'New chapter' as Vilma dealt from Jets to Saints - NFL - ESPN

By John Clayton | ESPN.com

Updated: February 29, 2008, 10:53 PM ET

"The Jets were going one direction, and I was going a different direction," Vilma said Friday. "I'm just glad I'm getting back into a 4-3 defense. This is better for both sides."

Vilma, considered a bit undersized at linebacker, didn't fit in as well in the Jets' 3-4 scheme. Unless the nose tackle in a 3-4 occupies two blockers, the middle linebacker in a 3-4 is subject to a steady diet of blocking guards or centers pounding on his body.

It wasn't the move to the 3-4, it was a move to a 2-gap 3-4 scheme in which Vilma would be taking on O-Linemen.

Movin' Hawthorne in front of Vilma? Bold move there.

Did you mean Jordan at LED and Hicks at RDE? On paper Jordan does look like a better RDE than a LDE.

It seems to me that playing Jordan as a 3-tech RDE plays to his pass rush ability, and moving Hicks to the LDE playing the 5 tech plays to his strength and size.

I'm still new to all the nuances of the 3-4 over and 3-4 under alignments but it sure looks to my amature eyes that Jordan looks to be a better fit at the RDE.

But then again playing Hicks at RDE would give Vilma a much bigger body playing in front of him. Thats what the Ravens did with Ngata and it worked pretty well.

I'm a Vilma fan, but I don't see him having an easy task making this roster for a couple of reasons...

Salary, Unless Hawthorne breaks down, can't see committing that much salary to two players "sharing" the same position - contemporary NFL finances precludes it...

Size, Vilma doesn't haven't the frame; though he's listed an inch taller than Hawthorne, he's not built as well as Hawthorne to take on Off Linemen as a 34 LB will...

Age, he's a linebacker with ten (10) years now in the league and a degenerative knee condition that's deteriorating, limiting his playing time - just don't see this happening...

Then add in the remote, but possible chance that one of other newer, younger, faster linebacker additions may just outplay him physically...

Vilma has given us some great moments which I am grateful, but he's got a big mountain ahead of him...

Don't mind being wrong, but Vilma himself didn't want to play in a 34 with the Jets (posted his own words) no matter what the defensive front protection is because of the more physical nature with the O line guys...

Jordan shot up draft boards, as he was a 34 RDE (which would be opposite the Jack LBer)...

Think back to what KC had with LB Derrick Thomas opposite DE Neil Smith; now, not saying we have that talent level, but a similar scheme or complement would be likely comparison...

Jordan shot up draft boards, as he was a 34 RDE (which would be opposite the Jack LBer)...