I've always been in favor of the 4-3 as opposed to the 3-4 as the base for a D, but I wouldn't be against it if it made the D better. But, alas, it's hard to see how things would improve with the LBs the Saints have at the moment, and I'm not sure how well GW is adapted to working out of that base... does anyone know if he has ever had a 3-4 as the base of his D?

Anyway, if they were to run the 3-4 I'd like to see Franklin as the nose, because that is where he shined in SF.

Myself; I'm a fan of the 3-4... i think it's a lot easier to disguise blitzes and bring pressure from a lot more angles. However at this time our LBs are too small to run it consistently.

Me to Mitch...if you notice the 3-4 gives us the most trouble..and the teams that run it are always the best Ds in the league.

Ok Mitch i got it..lol


Wilson -OLB 250
Vilma-MLB 230
Shanle MLB 245
Galette-OLB 253

That's 3-4 size...

Regarding the tackles, Franklin and Rogers rotate at the nose as they're the same position and big guys like that have a snap-count ceiling...

Johnson and Ellis are at the Three-tech; Ellis second on the depth chart to send a msg...

Rotate the DE's more so their fresh and can keep coming all game through with the best rushers game by game basis going in the fourth quarter...

Linebackers? Vilma/Humber (Mike-backer), Shanle/Casillas (Will-backer), Dunbar/Wilson (Sam-backer); they need work, lotsa work...

Yep, nothing wrong with a 4-3.

Its not the alignment that matters, its the alignees.

Our current players are better suited using a base 4-3.

While Jordan, Franklin, and Wilson are decent 3-4 prospects, Smith is strictly a 4-3 DE.

Vilma is strictly a 4-3 MLB (or a 4-3 WLB), Dunbar is ideally a 4-3 MLB, and Shanle can't play ILB in a 3-4. They'd all get eaten alive by O-linemen.

I'm not sure Galette would be a good stand-up DE/OLB either. He looks like a 4-3 RDE all day long.

Johnson and Ellis are in no way shape or form 3-4 DT's.

I don't think the scheme is the problem, its more execution .... it would help if the corners would catch INTs that hit them right in the hands

I'd move Vilma to WLB, Wilson to the middle he's heavier than Vilma. I really like Vilma but for some reason he seems a half step slower to the ball, he could easily cover ground from that position. Wilson is fast but not as seasoned which could may make up in speed for inexperience.

Actually 3-4 LB's are usually 4-3 tweeners; 4-3 Defensive ends that are really too small to play the position effectively... I would say 250-260+

Rogers. Underachiever before he came here. Still one.
Franklin. What has he done?
Ellis. IMO, he's suffering from playing next to Rogers
Jordan. Rookie
Tom Johnson. Raw.
Gallette. Undersized. Not a polished rusher.
Charleston. Career backup.
Smith. Best we've got?
Dunbar. Physical, doesn't play smart.
Casillas. Work in progress.
Shanle. Shanle.
Vilma. Commander in chief. But can't rely on his cabinet.


Challenge me if you like, but I don't believe this is a unit that plays well together.