New Orleans Saints' recent moves signify strong commitment to a three-safety scheme | Analysis
 

The three-safety alignment in the New Orleans Saints' defensive playbook originally served as a wrinkle. The team installed its 4-2-5 formation figuring there would be a time and a place to toss the odd twist at an opposing offense.

Season-ending injuries to outside linebackers like Victor Butler and Will Smith last offseason pushed the Saints to morph from its planned 3-4 scheme into a less traditional defense.

"You start the offseason and put your plan together, but as you start to look closely at it and you start saying, 'Hey, who are the best 11 guys,' you have to have some flexibility," Saints coach Sean Payton said at the NFL owners meetings in Orlando, Fla., two weeks ago.

Read more: New Orleans Saints' recent moves signify strong commitment to a three-safety scheme | Analysis | NOLA.com

Re: New Orleans Saints' recent moves signify strong commitment to a three-safety scheme | Analysis
 

Probably my favourite defensive formation, so much versatility on the field without a weakness to a particular play call

Re: New Orleans Saints' recent moves signify strong commitment to a three-safety scheme | Analysis
 

CB/S hybrids have a home here for sure. nice thing about these players is the fact, in general they can tackle.

top two in the draft that should be in our reach
Deone Bucannon
Dontae Johnson,

I think the saints will add at least 1 more to the mix

Re: New Orleans Saints' recent moves signify strong commitment to a three-safety scheme | Analysis
 

I will be as confused as opposing offensive coordinators.

Re: New Orleans Saints' recent moves signify strong commitment to a three-safety scheme | Analysis
 

I read a really good post the other day about the return of the 46. We're one rangy LB away from having the personnel to execute it well.

Can you say CJ Mosely or Christian Jones?

Re: New Orleans Saints' recent moves signify strong commitment to a three-safety scheme | Analysis
 

Did we see the 46 any last year?

Re: New Orleans Saints' recent moves signify strong commitment to a three-safety scheme | Analysis
 

I'm not smart enough to notice. With so much shifting, blitzing and hybrid sets I just can't tell.

Re: New Orleans Saints' recent moves signify strong commitment to a three-safety scheme | Analysis
 

I heard a commentator (so take it for what it's worth) say that Ryan runs a variation of the 46 defense. He also said that Gregggggg Williams ran it while he was here.

Re: New Orleans Saints' recent moves signify strong commitment to a three-safety scheme | Analysis
 

To me its just looks like a 4-3 with a single high safety and an in the box safety lined up with the LB's.

http://mgoblog.com/sites/mgoblog.com.../46defense.jpg


Obviously there's more to it than that though. But it looks familiar. I remember Harper lining up that way frequently.

Re: New Orleans Saints' recent moves signify strong commitment to a three-safety scheme | Analysis
 

Think Ryan runs it with Vaccaro being that "rangy LB"?