Packers Hybrid Defense Depth Chart
By Brian Carriveau on Mar 30, 2012 with 9 Comments
Piggybacking on our column wondering about the possibility of the Packers running a hybrid defense, I took the image from Chris Brown’s article at Grantland and altered it to create a depth chart of what the Packers defense might look like in the hybrid 4-3/3-4 look.
Of course, it will look different if the Packers add new players in the draft or they add anyone new in free agency.
Read names from the bottom up…
Click to enlarge
Filed Under: 3-4 defense • Packer Defense • Packers News
Great visual Brian. Makes a lot more sense seeing our own guys in there. To me, that makes someone like Nick Perry, or Whitney Mercilus even more valuable. You could use them as a DE or OLB since they are used to playing with their hand in the dirt. Or even Branch or McClellin for that matter.
Hightower.
Like the idea of Hightower. A lot.
I was trying to wrap my head around what exactly you meant by a 3-4 / 4-3 hybrid before- I thought you simply meant the Packers were going to run a multiple front defense- some downs, 3-4, others 4-3, others 2-4, etc and so forth. I was a bit confused because they’ve always done this.
Seeing this, now I understand what you’re talking about. It’s a 4-3 over alignment, but the gap responsibilities, and the type of personnel that fill the roles, are kind of a mesh of both 3-4 and 4-3 philosophies.
Interesting.
Very interesting. My one question is do you really thing So’oto would be starting Week 1? (with Neal suspended)
Perhaps someone like Courtney Upshaw, Whitney Mercilus or Nick Perry would.
So would the 1 gap strongside end come off in a nickel?
A defensive lineman would come off the field. It’s more complicated than just saying the strongside end will come off. The defensive linemen who play nickel will play different techniques, and they’ll use differing personnel in nickel as well.
So one form of nickel could look like a 3-3 with the ends playing 5 technique?
I like this idea because every type of defensive lineman would have a way to get onto the field. It would help Thompson stick with his BPA philosophy.