So many question marks at a position he may only be average at, when at DE he has so much going there for him. His decision to change to OLB must be from sheer boredom, because statistically it’s madness.

"Once again the trowsers of evil are yanked down by the mocking hands of justice!"-Revshawn

by Revshawn on Jan 25, 2009 1:41 PM EST up reply actions

I disagree on some points, but...

I agree that he can’t play OLB. I think he is fast enough as some OLBs aren’t that fast. Peppers is fast, remember he played F on the UNC basketball team. The problem he will have, I think, is learning to read plays, blocking schemes, and then reacting in time to make a play. I could see him chasing decoys all day and biting on all the play action plays, and maybe getting embarrassed on a couple screens. I think he just wants to play somewhere else.

by usana_gaines on Jan 25, 2009 2:11 PM EST reply actions

The 3-4

would require all of our LBs to bulk up, and would prevent Beason from what he does best… which is run sideline to sideline. And we would need a really big LB next to Beason, because he’s not much of a block-shedder when the OL gets to him.

The Utah Jazz
3rd Down & Full Count

by UtesFan89 on Jan 25, 2009 5:35 PM EST reply actions

I don't agree

Of all the positions impacted by this change, Beason would be near the bottom of my worry list. Sideline-to-sideline LBs operate just fine in the 3-4, so long as they have the space eaters up front.

I think Johnson and Brayton would line up ok as the ends and Kemo is a hippo.

Count this as another vote to get Connor on the field as much as we can- I have really high expectations for the guy.

Any draftniks know of any good 3-4 DEs or LBs coming out this year?

by the bomb dot com on Jan 25, 2009 6:09 PM EST up reply actions

Beason would be required to take on blockers

and shed them. Taking on the FB and clogging that whole. That’s not really his game… we’d need a big LB next to him to take that role. That’s not Connor, who’s on the smaller end.

And Johnson/Brayton aren’t exactly space-eaters. Maybe Lewis, but I’m not sure how he does when it comes to holding his blocks (to allow the LBs some extra space). And we’d need another big guy behind Kemo to back him up… or replace him if hurt.

Brayton & Johnson would have to bulk up at least a bit (along with every LB on the team except maybe Seward). Taylor would have to become one of the pass-rushing LBs.

We’d need a big guy alongside Beason. We’d need a big DE or 2 to play alongside Kemo, and potentially another NT as well.

I wouldn’t mind the 3-4… but as I see it, it’ll take some time before it can be implemented/used well. And time is something that Fox might not have a lot of… I don’t see him trying to go to the 3-4 in a “must win” type of season.

The Utah Jazz
3rd Down & Full Count

by UtesFan89 on Jan 25, 2009 7:27 PM EST up reply actions